Dhaka, 25 years on the road with young people

Over 200 youth, together with dozens of priests and nuns, celebrated the silver jubilee of the Episcopal Youth Commission of the local Church. An occasion to take stock of the training courses and seminars offered and to relaunch youth work in Bangladesh

Dhaka (AsiaNews) - "Young people are the future leaders of our communities" said Msgr. Gervas Rozario, bishop of the diocese of Rajshahi, vice-president of the Catholic Episcopal Conference of Bangladesh and representative of the episcopal conference for youth.

His words were pronounced on the occasion of the silver jubilee of the Episcopal Conference for Youth (EC-Y) of the country, celebrated on 11 November in which eight bishops took part, including 2 archbishops, dozens of priests and nuns and over 200 young people. In Bangladesh, “the Episcopal Commission for young people is important - underlines Mgr. Gervas Rozario - and over the years we have made many investments, including economic ones, to support his activities. This is why we have chosen training as the theme at the center of this twenty-fifth anniversary".

During the anniversary party, Msgr. also spoke. Bejoy N. D'Cruze of Dhaka, the president of the Catholic Episcopal Conference of Bangladesh who called the young people present to be light and salt for others.

And he added: "Today is a day of special blessing for the Church of the country, a day to express gratitude to God. Be active in the Church, do not be afraid. I invite you to work for the good of the people around you with your knowledge, intelligence, wisdom, strength and morality, and be salt and light to those who meet you."

The beneficiaries of EC-Y projects and courses expressed gratitude during the celebration: “After graduating from secondary school, I attended a week-long orientation course at the pastoral center in Rajshahi. From there I started studying nursing and today I am a nurse in the hospital of my city,” said Rana Costa, a young man who attended the EC-Y school and seminars.

In addition to education and training courses for the start of higher studies, the Youth Episcopal Conference of Bangladesh provides spiritual and moral support in paths which have also given rise to many vocations to the priesthood and religious life: "For us kids it is achieved a seminar on reading the Bible, a course on leadership within one's community and one on health”, underlines Sujona Rozario, a young woman from Dhaka. Like Rana and Sujona, thousands of young Catholics attend training courses and seminars offered by EC-Y every year.