The second day of the 5th Regional Youth Convention (RYC) at the Mary Help of Christians Cathedral Kohima, witnessed a series of events, beginning with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist led by Most Rev. Fr. John Moolachira, Archbishop of Guwahati.
The first session of the day was led by Rev. Fr. Vekupa George, Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Parish Chizami who spoke on the topic “Identity and Purpose of Youth in Christ through Holy Sacraments.”
In his message, Fr. George underscored that the sacraments are not mere rituals, but life-giving channels of God’s grace. He explained the meaning of sacraments as comprising of three elements—an external sign, inward grace, and institution by Christ—distinguishing them from sacramentals.
The parish priest also highlighted key sacraments such as baptism and confirmation (Sacraments of Initiation), anointing of the sick (Sacrament of Healing), and matrimony and Holy Orders (Sacraments of Service).
Father George called upon the youth to embrace their Christian identity through these channels of grace.
He stressed the importance of the Holy Eucharist and Sacrament of Reconciliation, encouraging the youth to deepen their love for the Eucharist and the grace of confession.
He also encouraged the youth to live the Catholic faith joyfully, urging young people to be active witnesses of Christ’s love in their families and communities.
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In the second session, Rev. Fr. Joseph M. Thohrii addressed the youth on the theme “Pilgrims of Hope, moving forward in synodality.”
Stating that 65% of the Indian population are under the age of 35, he noted the immense potential for youth to become agents of transformation within the Church and society.
“Faith must not only grow, it must glow,” Fr. Thorhii said, encouraging youth to build meaningful livelihoods and impactful lifestyles. He posed a challenge, citing how, like the Korean wave (Hallyu), youth too can create a powerful cultural and spiritual impact through their Catholic faith.
Touching on the post-COVID return of many youth to their home states, he termed it as a moment of renewed possibility for the Church. Referring to the over 2000 delegates attending the convention, he urged the youth to become creative contributors to the Church.
The priest called upon the youth to remain motivated and professional in their vocations, drawing an analogy with the Chinese bamboo, which grows slowly but steadily, requiring constant nourishment before it shoots up rapidly.
The day concluded with a choreography competition, showcasing the creativity and energy of the participants.
The Dioceses of Itanagar and Aizawl jointly won the first place while Dibrugarh Diocese came second and the third place jointly awarded to the Diphu and Aizwal (Barack Valley) Dioceses. The prizes were handed over by former Commissioner of Nagaland, Rovilatuo Mor.
The Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) North East and North East Regional Youth Commission (NERYC) are organising the four-day regional youth convention which is being hosted by the Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement (NCYM).
