By Fr Keith Amodia SDB

Archdiocesan Shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, Cebu, Philippines, 12 September 2023 -- Parishes run by Salesians stand apart from those managed by secular clergy for two reasons. One, as a Salesian parish it puts Youth Ministry as one of its core apostolates. Two, the parish lives out a two-fold thrust - to be in communion in mission with both the Archdiocese of Cebu and the Salesian Philippine South Province.

It is in this background that youth leaders of the parish set out to refresh the constitutions of the Parish Youth Coordinating Council (PYCC) last September 8 to 10, 2023. Together with their youth director, Fr. Keith Amodia, SDB, the group of 24 young people went for a weekend retreat with the mission of crafting the policies of the PYCC that will satisfy the requirements of the Archdiocese's Commission on Youth. Aside from this, they gave clarity to the presence and relationship of the Salesian Youth Movement (SYM) in a parish setting.

The SYM is the Salesian movement of youth groups that live out the Salesian Youth Spirituality. As a trans-parochial organization, it occupies both a necessary place in the Salesian parish and a peculiar relationship to the diocesan structure.

The parish youth leaders also accomplished their SYM Plan of Life, and elected a new set of PYCC Core Officers. In between, they had informal fellowship moments and games.

By allowing young people to participate in the crafting of policies, Salesians empower and share with the young the responsibility of Church building.

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