The YOUCAT (Youth Catechism of the Catholic church)is not just a book but is a very successful youth movement that has gained traction in many nations like Indonesia, Brazil, Philippines and Lebanon.Thanks to the approval of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India, YOUCAT is all set to become a youth movement in India as well.
Many of us think Catechism is for children alone but we couldn’t be more wrong.In the words of Pope Benedict XVI in the YOUCAT Foreword, he says “You must know the faith better than the generation of your parents. A detective story is engaging because it speaks of the destiny of other men.The catechism is engaging because it speaks of your own destiny”. The faith is inertwined with every micro and macro decision we make for our lives. Where do I live? Which career will suit me? Who do I marry? What does it mean to be an authentic friend? these are questions every young person is faced with.Participants who do a systematic study of the faith testify their life choices become easierand more ordered. At the YOUCAT Foundation, we strive to plunge a young person into the life of the local church as they do a study of the faith. This is modelled after theEarly Christians so the faith does not get reduced only to head knowledge. One of our core DNA principle is ‘participation’ where we give a young person a chance tocontribute to the mission of the church.Every YOUCAT project has a young person as its head praying,discerning and running operations. An example for this is our latest ongoing YOUCAT Book project where we chose 10 young Indian youth to collaborate with youth from 25 different nations to write the YOUCAT Marriage Catechesis book. This is a project approved by the Vatican Dicastery of Catechetics. Pope Francis calls young people’the now’ of God and the future of the church. The Holy Father is absolutely right because as a YOUCAT Missionary, it really warms my heart when I see a busy Indian youth juggling office work, house work, and social life and yet find time to participate in a YOUCAT project.
YOUCAT Timeline from the day of its inception. Left-Right – Idea how YOUCAT was started due to a complaint by a young mother at a press conference, approval of Pope Benedict XVI, International Foundation established, More books, mission projects and apps released.
YOUCAT Development projects with youth leaders from different countries
If you wish to be a YOUCAT Volunteer, collaborator or missionary please write to indiaoffice@youcat.org
as printed in Yuvavani youth voice, March 2021