Youth Leaders Prepare for PDYD 2

It was with great enthusiasm and joy that 28 youth leaders from the five districts of the Diocese of Penang gathered at the Church of St. Anne in Bukit Mertajam to plan for the second Penang Diocesan Youth Day (PDYD 2) which will be held on the 16^th – 19^th of November 2012 in Penang island.

The 2-day meeting was organized and facilitated by the Pre-PDYD 2 committee composed of the staff of the Penang Diocesan Youth Network (PDYN), WYD 2011 pilgrims, representatives from CHOICE Penang and members of Islander´s Tamil Youth Network (ITYN). 

The Bible Enthronement, led by Sr. Gertrude Tan, IJS, highlighted the Word of God as the source of inspiration and wisdom.   Each participant offered a lighted candle as a symbolic gesture of openness and commitment.  

Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu, the director of PDYN, cheerfully welcomed the participants and presented the theme for PDYD 2 celebration.  The reflection on the theme, Rejoice in the Lord always! (Phil 4.4) was facilitated by Sr. Gertrude Tan where participants were asked to reflect and share in small  groups the sources and hindrances of abiding joy, love and trust in Jesus and the experiences of hopelessness and ways to overcome it.

A  beautiful and touching testimony from the World Youth Day (WYD) 2011 pilgrims followed where varied experiences of joy, conversion and  encounter with God were highlighted.   Michael Peter Foo wrapped up the sharing with the line, “The spiritual journey in the WYD is an invitation to focus our gaze on Christ.” 

The invitation to focus our gaze on Christ was the central point of the planning for PDYD 2 which was facilitated by Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu.  Proposals made by the Pre-PDYD 2 committee were presented and participants discussed them in small groups.  The final plan was presented and accepted by all the participants. 

The experience of outpouring commitment and generosity ended with ritual on lights, facilitated by Sr. Gertrude Tan,  reminding them of their responsibility to continue to share their experiences.  Members of the PDYD 2 committee were presented to the group and Fr. Dominic Santhiyagu asked the participants to join him in blessing the youth leaders who generously accepted the responsibility to make PDYD 2 a reality. 

By: Jelorie