PDYN Welcomes Fr. Martin Arlando

   Fr. Martin Arlando challenges the youth ministers to “put on the mind of the youth”.  The new Director of the Penang Diocesan Youth  Network, who is currently the assistant parish priest of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, stressed on the importance of   accompanying our young people  according to their needs and to  put ourselves in their shoes so we could understand what they are going through.  In this way,  as disciples of Christ entrusted with this ministry, we will bring our young people to Christ.

  

      Asked further for his expectations from the members of the team and the youth ministry in the diocese as a whole, Fr. Martin has this to say:  “I look forward to a youth ministry that works for the good of all and not only for an individual or specific groups.”

 Starting next year, he plans to have two focus groups in terms of youth programs and activities: the young people in the secondary level  and the single young adult group.  He sees that students in the secondary  level “ need to be grounded in faith.    They  need to deepen their relationship with Jesus before they enter into the tertiary education or else they will be streamed and influenced by worldly morals and not Christian morals. ”

        He also plans to start with a program  for the single young adults group which will see to their faith formation,  training as leaders and skills in facilitating the youth groups in their respective parishes.

  

        As to the young people under the care of the Campus Ministry Office (CMO) and the youth in general,  these three objectives capture his vision for the next three years:

· To discover who Jesus is to them personally

· To live Jesus daily in their lives as a witness and a disciple

· To empower them to be evangelizers.

              And lastly, he is looking into  introducing ongoing formation programs for young people at deanery and parish levels aside from the immediate preparations for the Penang Diocesan Youth Day 3 (PDYD 3)  which will be held in 2015. 

Thank you, Fr. Martin, 

for accepting to be part of this ministry.  

Count on our prayers and support!