LAOAG City, December 12, 2011—Some 150 youth leaders from parishes and organizations in the Diocese of Laoag committed themselves to a more active youth ministry in their respective settings even after the celebration of the CBCP-Year of the Youth has ended.
The commitment was made by the youth leaders during the just concluded three-day Diocesan Youth Leaders Assembly (DYLA).
Convened by the Diocesan Youth Commission, the youth assembly on December 9 to 11was the third gathering held within the Year of the Youth.
The DYLA was first convened on December 10 to 12, 2010 at Saint Francis of Assisi Parish in Pasuquin to officially open CBCP-Year of the Youth (YOTY). It was considered to be the first call for youth councils to renew their ministry. The assembly served as a venue for parishes to report on the different activities they were doing.
The second youth assembly was held on May 7 and 8, 2011 in the same parish. In response to the diocesan pastoral assembly for the golden jubilee of the diocese, the youth leaders revisited the diocesan decrees on youth to create comprehensive implementing guidelines for youth ministry in the diocese.
The just concluded third DYLA, also held in the same parish was a time to present the fruits of DYLA I and II. It was also an occasion for the DYC to pass on the various learnings drawn from the Northern Luzon Regional Conference for Youth Ministers (NLRCYM) and from the National Youth Day.
The three-day activity was centered on the theme of CBCP-YOTY “Stand firm in the faith, do all your work in love.” It started with an advent recollection by Fr. Lester Menor, the diocesan youth director.
Sr. Darlen Pardillo, fdz shared how the young may become firm in the faith. She stressed that the young must always be “IBA” explaining that they must have “Identity, Bearing, Capability to Act.”
On the second day, Ms. Maila Sapinit, a Redemptorist lay missionary stressed to the young people that “being a Catholic youth leader is the noblest kind of leadership for you are volunteers.” You are doing all of this for the love of God, she said.
The DYC presented to the participants the Implementing Guidelines of the Decrees on Youth of the diocese on the last day of assembly.
The closing Mass was held at the Cathedral Parish of St. William presided by Diocesan Administrator Msgr. Noel Ian Rabago.
Msgr. Rabago told the faithful that youth ministry is a community effort and that it is not only limited to the DYC. He also challenged the youth leaders to continue their commitment even after the CBCP-YOTY has culminated.
The celebration of CBCP-YOTY will end on December 16, the National Youth Day in the Philippines. (Mark Vertido)
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