300 young people from Davao to attend NYD2019 in Cebu

To lead the delegation in preparing practically and spiritually for the National Youth Day (NYD) 2019 celebration, the Davao Archdiocesan Youth Coordinating Apostolate (DAYCA) carried on the Preparatory Session last February 25, 2019 at St. John Paul II College of Davao, Ecoland for the coming National Youth Day in the Archdiocese of Cebu this April 23-28, 2019 with 300 participating delegates: 6 of which are priests, 1 deacon and a brother.

The NYD Celebration is constantly anchored to the theme offered by Pope Francis for the celebration of the World Youth Day which was recently attended by Rev. Fr. Cristopher Alcayde (DAYCA, Director) and Ryan Jay Salaum (DAYCA, Coordinator) last January 2019 in Panama. The theme, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word. (Lk 1:38)” and previous themes Lk 1:49 in 2017, Lk 1:30 in 2018 have given emphasis on Mama Mary’s brave and generous fiat as a model to the young to take courage and answer God’s calling. It is also very timely that the NYD host is in Cebu where many Catholics have regarded it as the “seat of Christianity” in Southeast Asia. It is just fitting that as we prepare for the 500 years of Christianity in 2021, we go back to the birthplace of Catholicism in the Philippines, the Archdiocese of Cebu.

The preparatory session which was patterned after the YOUCAT methods namely: KNOW-SHARE-MEET-EXPRESS was divided into 3 modules: Module 1 – GETS KO NA. GETS MO BA? GETTING TO KNOW CEBU: THE CRADLE OF CATHOLICISM, Module 2 – IF YOU WANT IT, I WANT IT TOO! GETTING TO KNOW THE NYD 2019 THEME IN THE PHILIPPINES and finally Module 3 – READY. SET. GO! PREPARING FOR #NYD2019Cebu. For feasibility reasons and due to the large number also, the DAYCA Core Group has divided the 300 delegates into 6 Subgroups where both the Module 1 and 2 were given according to the subgroup and module 3 as one delegation. Young people from different parishes all over the Archdiocese were all supported and recommended by their Parish Priest and went through the NYD2019 processes of application.

With heartening share, Jack Lourd Baliña of San Antonio De Padua Parish who will be attending the National Youth Day for the 5th time has shared a portion of his past beautiful vivid experiences where first timers got something to look forward and prepare to. To bless all the delegates for the drawing near pilgrimage, coming March 31 is the scheduled date for the Recollection from 1PM to 4PM followed by the Send-Off Liturgy during the 6PM Youth Mass in San Pedro Cathedral by His Excellency, Most. Rev. Romulo G. Valles, D.D.

Truly, as mentioned many times, the NATIONAL YOUTH DAY (NYD) is an event where the Philippine Church expresses in every concrete ways her great love for the young. This preferential love shows that the Filipino youth who are in mission are truly BELOVED, GIFTED and EMPOWERED by God through the Church. Let us continue to pray and beseech for the guidance of our Blessed Mother as they cross and meet the young people all over the Philippines this April. #NYD2019Cebu #2019YearoftheYouth #YOUCATPH (Jonalen Asares | PYC of St. Mary of the Perpetual Rosary Parish)