By MattersIndia Reporter

Zamboanga City: The five-day 2017 National Youth Day (NYD) in Zamboanga City, Southern Philippines, from November 6 to 10 began with great festivity.

The distance between Zamboanga City and Manila is 1896 kms or 1178.1 miles.

More than 2,342 youth from across the country are attending the event. A total of 175 youths are from hosting diocese participating, said Zamboanga Archbishop Romulo Dela Cruz.

The participants are youths and single aged 13 to 39. During the NYD celebration, the participants will deliberate on social concerns, social media, human trafficking, promoting social advocacy, arts and culture appreciation, and other relevant issues, said the prelate.

Delegates will be hosted by their respective Zamboangueño foster parents. This year’s NYD is anchored on the theme: “The Mighty One has done great things for me, and Holy is his name (Luke 1:49).”

The gathering will bring together young people from all the dioceses of the archipelago. The national meeting returns to Mindanao after 11 years, the last one was held in 2006 in Davao City.

An event provides opportunities for positive expression of youth ministers’ desire to embrace Christ’s mission among the youth, said Mayor Maria Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, who is extended her support in hosting the event.

The Archdiocese of Zamboanga, organizer of the national event, has prepared an all-encompassing program of activities that aims to be a celebration of the ministry among and with fellow youth.

The opening day on Monday will be highlighted by a parade dubbed “Parada del maga Jovenez del Paiz” at 4:30 p.m., from the Metropolitan Cathedral on La Purisima Street to the Agan Coliseum in Tetuan. Two other processions are slated during the week, the Grand Marian Procession on November 7 at 4:45 p.m. from Agan Coliseum to the Fort Pilar Shrine in Rio Hondo and the Pilgrims’ Parade on November 9 at 4 p.m. from Centro Pastoral in Governor Camins to the Fort Pilar Shrine.

“My hope is that the youth day brings and allows meeting young people from different places in order to become aware and to say to the Church and to the world how beautiful, precious and vital our youth is. Young people participate with the desire to know God better and become pilgrims to share with others the relationship with him,” said Archbishop De La Cruz.

The youth day is organized by the Commission for the Youth Ministry of the Episcopal Conference of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP).

The local church is excited to host the event, said Mark Anthony Saavedra, coordinator of the Youth Ministry in the Archdiocese of Zamboanga.

“NYD, though previously celebrated locally in the dioceses and parishes, contributed to strengthening youth ministry. People have gradually become aware of and appreciate the role of the youth in the Catholic Church. Dioceses and parishes have realized the importance of an effective and dynamic youth ministry. NYD provides opportunities for positive expression of our youth ministers’ desire to embrace Christ’s mission among the youth. It is celebrating a gift, the gift of being young followers of Christ. It calls our youth ministers who are more awakened to the realities and signs of our times to be more organized, involved and committed to the works of the Church. It is a celebration of their ministry among and with their fellow youth,” said Archbishop De La Cruz.

The CBCP began NYD back in 1986 as a way of implementing its preferential apostolate for children and youth.

“The NYD is an occasion to enrich the faith of young people so that they would grow as responsive and responsible members of society and orient themselves to society and church with greater faithfulness,” Josua Jean P. Jamolin (21), a participant, said.

“I am thrilled to be here. I look at NYD as strengthening my faith experience and spirituality to anchor myself on Christ in life and learn how to share faith life with fellow youth across the country,” said Roy Bryan Sigga, another delegate from Cubao diocese.

NYD is a way to accompany young people in their life journey so that they are pastorally guided and let to love Christ and Church, said Father William Garcia, a priest participant.

The City of Zamboanga has lots of things to offer to the NYD youth pilgrims. First, the city offers a colorful, diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious traditions from three sources: Christian, Islam, and Indigenous People. Second, the Zamboanga Peninsula was a historical mission area in our Church history. In this city, Christian religious missionaries played a vital role in the promotion of faith and justice.

Zamboanga City is indeed a perfect place for this year’s NYD, as the youth all over the country, will journey together to discover their giftedness, identity, and calling as children of Mary and disciples of Jesus, said Fr. Wilfredo Samson, a local priest.

“At the end of this five-day celebration of faith, it is our dream that they will see themselves as agents of change for our Church and for our country. Therefore, it is our hope that this gathering would be a perfect time for three things: First, an opportunity to form our youth as future leaders and missionaries. Second, a good time to enrich our faith through prayerful liturgies and sharing. Third, the NYD 2017 is a good time to affirm the youth’s role in the Church’s evangelization effort. It is our desire that through this gathering, our youth will be more sensitive to the issues of our society, and be more deeply engaged in building God’s Kingdom,” he said.

“This year’s NYD was designed to assist our millennial youth to deepen their “sense of mission” and “personal care” through Mary’s example. In our present situation where our youth seem to detach from the hard realities of life, through this gathering, we hope to assist them to know the art of discernment and critical thinking. What the Church needs now are young leaders and bearers of faith who have a heart for the poor, the marginalized, and the oppressed. We need young people who are “on fire” and deeply committed to upholding justice, peace, and truth. We need young who can read the signs of times and actively respond to the issues and concerns of our society,” Samson said.

“As young evangelizers of the Church, sailing to Zamboanga is an opportunity to go to the frontier. Pope Francis urges to go to the peripheries of our society for the sake of the lost, least, and lonely. This year’s NYD says, “The Lord has done great things for us, holy is his name.” To see that we are blessed with so many things in life, thus, we are compelled to bless others, especially the less fortunate,” said Russelle Amador Munoz, a participant.

At after the NYD, young pilgrims will return home to their parishes, totally aware of their giftedness and mission, and ever ready to commit themselves to serve our country and God, he said.

From 1987 to 1990, the NYD was always held in Manila. Since 1991, however, it has been celebrated in different dioceses of the country.

The NYD is a festival of celebrations, formation, prayer, conferences and other religious activities aimed at enriching the spiritual lives of young Catholics.

It also aims to give the modern Catholic Filipino youth a more satisfying experience of faith, hope and love.

In 1986, the CBCP approved the annual holding of NYD as a way of concretizing its preferential apostolate for children and the youth.

The Philippines has 101.6 million population. The Catholic Church counts 80 percent of Filipinos as followers.