Youth

As ever the youth of the world are prophets of joy, love, life and hope. They are creative and capable of dreaming the impossible and struggling towards its realisation.

However, this dynamism is crippled by unjust socio-economic, political and religio-cultural structures and forces. Ours is an unjust and unequal society where the weak and the youth, especially the marginalised, are the primary targets of exploitation and corruption. This is further accentuated by the adverse effects of Globalisation General Congregation 34 [56]. Existing divisions based on gender, religion, race, ethnicity, class and caste lead to new communal and fundamentalist tensions, ideological conflicts, violence and other dehumanising abuses. The plight of the South Asian youth is no different from that of the youth in the rest of the world. Disillusioned by these conflicting forces, the youth look for models and guides who will search, along with them, for meaning in their lives and struggle with them in their common fight for a new and just society.

As Servants of Christ’s Mission, we are challenged by these realities. Rooted in the faith that does justice, that dialogues with other religions and cultures, we are called to involve ourselves wholeheartedly in the lives and aspirations of the youth, especially the unorganised, and the unreached sectors of the marginalised General Congregation 34 [64] [168] [546] [556]. As animators of youth our specific mission is to accompany the youth in their integral growth, specifically, in the search to find God in a world scarred by sin General Congregation 34 [36] and in their personal and social transformation to become agents of a more just and fraternal world General Congregation 34 [289]

“The future of humanity lies in the hands of those who are strong enough to provide the coming generations with reasons for living and hoping”. Gaudium et Spes 31]

The Goa Province of the Society of Jesus works at animating the youth through the following ministries:

• Gramin Yuvak Vikas Kendr, Khanapur
• Lights of the World Movement, Panjim
• Youth Formation Movement, Old Goa