Reflections on Jesus Youth (BJRE***)

JY loves to travel. It is a sign of being a pilgrim people. (By Dr. Edward Edezhath. Published in Kairos Magazine in 2025) I was in my second year of college when my new responsibility came: traveling, connecting with young people, and building a network. My professors and colleagues knew my itinerant style well and were quite sympathetic. This pattern has continued ever since. I had an active community, and my travels felt like being sent out from it. Their encouragement and prayer support always backed me up. Of course, this life on the move helped me develop many new skills. Later, when I began my teaching career and wanted to pursue a PhD, people who knew me well said I’d never be able to complete such serious work with all my constant travels. I remember reading a lot on trains. In the end, some of those critics never completed their work, but surprisingly, I was able to, within a reasonable time. Interestingly, from the start of this movement, most JY leaders, though they are exc...

Be Sensitive to the Interior Journey of Young People (By Dr. Edward Edezhath - Published in Kairos Magazine in 2025) Last Sunday, I was at Holy Innocents’ Parish. It was the day after the first holy communion. The seventh graders animated the holy mass. I was so glad to see the liturgical celebration tailored to those groups of teenagers. The teachers and elders welcomed and sat with the teenagers. The celebrant was friendly and joyful. Without being boring or forcing them, the priest and the teachers ensured good participation from the youth. Even the homily included portions read by youngsters from their seats. This too was a sign of the priests’ sensitivity to the mindset of these adolescents. They would have been quite embarrassed to stand in the crowded church to read, so they were allowed to sit and do it. In many ways, everyone considered how the youngsters would feel about themselves and each other, ensuring participation without upsetting them. Such thoughtful youth accompanim...