Indian Catholic Youth Movement

Indian Catholic Youth Movement
Abbreviation ICYM
Motto To Lead, To Serve, To Shine
Formation 1985
Purpose Youth development programme in India
Headquarters New Delhi
Parent organisation
 Catholic Bishops' Conference of India
Website [http://www.icym.net/]

The Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) is the largest Premier Catholic youth movement in India. It is spread across 686 districts in India. The ICYM functions through 14 Regions & 171 Dioceses. It is an organisation for the Catholic youth from three rites (Latin, Syro-Malabar and Syro-Malankara) of Christian community of across India.[1] The patron saint of Indian Catholic Youth Movement is St. Gonsalo Garcia.

History

The dreams and aspirations of thousands of youth, animators, directors and bishops turned into a reality when Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) had approved ICYM as a National Movement for the youth on 14 September 1999.

Activities

Integral Development of Youth through Formation, Fellowship and Action being the main objectives of youth ministry, ICYM caters to varied needs of the holistic development of its young members.

ICYM also coordinates National Delegations to World Youth Day, Asian Youth Day, World Youth Parliament and pilgrimages to Taize. It is collaborated with YCS/YSM and international youth body FIMCAP. It is also tied up with an international social network called UCANEWS which is the Catholic News Network in Asia. With its motto - "To Lead, To Serve, to Shine" there is a lot to be done and a whole community to be won.

ICYM is the official state and regional organisation under the auspices of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI). It consists of youngsters between the age group of 15– 35 years who subscribe to Catholic values and principles, but beneficiaries include the youth of other religions.

Today, ICYM has a membership strength of 104,685 young people making it one of the influential organisations in the region.

Patron Saint

The patron of ICYM is St. Gonsalo Garcia, a Portuguese Indian who was born in the western coastal town of Vasai and died as a martyr in Japan and is venerated as a saint, one of the Twenty-six Martyrs of Japan so venerated. Garcia was beatified in 1627 by Pope Urban VIII and canonised as a saint by Pope Pius XI on 8 June 1862.

ICYM and FIMCAP

ICYM is a member of the international umbrella organization of Catholic youth organizations FIMCAP. The first relationship between FIMCAP and ICYM was established during the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, when the intercontinental presidium of FIMCAP met with the Fr.Alwyn D,Souza, the National Director of ICYM, and Rakesh Singh, then ICYM president. In 2006,, Fr. Alvero, then intercontinental chaplain of FIMCAP, visited India and took part in the ICYM National Council Meeting and introduced FIMCAP there. Furthermore, he also participated in the South Asian Youth Apostolate Meeting and reported about these encounters to the Intercontinental Bureau of FIMCAP (ICB). During the next ICB meeting of FIMCAP ICYM was accepted as an observer member of FIMCAP. The 24th General Assembly of FIMCAP in Asissi, Italy, which took place from 23d to 29th of July 2007, then, unanimously adopted ICYM as a full member of FIMCAP. Saiby Mathew, the then National General Secretary, represented ICYM at this General Assembly. He was also elected as the representative of FIMCAP Asia to the Asian Youth Forum.[2]

Publications

Apna Yuva Spandan

APNA YUVA SPANDAN (Heart Beats of Youth) commonly known as AYS is the National (bi-monthly) youth magazine published by Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) for Information, Formation and to make youth think freely, speak responsibly, write creatively by providing them the desired platform. AYS has completed 25 years of existence. It has a wide circulation all over India as well as abroad.

ICYM had published three annual publications till yet

  • ICYM DIRECTORY 2010
  • ICYM DIRECTORY 2011
  • ICYM DIRECTORY 2013 [3]

References

  1. ↑ "Set aside political differences: KCYM". The Hindu. 17 January 2012.
  2. ↑ Administrator. "About FIMCAP - Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM)". www.icym.net. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
  3. ↑ http://www.icym.net/images/stories/ICYM_directory_2013.pdf
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