Malankara Syriac Orthodox Youth Association

Youth association is one among the key spiritual organizations of our diocese under the spiritual guidance and presidency of H.E. Mor Theophilose Kuriakose Metropolitan. Each parish in the diocese has a unit of Youth Association which functions locally under the leadership of the Parish Vicar. A committee, selected annually or biannually, presided by the Vicar is carrying out the routine activities of the Unit. Different parishes organise various programmes for the spiritual and moral development of the youngsters. Youth Association meetings are supposed to held after the Holy Eucharist on Sundays or through online. The sessions may include prayers, bible reading, singing of devotional songs, classes, speeches, quizzes, games, discussions, etc. The most important thing we are hoping to accomplish through the youth group is to build a fellowship with Lord, and to make a place for the youth where they can grow together in faith. Students from various disciplines and youngsters working in various fields are members in each unit. Each unit conducts various programmes in their parishes or congregations and has a prominent role in every programme conducted in church. The some of programmes conducted by youth association includes Charity works to support sick, poor and needy, Christmas Eve, Christmas carols etc.

On October 26, 2019 Diocesan Metropolitan H.E. Mor Theophilose Kuriakose inaugurated a central unit of Youth Association as Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church(MSOC) Youth Association European Chapter during the central youth gathering organized along with the Silver Jubilee Celebration of St.Mary’s Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church, Switzerland. All the parishes and congregations were informed about the Youth Meeting by Diocesan Metropolitan through Kalpana and members from various units participated in the meeting. During the meeting H.E. declared Rev. Fr. Joshy Vettikkattil (Vicar, St. Mary’s MSOC, Vienna) as the Vice-President and Rev. Fr.Paul Punnackal George(Vicar, St. George MSOC, Frankfurt & St. Mary’s MSOC, Switzerland) as Youth Coordinator of the Association. Mrs. Blessy Ullorikara (St. Mary’s MSOC, Vienna) as the Secretary, Basil James (St. Mary’s MSOC, Switzerland) as Joint Secretary, Mrs. Diya Varghese Diocesan Representative, St.George MSOC, Frankfurt, were elected as the committee members and H.E. suggested to add the diocesan representative from all the parishes and congregations to the committee for its effective functioning and to convene an online committee meeting once in every two month. The term of the committee has decided to be for a period of two years and the office bearers have to be elected from the diocesan representatives from each parish or congregation. The age of the youth members are fixed on to be between 15 and 35. The meeting also decided to begin a WhatsApp group and an Instagram account to use the social media platform effectively to attract and inform the youth members on the activities of the diocese. The meeting also discussed to conduct a Youth Camp in Malta in 2020, which unfortunately didn’t happened due to the pandemic.

MSOC Youth Association European Chapter is organizing online European Youth Meetings once in every three month for the spiritual growth and nourishment of our youth members. Such meetings help to have better Christian values and faith and to foster the relationship among the youth members from different units. The first such online meeting was organized on 6th June 2021 and presided by the Diocesan Metropolitan. Rev. Fr. Jerry Kurian led the session thereafter. As per the request during the meeting the further such meetings were decided to conduct on second Sundays in every three months. Rev. Fr. Dr. Thomas Abraham and Mrs. Soumya Simon led the session for European Youth Meeting on 12th September and 12th December respectively.

Members of each unit are expected to be the back bone of the diocese and Church. Youth Association is also in debt to all the priests in the diocese who led the units with proper guidance and vision.