PDYD-5 Here I am

The Fifth Penang Diocesan Youth Day (PDYD-5) was held on October 21-24, with the World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 theme Mary arose and went with haste, based on Luke 1:39.

Nov 18, 2022


PENANG: The Fifth Penang Diocesan Youth Day (PDYD-5) was held on October 21-24, with the World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 theme Mary arose and went with haste, based on Luke 1:39.

During the four-day stay-in camp, participants were assigned accommodation at two parishes on the island – the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit and the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The organising team and volunteers stayed at Stella Maris.

PDYD-5’s objectives were to encourage the young people to discern their vocation, to empower them to serve within and beyond the Church, and to rekindle their spirit and put their faith into action.

DAY 2
Participants gathered at College General. Bishop Sebastian Francis, who could not be there in person, gave a virtual welcome speech and launched the PDYD-5. To enhance the celebration, the Main Organising Committee prepared a gimmick where representatives from the clergy and laity had to solve the PDYD-5 logo puzzle. Attendees sang the PDYD-5 theme song Kuterus Melangkah by the music team.

Fr Michael Raymond, OFM Cap, presided over the opening Mass before presenting the first session One through Mary to Jesus. The second session Catholic Apologetics was conducted by Fr Simon Anand.

The youth were encouraged to make the Sacrament of Reconciliation. At night, Sister Marysia Malating, FSIC from the Liturgy Team conducted a healing session and Taize prayer. After Adoration and Benediction, led by Deacon Desmond Jansen, several youth shared their encounter with Jesus as they surrendered to God before the Blessed Sacrament.

DAY 3
There were seven mission sites for the youth to participate in. Three of the missions, Soap Moulding, Environmental Awareness, and Upcycle Workshop, were near College General. The other four included visiting disabled children at Be Home, learning about charity or vegetarianism at the Tzu Chi Society, visiting disabled individuals at the Society of Disabled Persons Penang, and visiting the visually impaired at Linda Capel’s Residence. During these mission hours, participants said they learnt and experienced more about caring for others and being connected with society. The mission hours were summed up with the Unpacking My Mission by Caritas, at the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit.

The highlight of PDYD-5 was the thematic night held at the CHS Hall. There were seven performances by different groups, including campus students from the Catholic Undergraduate Society of University of Science, Malaysia ( CUSUSM), Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) (Catholic Undergraduate Teachers’ Society) – also known as CUTES, and the parish youth made up of Christ’s Youth in Action (CYA), Taiping youth, and youth from the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Pulau Tikus.

DAY 4
The participants gathered at College General to attend several sessions, including Personal Enrichments: Gender and Sexuality by Dennis Patrick and Fr Edmund Woon, Word of God: Deeper in Love by Carmelita Xavier, and Vocation Forum by panellists Sr Odilia (P.Karm), Gregory Pravin and Paul Julianose.

Anna Faustina Ding from Sibu, Sarawak presented The Digital Media and Evangelisation before the last session on Breaking the Stigma: Mental Health by D’Home Mental Health Association, where retreatants learnt time and stress management and how to be more methodical.

Fr Simon celebrated the commissioning Mass, and the camp ended with a group photo session. — PDYD-5 Organising Team



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