Those who HOPE in the Lord will RUN and not be weary

After a five-year hiatus, the Kuching Archdiocese Youth Day 2024 (KAYD 2024) took place from September 14-16 at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC).

Oct 04, 2024

By Christine Cyrill
After a five-year hiatus, the Kuching Archdiocese Youth Day 2024 (KAYD 2024) took place from September 14-16 at the Archdiocesan Curia and Cathedral Pastoral Centre (ACCPC).

Organised by the Kuching Archdiocesan Youth Commission (KAYC) in partnership with Parish Youth Ministries, Youth Groups and Young Adult Groups — the event gathered about 240 servants and 640 participants from the rural and urban parishes throughout the archdiocese.

Day 1
KAYD 2024 began with Mass presided over by Msgr William Sabang with Salesian priests Fr Ramon Borja and Fr Ben Hur Borja conce-lebrating. The spirituality of synodality was evident during the entrance procession with the KAYD Cross as a focal point, with youth representatives from each parish and youth groups carrying their banners and crosses. Inspired by World Youth Day, the KAYD Cross serves as a reminder of the collective faith journey of our young people. This Cross was “entrusted to the youth as they were given the commission to carry it throughout the world as a symbol of Christ’s love for humanity, and announce to everyone that only in the death and resurrection of Christ can we find salvation and redemption.”

The evening proceeded with a plenary message and Eucharistic Adoration by Fr Alvin Ng, SJ with opportunities for confession. It was a quiet evening with reflective moments, allowing the youth to surrender their worldly burdens, seek forgiveness and prepare their hearts for the weekend ahead.

Day 2
On the second day, sessions were conducted in three languages — English, BM and Chinese — to include all young people and to reflect the call of our Holy Father to be a synodal church. Participants chose which language stream they preferred, all of which focussed on the theme of Wholistic Wellness as Catholic Youth, aimed at encouraging young Catholics to nurture both their spiritual and human development in the context of today’s challenges. The English sessions were led by Fr Ben Hur Borja, SDB from the Philippines, while the Bahasa Malaysia sessions were conducted by Anna Teresa, while Mary Feng led the Chinese-speaking group. Each session emphasised the importance of nurturing faith and personal well-being.

Renew your faith and soar like eagles

A Worship Night concluded Day 2, led by the worship team followed by a message from Fr Alvin and a skit performed by the Dance and Drama team. The skit, inspired by Isaiah 40:31, showed the struggles young Christians face today. It featured five scenes that included family arguments, a student being bullied after failing an exam, a broken relationship, a young person feeling ashamed for not having enough, and a girl falling into addiction because of peer pressure. Each scene highlighted the difficulties of dealing with personal setbacks, rejection, and societal pressures. In their darkest moments, the characters realised that God had been with them all along, helping and protecting them. When they turned to God, they found new strength, just like Isaiah 40:31 promised through their faith, they learnt to overcome their struggles, knowing that God was always there for them, providing hope and support.

Day 3
The final day of KAYD 2024 was dedicated to reflection and action plans. Youth ministers Julian, Maria, and Joan led a session where participants were encouraged to internalise the lessons learnt over the past two days and think about practical ways to implement them in their daily lives, to grow continually in their faith and wellness post- KAYD. This concluded with a plenary session delivered by Fr Alvin about growth, both spiritually and personally. Participants gathered to reflect on their experiences from KAYD 2024 and the insights gained throughout the event.



The event came to an end with Mass and commissioning presided over by Archbishop Simon Poh (pix), concelebrated with Fr Ramon Borja, SDB, Fr Andre Delimarta, SDB, and Fr Prince Cornelius, CMF.

In his homily, Archbishop Simon shared a heartfelt account of his experience meeting Pope Francis during his Papal visit to Singapore. He also prayed for our nation, Malaysia in conjunction with Malaysia Day.

The return of KAYD in 2024, after a long wait since 2019, was more than just an event; it was a much-needed revival of spiritual life for the youth of the Archdiocese of Kuching. As they go forth, the message of Isaiah 40:31, trusting in God for renewed strength, will continue to guide them, helping them to soar with wings like eagles, run without growing weary, and walk without growing faint.

Feedback from participants:
“Fr Ramon clarified that Jesus was among hypocrites who called Him a false prophet, blasphemy, etc. However, blessed are those who are persecuted by His name. Therefore, I will do what Jesus did; regardless of how others treat me, I will show love and kindness! “

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