IYCW marks centenary of first group

Needleworkers Union at Laeken 1912

This Easter marks the centenary of Cardijn's arrival in the parish of Our Lady of Laeken, near Brussels in Belgium. Cardijn always dated the founding of the first YCW group to 1912 making this year also the centenary of the beginnings of the YCW.

The International YCW and the Cardijn Community International are both marking this important anniversary.

IYCW International president Geethani Peries has announced a special commemoration at Cardijn's tomb that will take place at Our Lady's Church, Laeken on Sunday 26 April from 3.00 -5.00 pm.

Read the IYCW Laeken celebration invitation here.

CCI has also issued a statement to mark the centenary calling on those formed in the Cardijn tradition to renew their commitment to Cardijn's spirituality and methodology.

"The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles," the CCI statement says.

"We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

"On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology."

Read the full CCI statement here: Cardijn launched first YCW group in 1912: A Centenary Tribute

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Cardijn launched first YCW group in 1912: A Centenary Tribute

A century ago this Easter, young Fr Joseph Cardijn arrived in the parish of Our Lady at Laeken near Brussels to take up a post as curate with particular responsibility for women's projects.

A few months later, with a group of teenage girl apprentices, he launched a study circle that he came to regard as the first ever Young Christian Workers (YCW) team. Working with Madeleine De Roo, Victoire Cappe and others young women leaders, Cardijn rapidly laid the foundations for what would become a worldwide movement of young workers. Later in 1912, he would also meet 18 year-old Fernand Tonnet, who would join him later in founding the YCW movement for young men before eventually dying in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.

“The most fundamental characteristic of the beginnings of the YCW (before the First World War) was the call to an apostolate, a total and complete apostolate for several young women workers who would train and raise up the others,” Cardijn wrote much later.

“It was a time of great apostolic demands and great apostolic commitments,” he continued. These included:

leaving a 'good job' for a workshop, a factory, a dirty, repugnant, sub-human job;
accepting to share meals with women workers in the workshops of factories making rabbit fur, rubber, artificial silk; or
going to live in an attic in Rue Haute [High Street] in the midst of an environment of prostitution.

Instilling what he described as a “very active” spirituality based on meditation, prayer, sacraments and study, Cardijn inspired an amazing sense of commitment in the young women workers of Laeken.

“The story of this 'golden legend' has never been written down,” Cardijn noted. “However, it is the only explanation for the extraordinary power of the YCW, the YCW mystique.

“I believe that it is the essential condition of the true worker revolution. Without it, we are doomed to bourgeoisification,” he warned.

Although the world of 2012 is very different from that of 1912, some things have not changed. In 1912, Europe was in the throes of its industrial revolution. Today, the whole Global South is in the midst of its own vast industrial revolution.

Whereas Cardijn once spoke of “millions and millions of young workers”, today the reality is that there are billions of young workers throughout the world, particularly in the developing countries. The needs and problems that moved Cardijn to act are greater than ever.

'Globalization' has permeated into all spheres of life and is projected as the 'new religion'. Consumer culture promotes 'consumption' as a key to people's own identity.

The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles.

We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology.

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Cardinal Turkson promotes SJA for business leaders

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of which he is president are both emphasising the importance of Cardijn's See Judge Act method.

Addressing a 30 March - 1 April congress in Lyon, France, organised by UNIAPAC, the ecumenical business leaders movement, Cardinal Turkson pointed to the method as a tool for discerning the vocation of the business leader.

Read his speech Vocation of the Business Leader here.

In fact, this speech was basically an introduction to a new document published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace entitled "Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection".

This whole 32 page document is explicitly organised into three sections based on the See, Judge and Act.

Read more here: See Judge Act with Cardinal Turkson

Photo: Wikipedia/Haiducul/CC 3.0

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Remembering Cardijn's role at Vatican II

“'Vatican II canonised Cardijn,' I remember late Melbourne Archbishop Frank Little saying as he regaled us with his story of meeting the YCW founder while studying in Rome," writes Stefan Gigacz.

"What's more there was a whole generation of Australian bishops and priests, who told similar stories, starting with his predecessor Archbishop Justin Simonds, and including Brisbane Archbishop Frank Rush, Adelaide's James Gleeson, Perth's Redmond Prindiville and many others.

"Archbishop Little's message stayed with me, and was later reinforced by a biography of Cardijn by his co-workers, Marguerite Fievez and Jacques Meert, that detailed his role at the Council in promoting the specific task of the laity as the building up of the world.

"So in 1995, when I began doing research on the origins of the International Young Christian Workers movement, I looked forward to the publication of the first volume of a major History of Vatican II.

"But after forking out over $100 for Volume I, I reached for the index – only to be deflated to find not a single mention of Cardijn."

Read the full article here:

The saint at Vatican II (CathNews)

CCI is this year launching its 50th anniversary of Vatican II program with a conference "Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective" to be held in Manila, Philippines from 11-14 October 2012.

Click here for details: www.vatican2plus50.com

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CCI launched in Hyderabad India

Cardijn Community International (CCI) was formally launched in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh in India on 19 February 2012.

Hyderabad is the fourth most populous city in India with an area of 650 sq k.ms (250 sq miles). Hyderabad is also a major global centre for IT and bio-pharmaceutical industries.

Around 50 former leaders of YCS, YCW and CWM participated in the one day launch program which started with a mass by Fr. Thumma Arla, a former animator of YCS and the Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre. The Diocesan President of CWM and the Diocesan Youth Director, Fr. Fatima Reddy also attended.

Ms Elizabeth Martin, a former YCW welcomed the gathering and introduced the CCI National Leaders and the International Secretary General.

CCI was formally launched by lighting the lamp by Fr. Thumma Arla and other CCI leaders present.
James Sylvester, a former YCS leader and currently member of the CCI-India Volunteer Team steered the day’s program.

Fr. Thumma Arla assured his support in the efforts to promote Cardijn. He emphasized on the need to ‘See-Judge-Act’ in the light of the Gospel values. Fr. Thumma appealed to the CCI to help him re-activate the Pastoral Centre and put it to proper use and expressed that CCI is always welcome to make use of the Centre.

Xavier Anthony, CCI National President extended the greetings on behalf of the National Team.
Ms Glynis Joseph, National Secretary stressed on the need for clear financial perspectives and self-financing.

Clifford Bastian, Member of the CCI-India National Team, who is also a former YCW of Hyderabad recalled his days in the YCW here and wished the Hyderabad CCI all the best.

M. J. Ruben, CCI Secretary General congratulated the Hyderabad Chapter for the launch. In his brief intervention he covered on the origin and objective of CCI and gave a general view of the functioning of the movement at the international level.

All the former leaders were very excited to meet each other after 20 to 30 years and they were very jubilant that such an opportunity was created by CCI.

There was a feeling of emotion clubbed with gratitude to the Cardijn movements which formed them. In their personal testimony, all those who spoke acknowledged that ‘they are what they are today only because of the formation they received through the Cardijn movements’.

The forenoon session ended with lunch.

Thirty-five members enthusiastically attended the post lunch planning session in which the members continued their testimonies.

Two factors emerged very clearly from the testimonies, i.e. i) Cardijn is the binding factor among all of them; and ii) through the formation in Cardijn movements, they have a ‘special identity’ which is opposed to the ‘identity’ imposed by the consumer culture promoted by globalisation.

All of them felt that there is a need to continue to work to restore human dignity and that they should function as a group. All of them wanted to be part of the CCI.

At the concluding session, James Sylvester proposed formation of an ad-hoc team to work out modalities for regular meetings, activities, etc. and it was agreed.

After consultation in small groups, a seven member team was nominated as the Coordinating Team of CCI-Hyderabad with Ms Elizabeth Martin as the Coordinator; the members of the team are: James Sylvester, I. Prakasham, Martin Michael, Patrick Fernandez, Manasa Janaki and John.

An appeal was made to those who would like to be part of the team to contact the Coordinator and to take part in the next meeting.

The grand launch program followed hectic preparations and contact work done by James Sylvester, Martin Michael and Ms Elizabeth Martin.

The National leaders of CCI-India and the CCI Secretary-General appreciate and congratulate the efforts of the organising team in bringing Hyderabad into CCI fold.

Report: MJ Ruben, CCI Secretary-General

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Fr Thomas Joseph recalls meeting with Cardijn

Indian priest, Father Thomas Joseph, 92, recalls his meeting with late Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the YCW.

The nonagenarian priest says he was totally unprepared when his archdiocese appointed him workers’ chaplain in 1950, www.ucanindia.in reports. His only brief was to help in Catholic workers’ faith formation and organize them for their socio economic welfare.

“It was mainly to keep them away from communists,” he said with hindsight.

Inexperienced as he was, he began visiting workers’ families and their leaders. “I found workers helplessness and marginalized from one generation to the other.”

Trade unions controlled only the organized workers and used them for political purposes. And there was none to take care of the unorganized.

“I too felt helpless. My long years of formation did not help,” the priest explained. So, he attended a course in industrial relation at the Oxford University.

FULL STORY

Church needs to renew workers movement: Priest (ucanindia.in)

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Cardijn influenced Mondragon founder

Dr Race Mathews

The Mondragon worker cooperatives founded by Father Jose-Maria Arizmendiarrietta in Spain's Basque region were inspired and launched through the enquiry method of the YCW, according to former Australian parliamentarian Dr Race Mathews.

The Mondragon cooperatives now employ over 80,000 workers in 17 countries.

"The cooperatives' triumph is attributable overwhelmingly to key attributes that set them aside from comparable conventional enterprises," Dr Mathews writes in Eureka Street.

"Not to be overlooked are the conceptual framework that underlies the cooperatives, as well as the enduring solidarity and subsidiarity values that enliven them. These are the legacy to the cooperatives of their founder, the Basque priest Don Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta.

"Internalised and in part secularised as the values and framework have so largely become, they stem directly from the unswerving adherence by Arizmendiarrieta to formation in the 'see, judge, act' or 'inquiry' study circle mould, as developed within the Young Christian Workers unionist movement.

"As recalled by one of the five lay co-founders of the cooperative group, 'Father Arizmendi organised specialist courses on sociology to which he invited economics professors ... His ecclesiastical training led him towards being a practical apostle. He not only tried to give guidelines on what should be the model for the ideal enterprise, but he put that social enterprise to which he aspired into practice.'

"The benefits of this model of industry underpinned by Catholic social values are manifold," Dr Mathews concludes.

But, "why is the Church in the English speaking world so largely silent about the Mondragon cooperatives' success in bringing to fruition the long struggle in the cause of its social teachings?" Dr Mathews asks.

SOURCE

Catholic social solutions to workplace fairness (Eureka Street)

explains the influence of the YCW and Cardijn on Father Jose-Maria Arizmendiarrietta, the founder of Mondragon workers cooperatives in Spain.

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NZ trade union leader defends Somyot

New Zealand trade unionist talks about his experience with imprisoned Thai ex-YCW fulltimer Somyot Pruksakasemsuk.

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Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective

To mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, CCI will hold a conference on the theme "Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective" to be held at the Pius XII Centre, Manila from 11-14 October 2012.

The aim of the conference will be to launch a three year project by CCI to study the spirit and teachings of Vatican II and their implementation, particularly in relating to Catholic social teaching and the lay apostolate.

This will be done from the perspective of the spirituality and methodology of the late Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement as well as a Council Father at Vatican II.

In the lead up to the conference, CCI will also launch a preparatory enquiry to begin the process of evaluating how far the spirit and teachings of Vatican II with regard to social teachings and lay participation have been promoted, understood and implemented.

Preparation for the event will also focus in particular on the two conciliar documents: Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution On the Church In the Modern World, and
Apostolicam Actuositatem, Decree On the Apostolate of the Laity.

Joseph Cardijn took part in the Council first as a consultant to the Commission on Lay Apostolate from 1962-65 and later as a Council Father in the Fourth Session of the Council after he was made a bishop and cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

"Cardijn gave three speeches on the floor of the Council on the themes: Religious Freedom, Young People and the Developing World, and Workers in the World," noted CCI President Stefan Gigacz. "He also prepared two more speeches on the Lay Apostolate and the Life and Ministry of the Priest that he was unable to deliver orally."

"We hope also to work on these six themes that Cardijn emphasised over the next three years of our project," Mr Gigacz added.

More details of the conference will be posted here and on our dedicated website: www.vatican2plus50.com

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Christmas and New Year greetings

Dear CCI Friends,

Christmas and New Year greetings to all as we gather with our families and closest friends!

Let us also spare a special thought and prayer for those who are separated from their loved one. I am thinking in particular of former Thailand YCW fulltimer and labor activist, Somyot Pruksakasemsuk, who is now in prison while on trial over lese majeste charges. We also remember his family who have now been separated from their husband and father for eight months.

At this time we also think of former IYCW chaplain, Fr RV Mathias, who passed away just a few weeks ago. In fact, at the request of some former YCWs in India, we have now launched a memorial website www.rvmathias.com to commemorate his life and work. We hope to make the development of this site a participative project and so we will be pleased to receive your testimonies and photos for posting on the site.

We also learned recently of the death of former Brazil and American YCW chaplain, Fr Agostino Pretto, who played an important role in the movement during the 1970s.

This year also saw the death of another former YCW chaplain and liberation theologian, Belgian-born Fr Jose Comblin, who spend most of his priestly working in Brazil.

Another CCI friend to pass on this year was Thai Bishop Bunluen Mansap, who died in January aged 81.

We remember and give thanks for their sacrifices on behalf of the poor and workers around the world.

2011 has also been an important year for the development of the Cardijn Community with the 3rd CCI General Assembly in July which also marked the 10th anniversary of our foundation in 2001.

CCI India also held its General Assembly in Chennai in August where it was decided to develop a campaign on internal migration.

Meanwhile, the Cardijn Community Australia focused on the history of the Cardijn movements in Australia at its November conference.

New initiatives have also begun in the Philippines, Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

2012 is also shaping up to be an important year for CCI with the launch of our three project to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Vatican II.

We thank you for being with us this year and invite you once again to join us in our mission to promote the spirituality and methodology of Joseph Cardijn.

Stefan Gigacz

President/Convenor CCI on behalf of the CCI International Team

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Second hearing for Somyot under way

Thai human rights activist and worker Somyot Prueksakasemsuk has faced a provincial court in Phetchabun, Thailand, for the hearing of the second prosecution witness, a former employee of his magazine, Voice of Taksin, in his trial on charges of lese majeste.

Benja Homwan, currently a company employee, testified in court that she had been a member of the administrative staff for the magazine since the executive editor was Prasaeng Mongkhonsiri who was later replaced by Somyot. She was responsible for membership subscriptions and the distribution of the magazine to almost 1,000 members.

She also had to check emails, and save and print articles which were sent to Somyot for him to read, but she did not know whether Somyot ever edited those articles. She saw that a sender named ‘Jitr Pollachan’ sent articles, which were the grounds for this prosecution against Somyot, and heard her colleagues saying that it was a pen name of Jakraphob Penkair.

Jakraphob, a politician allied with Thaksin Shinawatra, was charged with lèse majesté for his speech on Thailand’s patronage system at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand in August 2007, and he fled the country after the red shirt demonstrations were dispersed by the Abhisit Vejjajiva government in April 2009.

‘Jitr Pollachan’ is a mix of the names of two legendary Thai Marxist revolutionaries: Jitr Bhumisak and Assanee Pollachan.

The prosecution witness, in answer to defence questions, said that she did not know whether Jakraphob was really ‘Jitr Pollachan’, and she had never seen him visiting the office. She saw several articles by Jitr Pollachan published in the magazine, but did not know whether they had been published after Prasaeng was the executive editor.

She said that Somyot had contributed to the magazine using his real name.

The first hearing in Somyot’s case was held in Sa Kaew province in eastern Thailand on 21 Nov. He was brought to Phetchabun on 28 Nov. He will be transferred further north to Nakhon Sawan and then down to Songkhla in the south for the next prosecution witness hearings on 16 Jan and 13 Feb 2012, respectively.

Earlier, eight international human rights NGOs have launched an appeal to Thailand's Yingluck Shinawatra government calling for charges against Somyot Pruksakasemsuk to be dropped and for the nation's harsh lese majeste laws to be repealed.

The Asian Forum on Human Rights and Development, Clean Clothes Campaign, Front Line Defenders, International Federation for Human Rights, Lawyers' Rights Watch – Canada, Protection International, Southeast Asia Press Alliance, and World Organisation against Torture launched the appeal last month.

Somyot is a former fulltime worker for the Thailand YCW.

SOURCE

Second hearing of Somyot’s case in Phetchabun (Pratachai)

Joint Appeal by eight international human rights NGOs on the case of Somyot Prueksakasemsuk (Prachatai)

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Victory for Indonesia's PT Micro workers

Bandung District Court judges have reinstated sacked PT Micro Workers and ordered that their salaries be paid.

"We warmly welcome the decision of the Industrial Court judges (PHI) Bandung District Court, after a panel of judges chaired by Mahmoud MH and Judge DR.Syahrul member Eko Wahyudi (adho) and Haris Manalu (adhoc) won the PT Micro Garment Workers and employers require or PT Micro Garment owners to fulfill the rights of workers," said Ikin Rahmat on Facebook.

After a trial that lasted one hour and 45 minutes, the judges ruled that the laid off workers should be re-hired and their salaries paid from May 2011 to November 2011 as well as allowances.

"Hundreds of workers, mostly women shouting slogans, could not stop crying over the decision of the judges to win the workers who deliberately stay in the Court of Industrial Relations District Court in Jalan Soekarno Hatta Bandung Bandung," reported Ikin Rahmat.

"Even though most of the workers are escorted by students and other labor activists immediately perform prostration of gratitude on page PHI Bandung office," he said.

SOURCE

Buruh Micro Garment Ancam Bakar PHI Bandung (Inilah Jabar)

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YCW Metro Manila organises pedicab drivers

SOURCE

YCW Metro Manila Action Monograph 2010 (Joeygevangelista)

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Colombo commemorates Cardijn

"Our Lady said, 'Do whatever he tells you.' So in our life we must always try to live according to the teachings of Christ. Only in this way will we improve our mission as Christian workers in this society”, said Fr Sixtus Kurukulasuriya marking the 129th anniversary of the birth of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn.

Also present at the function were Fr Ernest Porutota whom together with Fr. Kurukulasuriya have contributed to the growth of the YWC, and Fr Reid Shelton Fernando, YCW chaplain for the diocese of Colombo.

The YCW was founded in Sri Lanka in the late 1940s. The young members of this movement then created its "adult" counterpart, the Christian Workers Movement (CWM) in 1953. In the late '60s, the Cwm has grown at an international level.

"The mission of Cardinal Cardijn - said Fr Porutota in his homily - it is very important. With his method, he wanted to raise the real quality of life, following in the footsteps of Jesus. "

Vivian Silva is one of the senior members of the CWM: "Our faith has no value unless we put it into practice in everyday life. We should not forget that every time we practice the Word of Jesus, we make it alive and present in our society. "

Fr Reid Shelton Fernando told AsiaNews that "the mission of Cardinal Cardijn helped me in my priesthood and my pastoral activities. I want the members of the CWM to be fully involved in workers issues and to support their struggles. It is important that they have full knowledge of the Social Doctrine of the Church. "

The Bishops' Conference of Sri Lanka considers the inter-group and not national. Currently it has between 300 and 400 members in four dioceses. Nationally, there are about 50 groups, 23 in the Archdiocese of Colombo.

SOURCE

Colombo commemorates Card. Cardijn, promoter of mission in the world of work (Asia News)

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Sarasvathy wins Yayori human rights award

Ex-YCW leader, Sarasvathy Muthu, who was arrested recently under Malaysia's harsh internal security laws, has taken out this year's Yayori Award for her work with marginalised people.

The Yayori Award honours women who work at the grassroots level with socially marginalised people to create 21st century free from war and discrimination against women. Established in 2005, it recognises those who best emulate the passion and courage of the late Yayori Matsui, a pioneer woman journalist and women's right activist in Japan.

This year's winner is Saraswathy Muthu (Saras). She was chosen for her tireless work at raising public awareness of the plight of marginalised communities - and in particular, women - in Malaysia.

The award ceremony will take place in Tokyo on 3rd December 2011.

More info on Yayori Award,please visit the site: http://www.wfphr.org/yayori/English/top.html



SOURCE

Malaysian woman activist wins international human rights award (Malaysiakini/YouTube)

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'Cardijn in Australia' conference success

The 'Cardijn in Australia' conference held in Melbourne from 4-6 November honoured cooperative pioneer Ted Long and other significant figures of the Australian Cardijn movements.

In a moving address, co-operative champion and historian Dr Race Mathews compared the role of YCW Cooperative co-founder Ted Long with that of Joseph Cardijn, founder of the YCW, and that of Jose-Maria Arizmendiarrietta, founder of the Mondragon cooperatives in Spain.

It was a fitting tribute to Long, who died in 2009 in relative anonymity despite the enormous role that he played alongside Frank McCann and other pioneers of the lay apostolate both in the development of the Young Christian Workers and of the cooperative movement in Australia.

Dr Mathews highlighted not only the role of Ted Long but also that of Cardijn, whose work had directly inspired the work of Father Arizmendi in the Basque region of Spain. I had known for some that Father Arizmendi had been a YCW chaplain in the town of Mondragon but Dr Mathews spelled out the direct linkage between Cardijn and Arizmendi.

Having myself earlier lamented that Donald Rumsfeld deserved the title of patron saint of Cardijn movement history for his famous quote about "unknown unknowns", I rejoiced to hear Dr Mathews shedding light on the contributions of Long and Cardijn.

And yet so much still remains to be done to adequately record the historical role of those movements in Australia.

Indeed, I still regret that we failed to make a video recording of Ted Long himself or of the late Father Cyril Hally, who had attended the founding meeting of the Cardijn Community in Australia in July 2008 before going to his eternal reward.

And there are so many others who have magnificent stories to tell of what the early Australian Cardijn movements achieved and it is urgent to record them.

Although I had long been aware that Cardijn was full of praise for the local YCW movements during his visits to Australia in 1958 and 1966, I had always tended to discount this as playing up to his hosts. It was only much later when I went to work for the International YCW during the 1980s that it slowly dawned on me that no other city in the world ever had a YCW on the scale of the movement in Melbourne in the 1950s and 60s.

No wonder then that Cardijn told his Australian hosts in 1958 that  "your YCW has developed as I dreamt a YCW should develop."

And yet by the time that I was invited to join the YCW at the end of 1974 most of that movement had simply disappeared.

Many reasons have been proffered to explain what happened - sociological changes, post-Vatican II turmoil, "the 1970s", etc.

Whatever the causes, the dramatic decline of the Cardijn movements also somehow threw a veil over the achievements the previous thirty years - and even over the smaller scale achievements of the movements during the last thirty years.

So it was highly refreshing to hear so many conference speakers testifying to the impact of the movements in their own lives, as was the fact that at least half of the conference participants looked to be under 30.

In a remarkable keynote address which will hopefully be available on the web shortly, Darwin Bishop Eugene Hurley told a particularly powerful story of a YCW leader from the Port Pirie diocese, Margie Lee, who became a quadriplegic as a result of a car accident and who consciously and cheerfully sought to discover and to live out her own vocation as a handicapped person assisting others to deal with their own traumas.

Amazingly, the oldest participant at the conference, Des O'Connell, turned out to be possibly the last surviving member of the fabled Campion Society as well as a member of the equally storied Maryknoll intentional community established to the east of Melbourne during the 1950s.

In fact, it was largely through the Campion Society leader Kevin T. Kelly that the Cardijn movements were first introduced into Australia.

The Cardijn in Australia conference opened or re-opened many windows on the achievements of the Cardijn-inspired movements. Ultimately, however, the purpose was to build for the future.

Appropriately, the conference ended with a workshop on developing enquiries - the key to the Cardijn method of action and formation - as well as with a number of exciting proposals for the development of study groups and even hopefully a Cardijn Institute.

There's life yet in the Cardijn movements, dare I say the best is yet to come.

Stefan Gigacz

SOURCE

CathBlog - Melbourne was YCW capital of the world (CathNews)

PHOTOS

PHOTOS

http://www.flickr.com/photos/69880589@N03/

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CCI India to focus on internal migration campaign

CCI-India is to launch a three month enquiry campaign focusing on internal migration following its general assembly and study session in Chennai last week.

The General Assembly also elected a new national team with Xavier Anthony as president, Glynis Joseph as secretary and Monica Mascarenhas as treasurer.

CCI Secretary General MJ Ruben, who also participated in the meeting, has filed the brief report below:

11th Nov.: The event started with an immersion session inaugurated by Fr. Thomas Joseph, 92 years, a worker chaplain and YCW/CWM Chaplain since 1950.The website of CCI-India was also launched. You can visit www.cardijncommunity.in

The immersion session was conducted by Fr. Maschio, Animator of CCI groups in Kanniyakumari and Tuticorin dioceses.

M. J. Ruben made a presentation on 'What is CCI'.

Ms Glynis Joseph, Coordinator of the host chapter welcomed and Lazar, Treasurer proposed a vote of thanks. The inaugural session was followed by a welcome dinner.

12th Nov.: The Study on 'Corruption - in and around us' brought out new insights and revelations about our own lives, attitudes, mentalities, perceptions and about what is happening in the community. Many proposals came out in terms of acting against this menace.

13th: GA - Business session with chapter reports, National report, financial report, etc. It was amazing to discover that Rupess 260,000 was the income in just 18 months. All this money came from the CCI members and through their efforts from the friends of CCI. Everyone felt that it is possible to develop the movement without having to depend on external sources. This is one of the aspects of the 'spirituality of CCI' and we need to develop this 'culture'.

PLAN FOR THE NEXT 2 YEARS

1. Internal Migration: Inquiry Campaign to be launched on the 'Living and working conditions of internal migrant workers' at the all India level which will go on for 3 months. The National CCI will plan further based on the findings.

2. Vatican II @ 50: A 3 year project commemorating the 50th anniversary of Vatican II will be launched in 2012.

3. Other issues for Study/Campaign: Unemployment, Corruption, Work and Worker, Climate Justice, Peace Building

4. Training for youth on 'Social Media and Social Networking'

Plans for extension were made besides proposals for fund raising.

STATUTES:

The GA adopted the Statutes and Internal Regulations which will be the guiding point for the CCI India in future.

It was also decided to have a legal status for CCI by registering it under the 'Societies Act'.

NEW TEAM:

National President: Xavier Anthony (Bangalore)
National Secretary: Ms Glynis Joseph (Chennai)
National Treasurer: Ms Monica Mascarenhas (Pune)
Team Members:
Clifford Bastian: Nagpur
Jomon Cherussery: Kerala
Joseph Arokiasamy: Pune
Paul Arputham: Bangalore
National Chaplain: Fr. Servatius (Kanniyakumari)
Collaborators: Fr. Maschio (Tuticorin); Dominic Mendonca (Pune)
Volunteer Team: Joseph Anthony (Bangalore); George Heston (Chennai); James Sylvester (Hyderabad)
Ex-officio Members: V. Susairaj and M. J. Ruben

Visit Photo Gallery here:

https://picasaweb.google.com/103324114816508872702/CCIIndiaGA2011

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Liby Mendonca prayer campaign launched

CCI-India has launched a prayer campaign seeking a miracle cure for Liby Mendonca, a former YCW from Pune.

LIBERATA MENDONCA (Liby), who is married to Dominic Mendonca, Collaborator to CCI-India, has been unconscious and on life support for over a month. Her brain was damaged due to high blood pressure and the doctors have given up hope.

Only a miracle can save her, doctors say.

The prayer campaign proposed during the CCI India General Assembly at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Chennai, India on the 129th birth anniversary of Cardijn (November 13, 2011) commenced at 12 noon on the 14th November.

CCI India hopes that a miracle will also provide evidence to push forward the process for the canonisation of Cardijn.

Details of the prayer campaign can be found below.

Prayer to Cardijn for the healing of Ms Liberata Mendonca

Dear Friends,

Ms Liberata Mendonca, known as ‘Liby’ is a former YCW of Pune in India and is married to Dominic Mendonca, former YCW and now Collaborator to the CCI-India. They have a daughter Michelle who is married with a daughter. They all live in Pune. On the 13th October 2011, Liby and Dominic went to their homeopathic doctor for a check up and soon after she felt bad and collapsed. She was rushed to hospital immediately and was admitted to the ICU. By that time her blood pressure had shot to the maximum and her brain was affected. Brain surgery was suggested but she was too weak to undergo the risky surgery. Fluids were drained from her head.

From 13th October onwards, she has remained ‘unconscious’ and on ‘oxygen’ support. She opens her eye sometimes but gives no sign of recognition. She is still critically ill. Doctors have given up hope and say there is no scope for recovery. They suggest that she be taken home and kept in the surrounding she is familiar with. There is only a very small probability that in the course of time she may recognise the surrounding, people around her, etc.

In short, Liby is in a 'vegetative' state with ‘oxygen’ supported life. Only a miracle can save her. We need that miracle right now. If we believe, we will see the miracle happen.

CCI in its evolution has experienced a number of miracles through Cardijn’s intercession. We would like you and all your friends and contacts to pray to Cardijn to intercede on behalf of Liby for her total healing. We are sure our good Lord will grant a new lease of life toLiby through Cardijn’s intercession.

Kindly say the prayer attached daily till Liby recovers. Ask your family and friends to pray for Liby. Pass ton his request to as many friends as possible so that we can soon witness the miracle of Liby walking home fully recovered. We can also prove to the world that Cardijn is a blessed saint who deserves due recognition.



For those who are yet to know Cardijn, his brief profile is also given.

In Solidarity,

Ms Glynis Joseph

National Secretary



Note: This Prayer Campaign to Cardijn began at 12 noon on Monday, the 14th November 2011 at the Diocesan Pastoral Centre, Santhome, Chennai, India.

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RIP former IYCW chaplain Fr R.V. Mathias

Former International YCW chaplain Fr RV Mathias died at 2.30a.m. in Trichy, India, following a massive heart attack.

"We are shocked and saddened to hear of Fr Mathias' passing," CCI President Stefan Gigacz said in a statement.

"During his term as IYCW international chaplain, he worked tirelessly to maintain the unityof the movement. For this, we will be forever grateful."

Fr Mathias was born in Edangani, Tamil Nadu on November 11, 1938.

He entered the seminary in 1953 andstudied at St Paul's Seminary, India, from 1958-60. From 1960-64 he was a guest at the Pontifical Urban College in Rome followed by catechetical and liturgical studies at the Catholic Institute of Paris from 1964-66.

He was ordained as a priest in Rome on 21 December 1963.

Among the many positions he held, Fr Mathias was parish priest, diocesan, national and international chaplain of the YCW as well as chaplain of the diocesan youth and workers  for the diocese of Trichy.

He was also Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Center, Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for Labor (Delhi), Vicar general of the diocese of Trichy.

In 2002 he was appointed as Executive Secretary of the CBCI Commission for the laity.

He taught at Karumathur Jesuit Theological College near Madurai, India until recently.

After taking sabbatical leave, he was named  >spiritual father at St Paul's Seminary, Tiruchirapalli in April 2011.

Fr Mathias also collaborated actively with the Centre Lebret-IRFED network.

The funeral will take place at 10 a.m. Friday at St. Paul's Seminary, Trichy.

Read more at the CCI India website: Fr RV Mathias is no more

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More flowers for Teresa

Fifteen-year-old Catholic Regional College St Albans student Teresa Ho was killed on Monday at Ginifer station in Melbourne's north-west when she strayed into the path of a full-tilt V-Line train.

Now, I know the Ginifer railway station very well having worked for two years at Holy Eucharist parish which is located just a few hundred metres away.

Passing several times daily through the same flimsy pedestrian boom gate where Teresa died, I witnessed many instances in which people would race across in a bid to catch the train that had just gone through.

I still shudder to recall one young Sudanese boy who leaped across totally oblivious to the possibility of another train coming from the opposite direction. Unlike Teresa, the boy fortunately stayed safe on that occasion.

But I was so upset that I started asking among local community leaders to see what could be done about the crossing which has been rated as the fifth most dangerous in Melbourne. The inevitable response was a resigned kind of look that simply said yes, we have been complaining about it for years.

So I decided to write a letter. But to whom? The local MP? Connex (the previous operator)? Metlink Melbourne? And so it didn't take long for inertia to set in and I never did do it before I finished work in the parish in 2008.

I don't delude myself that it would have made any difference. After all, many locals have indeed been trying for decades to get action on both the Ginifer and St Albans crossings.

Thirty years ago, Tom Rigg, a now retired former station master, even came up with a plan to finance construction by developing the St Albans station into a commercial centre. To no avail.

Even though Ginifer station was somewhat ironically named after a well-regarded state Labor MP Jack Ginifer, many locals claim that the former Labor state government ignored their demands because it was one of the party's safest seats.

Nor has the current Liberal government shown the least interest in the problem, evidently preferring to favour its own seats.

What to do in the face of such naked political indifference?

I thought hard about that as I looked at a photo of Teresa's mum Tien Nguyen and her distressed school mates praying at the site of the terrible accident.

And it reminded of another incident in the late 1960s when a young YCW leader was killed in a car accident in Melbourne's suburbs, possibly at another level crossing.

I never knew the name of the guy but I do know the impact that his death had on his fellow YCW leaders who brought up the issue in one of their local meetings and decided that they had to act.

It was the start of a YCW Road Safety Campaign in the early 1970s that contributed significantly to the introduction of compulsory seat belts and the 0.05 alcohol limit in Victoria.

Could we launch a similar campaign today? Well, to quote a famous Catholic activist, Cesar Chavez, yes, we can! (Did anyone think Obama invented the line?)

True, the Melbourne YCW, which during the 1960s was the largest YCW movement that ever existed in any city in the world, was able to make it happen because it was organised and structured to do so.

Sadly, the sociological foundations of that YCW evaporated soon after sending the movement into a decline that lasted many years. Happily, the movement did not disappear and indeed the Melbourne YCW has just celebrated its 70^th anniversary with a promising resurgence.

Moreover, the method that made it successful – Cardijn's famous See Judge Act method – has now passed into official Catholic social teaching. This year in fact also marks the 50^th anniversary of Pope John XXIII's encyclical Mater et Magistra, which formally recognised the method (Para 236).

What's more the baby boomers who made the Melbourne YCW successful in the 1960s are mostly still around, albeit somewhat greyer. A few even still go to Mass on Sundays!

So what's to stop some of those well trained boomers from getting together with a few of their peers to begin to address the issues that afflict local communities today? Actually, some have already started to do so, e.g. a Cardijn Community team led by Kevin Vaughan is now tackling the issue of single fathers.

Moreover, what's to stop many other parishes and schools from taking the initiative to bring together new groups of young people to act on the issues that concern them?

The required tools are easily accessible. Each Friday, CathNews Perspectives publishes the Sunday Gospel that could be the basis of a weekly Gospel enquiry. Many easy guides to the See Judge Act are available on the web.

Seeing the flowers that mark the spot where Teresa Ho died, I was also reminded that Pope Pius XI once named St Theresa of Lisieux as the patron of the YCW.

Let every parish plant the seeds for many more flowers to grow. Yes, we can. We owe it to Teresa and her family.

- Stefan Gigacz

SOURCE

CathBlog - More flowers for Teresa (CathNews)

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