THIS PAGE FEATURES EVERYTHING ABOUT THE YOUNG CATHOLIC STUDENTS (Y.C.S)


What is YCS all about?
YCS is a Movement of the Students, By the Students and For the Students.

YCS is a Lay Movement, which shares the Mission and Life of the Church initiated by Jesus Christ. Students with all faiths are involved in YCS NIGERIA, bringing out the richness of the different religious traditions in this land of religiosity.

YCS is a Cell based Movement - groups of student in a particular community (School, Parish, Village, City etc.), gathering together regularly to do Review of Life and other initiatives which is the heart of YCS.

YCS is an International Movement. We are an International Catholic Organization (ICO) recognized by the Vatican, and an International Non Governmental Organization (NGO), with consultative status at United Nations ECOSOC.

YCS is a Movement not just an organization, club, association or Federation. A community of students with a common vision of making God's Kingdom reign on this earth here & now, for all people to live in dignity.

The option of YCS is an option for the poor.


The Mission of YCS
Formative:
A primary vocation of YCS is the formation of the students to be responsible and critical actors in School, Church & society today, as well as in the future.
Evangelization:
To Evangelize today, is to announce the Good News to the Poor of Today - that is to share and give witness to the Life giving and Liberating Message of Jesus Christ - it is TO DO, as well as TO TELL.
Transformative:
YCS seeks to transform unjust structures and situations, as well as values, attitudes and options of students & youth. Therefore, the transformation happens at two levels - personal, as well as societal. Though we are concerned with the whole society, we focus on the student milieu.
Liberative:
YCS tries to see the causes of issues faced by the student milieu and society and attempts to respond to these with a Liberative perspective.

THE REVIEW OF LIFE
(See - Judge - Act / Awareness - Reflection - Action)

The Review of Life is more than pedagogy - it is the YCS Spirituality and it is a Way of Life. The three steps are simple, yet, complex and has a deep meaning.

To See...is to See as Jesus Saw:
This means a "Seeing" with our eyes, hearts, and minds. To see reality objectively and deeply. Not only issues, but their causes and consequences on the life of people, especially students.

To Judge.....is to Judge as Jesus Judged:
We do not aspire to Judge others, but rather, allow our Faith to Judge our options, values, attitudes. We Judge whether the reality we encountered is God's will and if not, we reflect on what should be the ideal situation.

To Act.....is to Act as Jesus Acted:
As an active apostolate and movement, we respond to the reality, at a personal level, as well as with our community
(written by iycs asia)



HISTORY
IN THE WORLD:

The present day YCS was founded by Father Lao Joseph Cardjin, a Belgian priest who later became a cardinal. He started this movement to help young workers to cater for the stress encountered at work. He helped them to cope more to those problems and to communicate better. Consequently, the YCS known today started as Young Christian Workers.
Cardinal Joseph Cardijn and the Beginning of YCS
The history of YCS is linked to the life and vision of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, a pioneer of Catholic Social Action and Lay apostolate in the church. Cardijn was a strong believer that Human Beings are created in the image of God, to live in Dignity. However, the reality of society, where majority of people were living in de-humanized situations, was contradictory to this belief. He promoted organized people's movements, using the pedagogy of See - Judge - Act, to change this contradiction.

Cardijn initially started International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) Movement in 1925, but later, students inspired by it's impact, initiated the International Young Christian Students (IYCS), using a similar approach. Cardijn strongly believed that Workers are the best apostles amongst Workers and so the Students.







IN NIGERIA

The Young catholic Students movement came into Nigeria in 1959 with the help of Miss Freda O' Mahoney (now Mrs Ogunade) who brought it into Nigeria with the help of Most Rev Dr Edmund Fitzigibon(SMA). By then, it was still known as the Young Christian students till when the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) changed its name to Young Catholic Students. Since then, it has always worked in both secondary and tertiary institutions. It sees itself as under the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) and as a brother of the National Federation of catholic Students(NFCS)

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That of owerri archdiocese will be in this page soonext

What is YCS all about?
YCS is a Movement of the Students, By the Students and For the Students.

YCS is a Lay Movement, which shares the Mission and Life of the Church initiated by Jesus Christ. Students with all faiths are involved in YCS NIGERIA, bringing out the richness of the different religious traditions in this land of religiosity.

YCS is a Cell based Movement - groups of student in a particular community (School, Parish, Village, City etc.), gathering together regularly to do Review of Life and other initiatives which is the heart of YCS.

YCS is an International Movement. We are an International Catholic Organization (ICO) recognized by the Vatican, and an International Non Governmental Organization (NGO), with consultative status at United Nations ECOSOC.

YCS is a Movement not just an organization, club, association or Federation. A community of students with a common vision of making God's Kingdom reign on this earth here & now, for all people to live in dignity.

The option of YCS is an option for the poor.


The Mission of YCS
Formative:
A primary vocation of YCS is the formation of the students to be responsible and critical actors in School, Church & society today, as well as in the future.
Evangelization:
To Evangelize today, is to announce the Good News to the Poor of Today - that is to share and give witness to the Life giving and Liberating Message of Jesus Christ - it is TO DO, as well as TO TELL.
Transformative:
YCS seeks to transform unjust structures and situations, as well as values, attitudes and options of students & youth. Therefore, the transformation happens at two levels - personal, as well as societal. Though we are concerned with the whole society, we focus on the student milieu.
Liberative:
YCS tries to see the causes of issues faced by the student milieu and society and attempts to respond to these with a Liberative perspective.

THE REVIEW OF LIFE
(See - Judge - Act / Awareness - Reflection - Action)

The Review of Life is more than pedagogy - it is the YCS Spirituality and it is a Way of Life. The three steps are simple, yet, complex and has a deep meaning.

To See...is to See as Jesus Saw:
This means a "Seeing" with our eyes, hearts, and minds. To see reality objectively and deeply. Not only issues, but their causes and consequences on the life of people, especially students.

To Judge.....is to Judge as Jesus Judged:
We do not aspire to Judge others, but rather, allow our Faith to Judge our options, values, attitudes. We Judge whether the reality we encountered is God's will and if not, we reflect on what should be the ideal situation.

To Act.....is to Act as Jesus Acted:
As an active apostolate and movement, we respond to the reality, at a personal level, as well as with our community
(written by iycs asia)



HISTORY
IN THE WORLD:

The present day YCS was founded by Father Lao Joseph Cardjin, a Belgian priest who later became a cardinal. He started this movement to help young workers to cater for the stress encountered at work. He helped them to cope more to those problems and to communicate better. Consequently, the YCS known today started as Young Christian Workers.
Cardinal Joseph Cardijn and the Beginning of YCS
The history of YCS is linked to the life and vision of Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, a pioneer of Catholic Social Action and Lay apostolate in the church. Cardijn was a strong believer that Human Beings are created in the image of God, to live in Dignity. However, the reality of society, where majority of people were living in de-humanized situations, was contradictory to this belief. He promoted organized people's movements, using the pedagogy of See - Judge - Act, to change this contradiction.

Cardijn initially started International Young Christian Workers (IYCW) Movement in 1925, but later, students inspired by it's impact, initiated the International Young Christian Students (IYCS), using a similar approach. Cardijn strongly believed that Workers are the best apostles amongst Workers and so the Students.







IN NIGERIA

The Young catholic Students movement came into Nigeria in 1959 with the help of Miss Freda O' Mahoney (now Mrs Ogunade) who brought it into Nigeria with the help of Most Rev Dr Edmund Fitzigibon(SMA). By then, it was still known as the Young Christian students till when the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) changed its name to Young Catholic Students. Since then, it has always worked in both secondary and tertiary institutions. It sees itself as under the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria (CYON) and as a brother of the National Federation of catholic Students(NFCS)

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OWERRI ARCHDIOCESE.
Preamble Owerri Archdiocese Y.C.S. can not be completed without the mentioning of the these great people,Archmoses Ajah(then national president)and Mr.David Agurum(then youth corper)these men took it upon themselves financially and morally to gather students in the year 1996 at st.Pauls Catholic Parish Owerri.
In view of the nationalconvention that was held in August 1996 at assumpta Minor Seminary Naze Owerri.Miss Okereke Chinyere was elected the pioneer president to nurse the baby Archdiocese with Rev.Fr.Gerald Njoku as the chaplain and rev.Bro.Cosmos Obi as the Religious Assistant,all these people nurtured the baby Archdiocese spiritually which made the movement to spread into many schools and churches for the sole aim of"Bringing Students to Christ and Christ to Students"through the methodolology of "See,Judge And Act".
Prospects of Y.C.S.N owerri Archdiocese is now a force to reckon with,in history of Y.C.S in Nigeria it thence like a bush-fire spread,spiritually,socially and otherwise has spread its tentacles to many Secondary Schools and Parishes in Owerri Archdioceses and beyond .It ensures that the word of GOD is Speed from pole to pole.
To grow spiritually,we try to let our members know that they are obliged to participate actively in church activities.
We have a guided leaflet drawn from Liturgical calender to aid our members in their spiritual lives Since the creation of Y.C.S.N in Owerri Archdiocese we meet as an Archdiocese once in a month and emergencies make us to meet more than that...
To really expose their talents,efforts and ability,it had encouraged them,these made manifest during the Archdiocesean Jubilee Year in 1998,presently some sections can boast of standard Drama Group,Choir,cultural Group,Press/Editorial Board which led the st.Pauls Parish Section to the printing of the Popular Magazine"Revealer".Also Electrified Musical Band From Aladinma Parish Section.
Moreso,to inculcate in them,the leadership skill and bring them together,efforts hadbeen made to organise Leadership Workshops and Seminars.Coupled with the various conventions held.The 2002 Archdiocesan Convention held at Seat of Wisdom seminary School Ulakwu,and also that of 2004 held at Assumpta Minor Seminary Naze.
Inorder to christianize oneself and friends,we have been able to extend our potentials at the Provincial and National level through the following hosted and attended Provincial Meetings and Conventions being ably represented in team Meetings and hosted Conventions.which We hosted Two National Conventions in 1996 and 2002.We held the National secreteriat which Mr.Ogechukwu Ndupu was officiating during 2001-2003.And presently holding the National P.R.O. in the person of Bro.Nnamdi Mbara.At the Provincial level,We also held the Presidencial seat presently which Bro.Ugochukwu esinulo is officiating now.
Tasked to be accomplished,the present regime led by Comrade Bro.Amadi Kenneth is making efforts just to execute a Project of buying an Archdiocesan Y.C.S. bus,at thesame time producing Archdiocesan Almanac and also hosting a Provincial Convention scheduled to hold on the 19-23 of July 2005.Again,ensures thst schools get enrolled and inaugurated,Y.C.S speed to moreschools and Parishes.Set back the inability of Catholic Schools to enback on Y.C.S.
Lack of mutual understanding among Priests,Catholic Youths and Y.C.S.Members.
conclusively,we are grateful to GOD for Oerri Archdiocesan Y.C.S. and To Archdiocesan Chaplain Rev.Fr.Ernest Muforo.We are independently grateful to present former and present National EXCOS in our midst and also present the former and present provincial counterparts.We acknowledged the National Chaplain very Rev.Most Hipolite Adigwe and the National Cordinator Mr.silas idu and the last but not the least the Internet Committee Members...Bro.Dirichukwu nwachukwu,Bro.Patrick Onuoha,Bro.Iyke Azuoma,and Sis.Helen Njoku Bro Solomon Chukwu,Bro Chukwuma Ejere, Bro Chidozie Okata ,Madubugo Ugochukwu Spikey.


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