The congregation during the Catholic Youth Association of Longleng Silver Jubilee celebration held at St Joseph’s Church on December 21.
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Longleng, December 27 (MExN): The Catholic Youth Association of Longleng celebrated its Silver Jubilee on December 21 at St Joseph’s Church under the theme ‘Launch Out Deeper’ (Luke 5: 4) with Rev Fr Neisalhou Carolus Kuotsu, Vicar General Diocese of Kohima and Parish Priest Mary Help of Christians Cathedral Kohima.
Rev Fr Neisalhou Carolus Kuotsu the main celebrant at the Holy Mass said that the original meaning and purpose of Jubilee is found in Old Testament. “God chose the Israelites to know Him and worship Him and they lived in harmony with one another, and they prepared for the coming of the Messiah. It was the time of reconciliation and forgiveness,” he said while adding all the properties that had been taken by others for unpaid debt would have to be returned to the original families and everyone that had been indebted was then released from that debt and was able to start over again by having their land returned to them.
“In the New Testament Christians are the new Israelites, we are called to live and worship Him alone, making Him known to others through the witness of life, and to live and help one another,” he said and added “if there is no change in our daily life then the celebrations are meaningless.”
The Vicar General appealed to the congregation to be courageous and take challenges to transform within ourselves and dig deeper and live an exemplary Christian life. He also said ‘Let us not be a sea shore Christian who does all the activities on the edge without going deeper’.
Fr Neisalhou called upon everyone to put Christ at the center of their lives or else it would be meaningless to call Nagaland for Christ and said that a Christian state should continuously fight against discrimination, corruption, inequality and anything that is evil and against our Christian ethics.
Before the Holy Mass, the CYA flag was unfurled and the monolith was blessed and dedicated by Rev Fr Neisalhou Carolus.
The jubilee celebration started with a Rosary procession from NST Junction. It was attended by delegates from Tobu, Angjangyang, Yongnyah village, Tamlu town and Sakshi village. Officials from Nagaland Catholic Youth Movement led by President and NCYM Director Rev Fr Lawence Khing also attended the program. Former Parish Priest Rev Fr Antony Samy and Former Assistant Parish Priest Rev Fr Charles Phom also attended the program. Priests from St Thomas Church Tamlu, Rev Fr John Phumnyu Phom, Rev Fr Gordon Paul from South Africa also attended the celebration.
