29/06/2024
National President of YCS YSM is Ready to Spread the Gospel Across India as a Lay Missionary
Bangalore June 28, 2024: At just 19, Anson Clement Nazareth is ready to serve the Church in India as a lay missionary. The National President of YCS YSM India recently participated in the Communio Missionary Training Programme, organized in collaboration with the CCBI Commission for Youth.
“I was fortunate to attend the Communio Missionary Training Programme with twenty other young people from across India. This programme prepared us to serve in mission dioceses after our training at Tallur Parish in the Diocese of Udupi. The training helped me deeply understand my calling to serve the Lord,” said Anson.
Anson shared a memorable incident from the programme with a Catholic Connect reporter:
“One evening, I walked alone from my host family’s home to the church. It was a fifteen-minute journey through a dark, forested area around 7:15 PM. With only the flashlight on my phone and my rosary, I sang a Konkani hymn. Along the way, I heard unsettling sounds and saw strange lights in the rain. Despite feeling afraid, I continued to pray with faith.
“When I returned, I shared this experience with my host family. It led to insightful discussions about the challenges early missionaries faced. They spread the Gospel without modern conveniences like streetlights or phones and had to be wary of wild animals. Their sacrifices inspire me. If people like St. Thomas and St. Francis Xavier could spread the Gospel in such difficult circumstances, surely we, with our modern resources, can make a significant contribution to the Church in India. Our actions now will contribute to the growth of faith and the Church.”
Anson believes that being a missionary means walking alongside people, bringing smiles through small acts of kindness, and comforting those in pain or distress. It means sharing stories of faith and encouraging others to live joyfully and faithfully. The missionary training programme taught him that small actions, kind words, and a simple smile can make a big difference in others’ lives.
“I firmly believe that every Catholic is called to be a missionary. This programme offers an excellent opportunity for young people to discover and use their potential to benefit the Church in India. Now, as a 19-year-old lay missionary, I am ready to spread the Gospel across India. It’s time for young people to step forward and bear witness to God’s love. Be a missionary wherever you are! Spread joy – spread kindness.”
Anson Clement Nazareth, the National President of YCS YSM India, hails from Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva in the Udupi diocese, Karnataka. Born on February 11, 2005, he is currently pursuing a bachelor’s in business administration at St. Aloysius University, Mangalore.
Young Catholic Students (YCS) Young Students Movement (YSM) is a cell-based Catholic movement aimed at enabling the personal growth of young Catholic students in their faith and students of other faiths in their own beliefs to build a community of justice, equality, freedom, and love.
Currently, YCS YSM has over 200,000 student members and more than 3,000 dedicated animators and youth workers spread across 45 dioceses in India.
By Supriya Varghese
