Link

Edition June 2002

Intercontinental bureau

The intercontinental bureau met from 12 to 14 April 2002 in Chimay, Belgium. Participants were all member of the bureau, and Bert Van den Bossche, Olivier Heyen and Marleen Deblonde as guests. Apart from regular topics (news from member organisations, finances), it was a good opportunity to evaluate the first half a year under the new presidium. It seems that this is working very well. The new team has a lot of dynamism and energy. The importance of “keeping in touch” was stressed. Both continental delegations communicated the date of their upcoming general assemblies, Austria (7-12 November) and South Africa (4-8 December).

We discussed the intercontinental projects planned for 2003. In May there should be a chaplains’ meeting in Africa. Furthermore, the possibilities for a world camp have been taken into consideration. The definitive decision will be taken at the June presidium meeting in Rome.

Bert Van den Bossche informed us about the World Youth Day in Toronto 2002. There will be a Fimcap evening, so check your pilgrim’s handbook for more details.

Former Fimcap president Olivier Heyen is now member of the executive committee of the Conference of International Catholic Organisations. He talked to us about the ICO’s meetings. With Marleen Deblonde we discussed the current working method for Link. Concerning the promotion material, you can expect a new Fimcap poster by the time of the continental conferences.

This ICB meeting was also the moment to say goodbye to Johan Cottyn, who was our chaplain for about ten years. Surrounded by the people he closely worked with in Fimcap, we gave him big thanks in the name of all of you!

Zeger Van Besien

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The new Fimcap Chaplain

The Fimcap presidium gladly announces that the Holy See has officially appointed Father Alveiro Vasquez as Fimcap chaplain for the next three years. He is the successor of Father Johan Cottyn who finished his mandate in April 2002 (see also the editorial in Link April 2002).

Here a short letter from Father Alveiro Vasquez
"On 22 April, I received a letter signed by Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Secretary of State at the Holy See, confirming that I was officially appointed as new Fimcap Chaplain for a mandate of three years. The most important part of this text concerned the significance and the recognition of the ecclesiastical task in an international catholic organisation.

I will joyfully commit myself to the task that the Church and Fimcap have entrusted me with. I want to do my best with God’s help, with the support and advice of those who are close to me and with the help of all Fimcap friends."

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FIMCAP-Evening on WYD2002

The preparations for the Fimcap evening during the World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto, Canada are on at full blast. (see Link April 2002). Our Fimcap evening is an official part of the Youth Festival programme which will be published in the Pilgrims handbook and on the WYD-web site.

Fimcap has received from the organising committee the last details.
The Fimcap evening will be held on Thursday, 25/7/2002. The place of the meeting is at the Exhibition Place, NTCS103 (Hall A). Fimcap member organisations may use this hall to display information about their country and respective organisation during the Fimcap evening.

Participants may arrive between 19.30 hrs and 20.00 hrs. We will start off with some ice-breaking activities.
At around 20.00hrs we will start with the official “welcome”. After welcoming every Fimcap-organisation who is represented at Toronto, we will have the opportunity to present ourselves and our countries. Every presentation should end with a typical song, dance or game and all the participants at the Fimcap evening should participate.
The evening stops at 22.00hrs with an eveningprayer.

Fimcap member organisations have received an invitation to participate in the Fimcap evening. They have all been asked to prepare part of the programme. We hope that our second World Youth Day-Fimcapmeeting will be as successful as the first meeting in Rome. For more information please contact Bert Van den Bossche at bert.van.den.bossche@fimcap.org tel. +32/3/541 55 24 or fax +32/3/458 43 71.

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Troubles in Burundi

The bishop of RUYIGI (East of Burundi) has been kidnapped while on his way home from Kigali after a meeting with the bishops of Rwanda, Burundi and RD Congo. The Catholic Church has lost 30 priests since the beginning of the crisis in 1993. Insecurity is very high, main streets are closed at 4 p.m. till the next morning. Cease-fire negotiations have no result. It is extremely difficult to travel by car. The situation is very unstable because of the economic crisis, the teachers’ strike, and the general discontentment of the civil servants who claim higher wages.

Zénon Manirakiza
Burundi

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CHIRO - BURUNDI: Golden Jubilee (1953 - 2003)

CHIRO BURUNDI is preparing to celebrate the Golden Jubilee which willtake be next year in May. Young people are preparing cultural and religious events in all dioceses. They will also participate in training sessions to become more aware of the Chiro methodology and rediscover the sources of the Gospel. “We are the apostles of Love, Justice and Peace”. This motto was adopted in 1998, at the 45th anniversary of Chiro Burundi and its aim is to stimulate young people to work for peace. These 50 years have been marked by sad events like the Hutu and Tutsi massacres in 1965, 1972, 1988, 1991, 1993 and a civil war that should find an end with the Peace Agreement of Arusha, Tanzania signed on the 28th of August. The Chiro organisation lost many people and was quite ineffective between 1972 and 1978.

However there were also some heroic deeds at that time and many intellectuals who are the present decision-makers and advisers as well as Bishops grew up in the Chiro Burundi organisation. A fruitful partnership with Chiro Flanders enabled Chiro Burundi to implement a life style with tangible consequences in all parishes. During these 50 years, primary and secondary schools were built. There was help for the poor, deprived people and orphans. Chiro taught some democratic principles to young people.

Dear friends, we ask you to support us in the preparation of this Golden Jubilee. We hope that the political situation will improve soon and invite you to come and celebrate the jubilee with us. CHIRO YACU NI AGAHAMBAYE (Our CHIRO is really great!!!).

Zénon Manirakiza
Burundi

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Xaveri Burundi - Xaveri Congo: bilateral exchanges

The Burundi Xaveri organisation keeps contact with and supports Xaveri Congo. The groups in Uvira and Bukavu often come to Bujumbura to share experiences, to get Xaveri materials such as badges, uniforms, medals, etc. This is experience is great for both the Congolese people (who live in an occupied territory) and for the Burundi people (where civil war is going on). The dangers on the road (excessive controls, ambush) are daily stuff here. However the Xaveri people are ready to face danger. In July the Burundi Xaveri will go to Congo to support their Xaveri brothers. I think this experience would stimulate the other Fimcap organisations in the Region of the Big Lakes who only meet once a year at the workshop “Youth and Non Violent Action”.

Zénon Manirakiza
Burundi

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News from Ghana CYO

Various Youth activities have been taking place in all the dioceses.
At the beginning of the year (January, February) 2002, the feast of the Patron Saint of the SYO, John Bosco, was celebrated throughout the whole country with a variety of activities to commemorate the day. Such activities were held on Parish, Deanery and Diocesan levels. Activities covered a period of one week in most places. Activities included talks, voluntary work in communities, sports and games, excursions, visit to hospitals, visit to orphanages and many others.

The climax of all these activities in all the centres was the eucharistic Celebration that brought about the communal spirit just as it happened after the resurrection. Prizes and awards were presented to deserving crusaders who excelled in various events, activities and duties.

The organisation played a very active role in the celebration of the World Youth Day. This was celebrated on a Diocesan level. On the Saturday before Palm Sunday, crusaders with other youth groups paraded through the principal streets, carrying placards with various inscriptions. Some of these inscription read: “Render your hearts, not your garments”, “HIV/AIDS is real – abstain from sex” etc. At the end of the parades all the youth convened at a particular place and there was a lot of fun and entertainment.

On Palm Sunday, there was a thanksgiving Mass and the youth performed various functions in the church on the occasion of that special day.
The CYO has the following programmes in mind:

1. Formation and insight into CYO ceremonies for all national and diocesan officers. This will take place in the first week of May 2002. We are expecting about 60 leaders for four full days. The formation programme will be residential and will take place at the national CYO headquarters and training centre.
2. Our national management council meeting will be held in the first week of September 2002 at Bolgatanga in the upper east region of Ghana. The duration of this meeting, which will also attract about 70 leaders and chaplains, is 4 full days. This meeting helps the organisation to take good stock of its activities during the past year and plan future activities.

This year’s annual meeting also marks the 40th anniversary of the formation of the council. A committee has been appointed to organise celebrations for this anniversary.

We also plan to honour Late Rev. Frs. Hugo Maus and Jan Voet, all from Belgium, who did a great job for Ghana CYO. May they rest in Perfect Peace.

CYO Ghana

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Chiro Philippines

Chiro Philippines celebrated their Golden Jubilee in Baguio City, in a modest way but with enthusiasm and many colours.

About 110 delegates from different regions and groups took part, as well as former members and some of the first leaders. Two bishops and former Chiro members concelebrated the Holy Mass. This all made it quite ceremonial. We also organised a car parade through the city, and the people on the street were very astonished as they didn’t know about Chiro.

After the ceremony, we paid a visit to the grave of the founder of Chiro Philippines, Father Francis Gevers, a Scheutist from Limburg, Belgium, while we fluttered Chiro flags and sang old Chiro songs.

Less good news is that the leader Edgar Montiano is ill and his doctor has advised him to stop working for Chiro as national leader. We are now looking for a new leader and we hope to find one soon.
We allready organized our national Chiro camp in Bahombong between the 6th to 9th April. About 150 people participated in the camp. There were tents for the older ones, in the hills and woods around Bayonmobn, and the younger ones were in a local school. We also want to hold our Congress meeting this year.

Gerry Boeckaert
gerry@smu.edu.ph

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Euroforum 2002

When thinking of Sweden, you imagine extended pine forests with reindeers, big lakes and a lot of Volvos. Correct, yet most remarkably on our arrival, we were welcomed by the clear blue sky and the hot sun, while the rest of Europe enjoyed rain and fog. On the 9-12 May 2002, 80 participants came from 9 different European countries (Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Malta, The Netherlands, Spain, Lithuania, Germany, Sweden) to work on the theme of unity in plurality, mainly focused on spirituality.

Not a very evident, but interesting and often confronting issue. The theme was well-elaborated. The plurality was reflected in the topics as well as in the different methods that were used: games, discussions, role plays and constructive collaboration tasks. The workshop on social work focused on the possibility of changing things on personal and group level. Whilst the workshop on inter-religious dialogue analysed the different levels of dialogue (life, social action, theological exchange and religious experience) and the strength, needs and aims of inter-religious dialogue. In the catechism-workshop, the emphasis was laid on the work we do youth and children.

Furthermore there were themes on the rites of the church, preparation of celebrations, and on the religious picture of Sweden and its cultural consequences.
In between the workshops there were of course a lot of possibilities for exchange, laughter and new friendships. While typical Swedish (and other) games were played during free-time, other groups were planning new projects for the future.

It was a joyful gathering of 80 constructive participants and leaders.
We want to thank SUK very much for organizing this strong Fimcap moment!

Zeger Van Besien
Kurt Van der Herten

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Patro Belgium

2002 May 5th: 7.500 children and youngsters met in Natoye for their national (federal) meeting and enjoyed typical Belgian weather: cold and rainy.

Patro is one of the biggest youth organisations in the French speaking part of Belgium and counts about 25.000 members in 400 local groups spread over 21 regions.

The slogan of the encounter was “A jump in your life.” The participants met in the morning at Relais Patro, which is one of Patro’s hosting centres and where many Euroforums and Bureau meetings have taken place these past years.
The official opening started at 10 a.m. with a show in which the new Patro logo was presented.

Workshops and activities were organised according to age groups and sections. It has been a day of discovery, of games, of encounter and fun, of entertainment and joy.
A day where the participants could realise that Patro is really a place of life where everybody can grow and develop.
A colourful musical performance closed the day where the new section badges were presented. If you want to have a better idea of that day, please pay a visit to the Patro site www.patro.be.

BVDB

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EuroClass 2002-2003

Euroclass: nine fantastic months The permanent training centre of Silkeborg located in the Danish woods is waiting for you. This school works in an empirical way, starting from own experiences and moves to youthwork methodology.

Euroclass is a project where young people from all over Europe meet to work on intercultural learning and youth work. Next to theoretical courses, you also learn different techniques and skills: photography, woodwork, rock music, glass blowing, etc. After 18 weeks, you leave for three months of practical training in a youth organisation of another European country. After that period, you all come back to Silkeborg for six weeks.

The project starts on the 16th of August, 2002, and ends on the 17th of May 2003. Participation fees are rather low: West European countries pay 2.680 Euro all inclusive, travel costs included. We urgently look for West European participants to be able to realise the project.

Are you interested? Have a look on the home page of Euroclass: www.euroclass.org. Inscriptions should arrive as soon as possible: The deadline is 1 July 2002.

For more information please contact Thomas Melander tsm@silkeborghojskole.dk.

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I was a euroclasser

Hi, I am Sofie from Chiro Flanders and for 9 months I was a ‘euroclasser’.
What does it mean? Euroclass is a non-formal leadership training experience for youth-leaders from different youth-organisations all over Europe. I started in August last year. For 4 months I stayed at a Danish Folkhojskole. It was a very new experience. Next to leadership training we had sport, psychology, history, religion... and also different workshops ; pottery, improvisation, sailing, swimming,...

On the school I lived together with a lot of Danish students.
In January all euroclassers travelled abroad to experience another organisation for 3 months. I was hosted in Latvia, in an organisation connected with the church. My main goal was to prepare the Easter course. Next to this I had the chance to visit the organisations in the neighbouring countries. I could go to Compass Club in Ukraine, Ateitis in Lithuania,..

At the beginning of April I went back to the school in Denmark. In small groups we prepared different projects; a leadership training in Romania, a Europe-board game, a web-site...

In these 9 months I learned a lot about Eastern-Europe and different cultures and habits. If you engage yourself in this project you go home with a bag full of experience in intercultural learning.

You can still apply for the next euroclass. Contact your organisation for more information and sign up for 9 unforgettable months.

Sofie,
Chiro Flanders.

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