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Syro Malabar Church has more than 12 lakhs of youth scattered all over the world but yet we did not have a common platform to gather them. The Laity Commission took up the initiatives from 2011 onwards to bring our youth into a single platform. In March 2011 a co ordination committee was created under the name SMYA-Syro Malabar Youth Apostolate for the youth ministry of our church.The term Apostolate was added to the name with a vision of stewarding all the youth movements prevelent in various eparchies under a single umbrella of the church. Efforts were continued for consecutive 3years and at last the Syro Malabar Youth Movement (SMYM)was formed, with the approval of the Synod of Bishops, as the official Youth Movement of the Syro Malabar Church,which was officially commenced on 30th of August 2014.
The Youth Directors and Animators in proper territory were convened at Mount St. Thomas by the Laity Commission of the Syro Malabar Church on 16th &17th of March 2011. It was the first of its kind ever. Laity Commission Chairman Mar Mathew Arackal and secretary Chev.Adv. V.C.Sebastian took up the initiatives to convene this meeting. The situation of the youth of our church at present was discussed in the meeting in detail. The meeting ended up with the unanimous resolution that Syro Malabar Church should have its own youth organisation as asked by the CBCI. For organizing the same a five members committee was constituted in which Fr.Sebastian Kaippanplackal (Kanjirappally),Fr.Joseph Alencheril (Palai), Fr.Franklin(Kalyan) Sr.Icey DSHJ(Belthangady) and Sr Jinsa Rose CMC(Idukki) were the elected members . Fr.Sebastian Kaippanplackal was designated to be the co-ordinator incharge. Bishop Mar. Sebastian Edayanthrath,Auxilary bishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese, was incharge of the committee.
World Youth Day Mass, Madrid, Spain In 2012 August a holy Mass was offered at Madrid for the Syro Malabar Youth who came over there for the WYD. Mar Abraham Viruthikulangara,Archbishop of Nagpur, offered the mass, where 800 Syro Malabar youth gathered together . It was a great occassion for our youth to meet each other and pray together who hailed from different parts of the world.
Mar Joseph Pandarasseril, the new Bishop incharge of SMYA In the Janary Synod of 2013 Major Archbishop George Cardinal Alencherry decided Mar Joseph pandarasseril to be the incharge of the SMYA. He bagan to work with a new spirit and vigour and SMYA entered into a new era of progress On 12th of March 2013 a meeting of the Directors; Animators and Youth representatives were held at Mount St.Thomas at 10.30am. An elaborate discussion on the bylaw was arranged and five layer SMYA was suggested to be made,stemming from Parish level to Global level. Representatives from KCYM,CLC, CML and Jesus Youth were present there. Mar Joseph Padarasseril presided over the meeting which summed up by 3pm. Again a meeting of the adhoc committee on 21st of November 2013 was conducted at Chaithanya Pastoral Center, Kottayam. Further more suggestions on the bylaw was given by them in the presence of Bp.Joseph Pandarasseril.In this meeting the need of changing the name SMYA to SMYM cameforth. Mr.Cyriac Chazhikadan was in favour of including the term ‘Catholic’ in the name proposed to the organization but it was not accepted by others since our youth belongs to different countries including Middle East where the term ‘Catholic’ is not allowed to use. Therefore it was rejected and decided to stick on SMYM
In connection with the Syro Malabar Bishops Synod a meeting, of the youth representations of different youth organizations in Kereala, was convened on 30th of August 2014. Meeting was conducted at Mount St. Thomas which started at 2pm. Mar mathew Anikuzhikkattil,Charman of the Laity Commission, presided over the meeting and Major Arch bishop Mar George Cardinal Alenchery inaugurated the meeting. 180 youth representing different youth organizations participated in the meeting . At the end of the meeting the name Syro Malabar Youth Movement-SMYM was officially declared. Besides an organizing body of a nine youth members,viz, Mr.Sijo Ambattu(President) Shino Mathew and Saumya Tomy(vice-presdents), Tijo Padayattil (General Secretary),Libin Kuriakkose and Miss Jerry Paulose(Secretaries),Anoop Mathew(Treasurer)and Sijo Elnthoor and Merin Manuel,were also anounced and Fr. Sebastian Kaippanplackal was appointed as its Director by the Major Archbishop. On the sameday the previous co-ordination committee and adhoc committee were dissolved. More than 20 Bishops and the Major Archie Episcopal Curia members were also present in the meeting
The first meeting of the SMYM committee was convened at Saletian house,Bethery on 18/9/2014 at 3 pm. Mar Joseph Pandaresseril guided the meeting and the need of making the bylaw for SMYM with all the given sugestions was emphasised by the Bishop and he asked Fr. Sebastian Kiappanplackal to draft it in consultation with those who are experienced in Canaon Law and Civil Law. The elements of bylaw was finalised and thus the meeting came to an end by 6 pm. The follow up of this meeting was held at Vazakkala St.Kuriakose Church,Ernakulam, in the presense of Mar Joseph Pandarasseril and Mar Jose Puthenveetiil. The SMYM Committe Members along with the Arch Diocesan Directors from Thalassery, Thrissur, Ernakulam, Changanassery and Kottayam were invited for the meeting. The Pirmary draft of the bylaw was read over there for discussion and suggestions were given by the Bishop and committee to mend it.It was decided that the modified draft be discussed among the youth forums of the Dioceses. As per this decision the bye law draft was given to the directors to be discussed with the Diocesan Executive Members. The byelaw draft was presented in the 2015 January Synod. It was only a brief one without explaining its different levels and applications. The Synod of Bishops gave the necessary corrections and suggestions on bylaw and asked committee to draw a more inclusive Bylaw.
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