Cardijn Community Australia has now posted video from its successful August seminar, Economics for the 99%: Co-operatives in Victoria, including history of co-operatives developed by the Australian YCW movement and Cardijn's understanding of co-operatives.



Bob Maybury on working in the YCW cooperative movement from Uniting Church VIC/TAS on Vimeo.



Stefan Gigacz on Cardijn from Uniting Church VIC/TAS on Vimeo.



The Earthworker cooperative from Uniting Church VIC/TAS on Vimeo.



Cameron Neil on alternative trade from Uniting Church VIC/TAS on Vimeo.

Bishop Pat Power with Devett O'Brien

Bishop Pat Power, recently retired auxiliary of Canberra-Goulburn archdiocese, has recalled "the influence on Vatican II of Joseph Cardijn".

Writing in CathNews, Bishop Power was recounting his experience in Rome for the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening the Second Vatican Council.

"A week earlier, I had prayed at the tomb of Pope John XXIII in St Peter’s Basilica and was moved to tears as I contemplated the great contribution he and the Second Vatican Council had made to the life of the Church and its impact on the contemporary world," Bishop Power wrote.

"Prior to the Mass, I had a chance meeting with Australian, Devett O’Brien, Secretary General of the International Young Christian Students movement.

"That meeting reminded me of the influence on Vatican II of Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers. The YCW method of See, Judge and Act is very much in harmony with John XXIII’s call for us all to “read the signs of the times”.

"As I left Rome, I felt privileged to have experienced an historic moment of grace on 11 October 2012 and I had hope in my heart for a new flowering of Vatican II which would more clearly enable the Church to show its best self in witnessing to the love of God and showing the face of Jesus to a world hungering for meaning," Bishop Power concluded.

SOURCE

Bishop Pat Power's historic moment of grace (CathBlog)

The Cardijn Community International is launching a campaign for the canonisation of YCW founder Cardinal Joseph Cardijn following its Vatican 2+50: A Cardijn Perspective conference in Manila from 11-14 October.

A committee will begin work towards the canonisation immediately, CCI convenor Stefan Gigacz said in a statement.

“Cardijn played a key role at the Second Vatican Council as a member of the Pontifical Commission on Lay Apostolate and later at the Council itself,” Mr Gigacz said.

“As recalled by former IYCW President Ms Betty Villa in her video presentation, Cardijn insisted that the Council should recognise the specific role of lay people in the world acting consciously and responsibly to transform the world in the ordinary circumstances of life.

“His See Judge Act method was endorsed by the Vatican II Decree on the Lay Apostolate, Apostolicam Actuositatem, and was adopted in the drafting of the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World, Gaudium et Spes.

After the Council, Cardijn's method formed the basis of the “new evangelisation” process launched by the Latin American bishops at Medellin in 1968.

¨"It is extremely heartening to hear that, in his address to the Synod of Bishops, Chilean Bishop Pedro Ossandon Buljevic again emphasised the See Judge Act method as integral the process of 'new evangelisation'," Mr Gigacz added.

Conference speakers included former Caritas Asia director, Fr Bonnie Mendes, Indian professor Fr X. Selvaraj SJ, Attorney Aurora Santiago, President of the National Council of the Laity of the Philippines, and Fr Marlon Lacal of the Association of Major Religious Superiors of the Philippines.

In other major decisions, the conference also adopted resolutions to prepare an international survey into the social impact of Vatican II among grassroots Catholics around the world, the results of which will be shared at a global conference to be held in India in 2015.

Full details of the conference will be available shortly on the conference website: www.vatican2plus50.com

LINK

www.josephcardijn.com

Bishop Pedro Ossandon Buljevic

Auxiliary Bishop Pedro Ossandon Buljevic of Santiago de Chile endorsed the See Judge Act method as a tool for the new evangelisation in an address to the Synod of Bishops in Rome last week.

"How can we propose the Biblical animation of life in the Spirit?" Bishop Buljevic asked.

People must learn "to permanently discern the signs of the times, according to the Holy Spirit in the service of the Kingdom of God," explained.

"This involves incorporating a discipline that teaches us to dialogue in truth and charity with the culture of Holy Scripture and in accordance with the teaching of the Church."

The Church must promote "the encounter with Christ, from the Trinitarian spirituality of communion, in the discernment in the Spirit," Bishop Buljevic said, referring to the see-judge-act method as outlined in the Aparecida Document adopted by the Latin American bishops in 2007.

In another address to the Synod, former YCS member and President of the Pontifical Council for Justice & Peace, Cardinal Peter Turkson took up Blessed John Paul II’s description of the Catholic Social Teaching as “an instrument of evangelisation”.

Quoting Blessed John XXIII's Cardijn-inspired ncyclical Mater et Magister, Cardinal Turkson said that “it is not enough merely to formulate a social doctrine. It must be translated into reality”.

“Evangelization would not be complete if it did not take account of the unceasing interplay of the Gospel and of man's concrete life, both personal and social," Cardinal Turkson continued.

"Testimony to Christ's charity, through works of justice, peace and development, is part and parcel of evangelization, because Jesus Christ, who loves us, is concerned with the whole person.”

Cardinal Turkson's presentation followed a wave of interventions by the Latin American bishops who brought with them a strong focus on the reality of poverty in their continent and the outcome document from the last meeting of Latin American Bishop in Aparecida (available at www.celam.org/aparecida.php )," noted IYCS Secretary General Devett O'Brien.

SOURCE

Synod Bulletin 14 - 13.10.2012

Synod Bulletin

See Judge Act an instrument of the new evangelization (Media Blog, ACBC)

Blessed Gabriele Maria Allegra

Italian Franciscan priest, Father Gabriele Maria Allegra, who translated the entire Bible into Chinese for the first time and who was also a student and YCW chaplain in Singapore, was beatified in the Cathedral in Acireale, Sicily, on September 29.

Cecilia Chui of the Hong Kong Catholic Biblical Association described the beatification as an honor to Chinese Catholics worldwide. “We feel gratified and proud,” she told ucanews.com.

“It is very meaningful that the Holy See beatifies Venerable Allegra in chorus with the Second Vatican Council’s 50th anniversary this year.”

Venerable Allegra and his colleagues published the Chinese Bible in 1968, three years after Vatican II promulgated Dei Verbum (Dogmatic Constitution on Divine Revelation), which stated that “easy access to sacred scripture should be provided for all the Christian faithful.”

The Studium Biblicum version, considered to be the most faithful to the original manuscript, is still the main Chinese version used today, ucanews.com says. “Its publication had a far-reaching significance for the promotion of biblical ministry in Chinese-speaking Catholic communities around the world,” said Chui, who also serves as liaison secretary for the Biblical Servicing Center of the United Chinese Catholic Biblical Association.

Born “Giovanni Stefano Allegra” in San Giovanni la Punta, in the province of Catania, Sicily, in 1907, the future blessed friar entered the Franciscan minor seminary in Acireale in 1918, and the order’s novitiate in Bronte in 1923. Three years later he was sent to Rome to study at the Franciscan’s International College.

In 1928, Allegra felt inspired to devote his entire life to the translation of the Bible into Chinese. That inspiration came while he was attending the 600th anniversary celebrations for another Franciscan, Giovanni di Monte Corvino, the man who first attempted to translate the bible into Chinese. Allegra spent most of the next 40 years of his life on that arduous task.

Thus, after being ordained priest in 1930, he set sail for China. He arrived in Hunan, southern China, in July 1931 and there started studying Chinese and with the help of professors prepared a first draft translation around 1937. Due to fatigue, he had to return to Italy for 3 years, but there continued his biblical studies.

He tried to return to Hunan in 1940 but could not do so due to the Sino-Japanese war and so had to go to Beijing. On that journey he lost his original draft translation and had to start all over again once he arrived in the Chinese capital. There, in 1945, he established the Franciscan Biblical Study Centre (Studium Biblicum Franciscanum), but when the Communists came to power in 1949 he and his team had to move to Hong Kong, where he lived for most of the rest of his life.

On Christmas Day, 1968, Father Allegra, he achieved his life’s ambition when the first one-volume Bible was published in Chinese. Known as the “Studium Biblicum” version, that is still the main Chinese text today and is considered to be the most faithful to the original manuscript.

Then in 1975, the Chinese biblical dictionary was published. While most of his life had been devoted to biblical scholarship and this all important translation, Allegra nevertheless found time also to help the poor, the sick, victims of war and lepers.

Blessed Allegra lived at St Anthony Friary, adjacent to St Mary of the Angels Church in Singapore, from 1961-63, writes Liu Ying at ucanews.com.

"His portrait was placed at a side of the altar, near the tabernacle. Parish priest Father John-Paul Tan, a Franciscan friar, announced the news of the beatification and introduced the life of Fr Allegra to more than a thousand people in his Mass homily. “We are also blessed, because here we are part of the history,” he said.

According to the parish’s monthly bulletin, Blessed Allegra was among an international group of friars who ran a sociological center whose “primary role was to translate the Church’s social teachings into the Chinese language in a bid to counter the Communist insurgency of the late 1950s.”

Their other duties included chaplaincies at a university and the Young Christian Workers’ Movement, giving retreats and bible courses, as well as the pastoral care of the Catholic population in the area.

Blessed Allegra left Singapore for Hong Kong to continue his biblical translation work in 1963 and the center was relocated to Taiwan in 1970."

SOURCE

After 10 years, Venerable Allegra is to be beatified (ucanews.com)

An alternative celebration for Blessed Allegra (Give us this day, ucanews.com)

Caritas Asia regional coordinator Fr Bonnie Mendes of Pakistan will join International Labour Organisation director-general Juan Somavia of Chile as newly appointed members of the Pontifical Commission for Justice and Peace.

Fr Mendes will be a keynote speaker at the Vatican 2+50: A Cardijn Perspective conference to be held in Manila from 11-14 October.

Here is the full list of new appointments: His Beatitude Fouad Twal, patriarch of Jerusalem of the Latins; Archbishop Pedro Ricardo Barreto Jimeno S.J. of Huancayo, Peru; Bishop Yves Boivineau of Annecy, France; Bishop Michele Pennisi of Piazza Armerina, Italy; Bishop Stephan Ackermann of Trier, Germany; Fr. Bonnie Mendes (Pakistan), regional coordinator of Caritas for Asia and executive director of the Society for Human Development; Rodrigo Guerra Lopez (Mexico), director of the Centre for Advanced Social Research; Fayez Georges Nahal (Egypt), accounting and budget director of the Confederation of African Football; Juan Somavia (Chile), director general of the International Labour Organisation; Hania M. Fedorowicz (Austria), director of formation at the Community Based Conflict Resolution Institute; Marie-Madeleine Kalala (Democratic Republic of Congo), lawyer and member of the Panel of the Wise of the African Union; Roza Pati (U.S.A.), professor of law and executive director of degree courses in inter-cultural human rights at the St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, and Elizabeth Joyce Villars (Ghana), founder of Camelot Ghana Ltd.

SOURCE

http://visnews-en.blogspot.com/2012/10/other-pontifical-acts.html (Vatican Information Service)

The Pan African Congress of Catholic Laity concluded last week in Cameroon.

The Congress, following in the wake of the apostolic exhortations Ecclesia in Africa of Blessed John Paul II and Africae Munus of Benedict XVI.

The theme of the Congress, “Being witnesses of Jesus Christ in Africa today: Salt of the earth… light of the world,” was highlighted by addresses by the president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Stanisław Rylko and by interventions by Catholic leaders from throughout Africa.

In agreement with the morning congress presentations by Cardinal Peter Turkson and Professor Marguerite Peeters, Cardinal Rylko challenged the Catholic laity to defend the dignity of the human person and the inalienable rights like the right to life, which no individual, groups, authorities, states can change because it is supreme and comes from God.

Earlier Cardinal Turkson reminded the congress of the affirmation that in the life of the faithful, Christian social commitment and social action flow from the spirituality of discipleship. He also underlined the need for lay commitment to social action especially in places where only they can be the salt and light of the world.

Cardinal Christian Tumi, Emeritus Archbishop of Douala in Cameroon, presided at Sunday’s closing Mass, which took place in Mvolye Basilica in Yaoundé.

In his message to the conference, Pope Benedict quoted Pope Paul VI.

"I would like to recall a few words of the Servant of God, Paul VI, faithful interpreter of the Council: 'For the Church, evangelizing means bringing the Good News into all the strata of humanity, and through its influence transforming humanity from within and making it new' (Ap exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, 18).

"In this transformation of the whole society, which is so urgent for Africa today, the lay faithful have an irreplaceable role: 'Through its lay members, the Church is made present and active in the life of the world.

"The laity has a great role to play in the Church and in society. [...] The lay faithful, in fact, are "ambassadors of Christ" (2 Cor 5:20) in the public place, in the heart of the world ' (Ap. Exhortation Africae munus, 128).

"Women and men, young people, the elderly and children, families and entire societies, all of Africa today looks to the 'ambassadors' of the Good News, the lay faithful from the parishes, Communautés Ecclésiales Vivantes, from the ecclesial movements and from new communities who are in love with Christ and the Church, filled with joy and gratitude for the Baptism they have received, brave peacemakers and heralds of true hope," Pope Benedict said.

SOURCE

Pope: message to the Pan-African Congress of Catholic Laity (Vatican News)

Pan-African Congress of Catholic Laity concludes in Cameroon (Vatican News)

The International Council of the ICYCW has elected a new president, Amelie Peyrard from the Loire region in France.

The election took place on 5 September at the conclusion of the ICYCW Council held in Birmingham, UK.

The theme of the Council was School for Life.

A new member movement, the JOC Dubai was admitted at the Council.

CCI Convenor Stefan Gigacz welcomed the election which comes just ten days after the International YCW elected Ludovicus Mardiyono from Indonesia as its president.

"Congratulations to Amelie and the new team. We look forward to working with them in the future," Stefan Gigacz said.

Read more at Twitter:

https://twitter.com/#!/search/realtime/schoolforlife2012

Photo

http://jocloire.canalblog.com/albums/demarrage_joc_le_2_octobre_2009/photos/44700398-imgp9401.html 

Indonesian YCW leader, Ludovicus Mardiyono has been elected as the incoming president of the International YCW.

Working with him will be Itzhak from YCW Namibia as secretary-general while Arlindo Oliveira from Brazil will continue as treasurer.

Among other candidates, Ikin Rahmat also from Indonesia will join the IYCW Asia Pacific team in Hong Kong.

The election took place at the 12th IYCW International Council in Accra, Ghana.

CCI Convenor Stefan Gigacz welcomed the appointments.

"Congratulations to Mardi and his new colleagues. They have accepted challenging and demanding roles," Stefan Gigacz said.

"CCI looks forward to working with the team for the benefit of workers and to promote Cardijn."


More to come.

Just weeks after celebrating the 50th anniversary of his ordination, former Hong Kong YCW chaplain Fr Tom Danaher MM has died in the US.

"I discovered hope within the people struggling against repression and torture..such hope could only [come] from God, " Fr Tom said in a quote published on the Maryknoll Twitter Feed last month.

Ordained on June 9, 1962, Father Danaher's foreign mission assignments included:

1963-1965: Parish priest at Our Lady of Nativity Parish, Tung Tau Tsuen, Kowloon.

1965-1969: St. Peter in Chains Parish, Kowloontsai, Kowloon. He served as chaplain for the Young Christian Workers in that parish.

1966-1969: Along with other Maryknoll priests and non-clergy, formed a labor advisory team to address industrial labor disputes.

1973-1980: Served as chaplain of the Young Christian Workers National Team. He worked to obtain better living and working conditions for the people. He lived and ministered at a workers' center in Pui Man Village in Kowloon City.

1976-1981: Maryknoll magazine's Asian correspondent.

1984-1986: Pastoral duties at a parish in Santiago, Chile.

1997-2009: Asia - Hong Kong – Assistant Pastor at St. Matthew the Apostle Parish, Tuen Mun and ministered at Tai Lam Women's Prison.

"Former YCW will have a Memorial Mass for Tom on 29 August, at 7:30pm in St Stephen Parish, Kowloon," said Mary Ho Fung Bing, former Hong Kong and IYCW Asia-Pacific YCW leader.

Update:

Father Tom died very peacefully Monday morning August 13th at a hospital in Sleepy Hollow, New York (near Maryknoll headquarters), a family member informed us.

"He had been in a care unit at Maryknoll since June. Last week, he developed pneumonia and was taken to the hospital. He was in no pain, and was given the best care possible." 

His funeral will be held on Monday 21 August.

LINK

Tom Danaher MM (Cardijn Priests)

The 13th IYCW World Council opened in Accra, Ghana yesterday addressing the theme 'Young Workers as Actors of Change'.

"Young workers must take up the cause of young workers and continue the struggle to improve their working conditions, fight for dignity and be actors for change," IYCW president Geethani Peries told Ghana News Agency.

Mr Lucas Anao Apiining, National President of the YCWM, Ghana, said, the summit attracted about 75 workers and supporters from all over the world, to evaluate, analyse, plan, coordinate, strengthen and realize the IYCW international social protection campaign, Vibe Ghana adds.

He said the objective of the movement was to organize young workers across the World to fight for change in their living conditions as future leaders, adding that, “it’s time to build a new world fighting together, and acting together as we need to fight for the freedom of all.”

Archbishop Charles Palmer-Buckle of Accra chaired the opening ceremony at the Council.

He said young people below 35years of age in Africa constitute about 65 per cent and that they were the majority and deserved to be treated as future leaders.

He advised them to be serious with any activity that they might find themselves in and appealed to them to be dedicated and committed to their religious duties.



SOURCE

13th YCW International conference opens in Accra (Vibe Ghana)

13th YCW International conference opens in Ghana (Ghana News Agency)

MORE DETAILS

IYCW 12th World Council, Accra, Ghana

PHOTO

Jose Calatayud

A Cambodian domestic worker in Malaysia told human rights activist Irene Fernandez that she used to suck the fish bones left on her employer’s dinner plate, because she was only given leftovers to eat.

Another said she was forced to cook, clean and care for children from 5 a.m. until past midnight, the New York Times reports.


“It’s so dehumanizing,” Ms. Fernandez told the paper. “To me, it’s just slavery days coming back — and that’s just frightening.”

Ms. Fernandez’s first job was as a teacher, but at the age of 23, she left the security of a government job for the life of an activist with the Malaysian YCW and later the women’s rights movement.

The accounts of abuse she has heard led Ms. Fernandez to conclude that Malaysia does not do enough to protect migrant workers, she told The Jakarta Post, an Indonesian newspaper, in May.

But the Malaysian government was not happy.

“While there may not be specific laws for migrant workers, Malaysia has sufficient laws to protect all workers, including foreign workers,” Ms. Maznah was quoted as saying in The Star, a Malaysian newspaper.

A police spokesman said Monday that the investigation was still under way and it had not yet been decided whether to charge Ms. Fernandez. Charges may be less likely given that Prime Minister Najib Razak recently announced that he intends to repeal the Sedition Act.

SOURCE

Malaysian Activist Speaks Out for Migrant Workers (New York Times)

Former Caritas Asia coordinator, Fr Bonnie Mendes, will head an impressive panel of speakers for the forthcoming Vatican 2+50: A Cardijn Perspective conference to take place in Manila from 10-14 October.

Other speakers include Malaysian parliamentarian Charles Santiago, Indian globalisation expert Fr XD Selvaraj and Philippines National Laity Commission president, Ms Aurora Santiago.

Over 40 participants have already registered for the event.

With less than three months to go until the Vatican 2+50: A Cardijn Perspective conference in Manila in October, CCI is now launching a participative enquiry into the understanding and perceptions of the Second Vatican Council.

Details and registration forms for the conference can be found at www.vatican2plus50.com.

Full details of the enquiry are also available on the site.

The International Team of CCI wishes all Cardijn alumni and the members of Cardijn Community a spirit filled ‘New Pentecost’.

New Pentecost is very special to CCI.

New Pentecost was promoted by CCI as a follow up to its successful Conference on Vatican II + 40 in 2002 in Bangkok to commemorate the 40^thanniversary of the opening of Vatican II in 1962.

Pope John XXIII proposed the prayer “O Holy Spirit, renew your wonders in this our day, as by a new Pentecost” for Vatican II. He wished the Vatican II to open the way to a New Pentecost in the Church.

This year CCI is commemorating the 50^th anniversary of the opening of Vatican II by launching a 3 year project re-examining the spirit and decisions of the Council in the areas of social teachings and lay participation in the light of Cardinal Cardijn’s contribution.

The project will be launched on the 11^th October this year in Manila with a 3 day Conference on ‘Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective’.

An ‘Inquiry’ to collate the perceptions of the laity will be launched as a preparation to the Conference.

On this special day, we beseech the Holy Spirit to guide us in our search to build a ‘sustainable Church’ in the light of the vision and spirituality promoted by Cardijn.

Singapore YCW fulltime worker, Tang Lay Lee, was among 22 Singaporeans arrested in May 1987 as part of an alleged "communist network".

Twenty five years, Edgar D'Souza, a former Catholic priest, recalls the events of that time in an interview with Elaine Fe of www.publichouse.sg.

I was utterly shocked. I knew some of those detained personally, as they were workers in church ministries.
Vincent Cheng had studied in the seminary with me and I knew him well. I could not believe he was anything but an ardent Christian who only wanted to follow the way of Jesus Christ. He cared for the poor and marginalised and wanted justice for all—especially for the voiceless and down trodden. At that time he worked with Fr Joseph Ho of the Justice and Peace Commission. Vincent was executive secretary.

I knew Ng Bee Leng, a social worker, who worked with Fr Guillaume Arotcarena, director of the Geylang Catholic Centre, assisting foreign maids who had issues with their employers. The centre offered refuge to foreign domestic workers and had lawyers acting pro bono for them. Teo Soh Lung was one of these lawyers

I knew lawyer Tang Lay Lee and her work with the Young Christian Workers group in Jurong with Fr Patrick Goh.

And I knew Kevin de Souza (not related), who worked with students from Singapore Polytechnic. Through him I offered spiritual support (offered masses and gave talks particularly on the church’s social teachings) to a students’ group.

All these people were working with the Catholic Church and following her teachings in the light of Vatican Council II, which saw the role of the church to realise Jesus’ views and teachings in a modern world.

Read the full article here:

"I have always loved the Catholic Church" (publichouse.sg)

CCI-India will launch a national study of internal migrant workers, a media training program and the creation of a Cardijn Media company, the National Team has announced following its meeting at Trichur, Kerala this week.

The 15-17 May meeting undertook an extensive review of the movement's activities in India and the steps taken since the National Council in November 2011.

CCI Secretary General MJ Ruben reports that the team adopted a multi-pronged approach to build CCI in India and to promote Cardijn, including the following:

1. A survey on the living and working conditions of internal migrant workers:

To be undertaken in 6 phases viz. (i) Finalisation of the objective and guidelines; (ii)data collection; (iii)analysis of data collected; (iv)consultation to discuss the outcome of the survey and to plan action with the field workers, experts, sociologists, organisations working on migrant issues and CCI leaders and animators; (v)publication of the survey and the last phase (vi) will be the action part (representation, lobbying and sensitization on the issue).

SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) tool will be used for formulating guideliens and analysing the data collected.

Two fulltime workers from CCI will be appointed for two to three months to conduct the survey in 6 major cities in India (Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad).

One hundred families/individuals will be contacted during the survey in each of the six cities. Besides the six cities, CCI members will also take up the survey in their own areas.

2. Media and Social Media Training

Two programs are to be held in Secunderabad from 7-11 July 2012.

3. Cardijn Media

It was also decided to register Cardijn Media as a company. Six people have already agreed to subscribe for 10,000 rupees of shares.

Under the proposed statutes, 50 per cent of any profits will be donated to CCI.

Among other decisions CCI - India formally decided to affiliate with the Cardijn Community International.

National Team member Jomon Cherussery was coopted as national treasurer following the resignation of Monica Mascarenhas.

It was also decided to open up for individual memberships with an undertaking by new members to endeavour to launch new CCI teams in their local areas within twelve months of their joining.

A recent report by the ILO points out that between 2007 and 2011, youth unemployment increased by 4 million at the global level, a huge increase on the previous ten-year period, says the IYCW in a statement issued to mark its International Week of Young Workers.

"The situation is even more critical in countries such as Spain, Greece, Portugal, Italy and Ireland," the IYCW says.

"As the ILO report points out, young people are the most disadvantaged, the most vulnerable and the worst off in all areas surveyed.

IYCW president Ms Geethani Peries also notes that 2012 marks the centenary of the founding of the movement.

“Our vision and action are based on the beliefs and values of our founder, Joseph Cardijn”, said Geethani Peries, the International President of the YCW.  “He emphasised over and over again that “young people are worth more than all the gold in the world.” We try to live that belief in our own lives and in our solidarity with young workers across the globe. As the YCW is preparing for the International Council to be held in Ghana this year, it is opportune for us at this critical moment to return to our founding spirit and examine our original charter and vision. The International Council will provide a forum for young people from forty countries around the world to raise their voices for the rights of all young workers.”

“In 1912, when Cardjin started the first group of young people, there were clear contradictions between the reality of their lives and their aspirations. One hundred years later, young workers around the world also experience stark contradictions between their working conditions and their dreams of a fulfilling life. The YCW is as much needed today as it was in Cardijn’s time.”

SOURCE

International Week of Young Workers 2012 (IYCW)

Cardijn with Patrick Keegan at Vatican II

Easter greetings to all CCI members and friends.

There is so much to celebrate this year, beginning with the centenary of Cardijn beginning work in the parish of Our Lady of Laeken.

This year also marks the centenary of the foundation of the first YCW group, an event celebrated by the IYCW.

And it also the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council at which Cardijn played such an important yet largely hidden role.

CCI will commemorate this important event by launching a three year program to study Cardijn's role at the Council and the Church's social commitment to lay apostolate.

We will hold an opening conference on the theme "Vatican 2+ 50: A Cardijn Perspective"  from 11-14 October 2012 to be held at the Pius XII Center in Manila, Philippines.

Join us for this important event.

Needleworkers Union at Laeken 1912

This Easter marks the centenary of Cardijn's arrival in the parish of Our Lady of Laeken, near Brussels in Belgium. Cardijn always dated the founding of the first YCW group to 1912 making this year also the centenary of the beginnings of the YCW.

The International YCW and the Cardijn Community International are both marking this important anniversary.

IYCW International president Geethani Peries has announced a special commemoration at Cardijn's tomb that will take place at Our Lady's Church, Laeken on Sunday 26 April from 3.00 -5.00 pm.

Read the IYCW Laeken celebration invitation here.

CCI has also issued a statement to mark the centenary calling on those formed in the Cardijn tradition to renew their commitment to Cardijn's spirituality and methodology.

"The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles," the CCI statement says.

"We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

"On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology."

Read the full CCI statement here: Cardijn launched first YCW group in 1912: A Centenary Tribute

A century ago this Easter, young Fr Joseph Cardijn arrived in the parish of Our Lady at Laeken near Brussels to take up a post as curate with particular responsibility for women's projects.

A few months later, with a group of teenage girl apprentices, he launched a study circle that he came to regard as the first ever Young Christian Workers (YCW) team. Working with Madeleine De Roo, Victoire Cappe and others young women leaders, Cardijn rapidly laid the foundations for what would become a worldwide movement of young workers. Later in 1912, he would also meet 18 year-old Fernand Tonnet, who would join him later in founding the YCW movement for young men before eventually dying in a Nazi concentration camp during World War II.

“The most fundamental characteristic of the beginnings of the YCW (before the First World War) was the call to an apostolate, a total and complete apostolate for several young women workers who would train and raise up the others,” Cardijn wrote much later.

“It was a time of great apostolic demands and great apostolic commitments,” he continued. These included:

leaving a 'good job' for a workshop, a factory, a dirty, repugnant, sub-human job;
accepting to share meals with women workers in the workshops of factories making rabbit fur, rubber, artificial silk; or
going to live in an attic in Rue Haute [High Street] in the midst of an environment of prostitution.

Instilling what he described as a “very active” spirituality based on meditation, prayer, sacraments and study, Cardijn inspired an amazing sense of commitment in the young women workers of Laeken.

“The story of this 'golden legend' has never been written down,” Cardijn noted. “However, it is the only explanation for the extraordinary power of the YCW, the YCW mystique.

“I believe that it is the essential condition of the true worker revolution. Without it, we are doomed to bourgeoisification,” he warned.

Although the world of 2012 is very different from that of 1912, some things have not changed. In 1912, Europe was in the throes of its industrial revolution. Today, the whole Global South is in the midst of its own vast industrial revolution.

Whereas Cardijn once spoke of “millions and millions of young workers”, today the reality is that there are billions of young workers throughout the world, particularly in the developing countries. The needs and problems that moved Cardijn to act are greater than ever.

'Globalization' has permeated into all spheres of life and is projected as the 'new religion'. Consumer culture promotes 'consumption' as a key to people's own identity.

The Cardijn Community International (CCI) therefore wishes to take this opportunity to express its solidarity with the YCW and all others who base their work on Cardijn's principles.

We call for a fresh commitment to Cardijn's cause so that a new generation of young people may be able to discover their mission to transform the world together with all those working to build 'another world'.

On this historic occasion, we also renew our commitment to promoting Cardijn’s spirituality, vision and See-Judge-Act methodology.

Ghanaian Cardinal Peter Turkson and the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace of which he is president are both emphasising the importance of Cardijn's See Judge Act method.

Addressing a 30 March - 1 April congress in Lyon, France, organised by UNIAPAC, the ecumenical business leaders movement, Cardinal Turkson pointed to the method as a tool for discerning the vocation of the business leader.

Read his speech Vocation of the Business Leader here.

In fact, this speech was basically an introduction to a new document published by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace entitled "Vocation of the Business Leader: A Reflection".

This whole 32 page document is explicitly organised into three sections based on the See, Judge and Act.

Read more here: See Judge Act with Cardinal Turkson

Photo: Wikipedia/Haiducul/CC 3.0

“'Vatican II canonised Cardijn,' I remember late Melbourne Archbishop Frank Little saying as he regaled us with his story of meeting the YCW founder while studying in Rome," writes Stefan Gigacz.

"What's more there was a whole generation of Australian bishops and priests, who told similar stories, starting with his predecessor Archbishop Justin Simonds, and including Brisbane Archbishop Frank Rush, Adelaide's James Gleeson, Perth's Redmond Prindiville and many others.

"Archbishop Little's message stayed with me, and was later reinforced by a biography of Cardijn by his co-workers, Marguerite Fievez and Jacques Meert, that detailed his role at the Council in promoting the specific task of the laity as the building up of the world.

"So in 1995, when I began doing research on the origins of the International Young Christian Workers movement, I looked forward to the publication of the first volume of a major History of Vatican II.

"But after forking out over $100 for Volume I, I reached for the index – only to be deflated to find not a single mention of Cardijn."

Read the full article here:

The saint at Vatican II (CathNews)

CCI is this year launching its 50th anniversary of Vatican II program with a conference "Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective" to be held in Manila, Philippines from 11-14 October 2012.

Click here for details: www.vatican2plus50.com

Cardijn Community International (CCI) was formally launched in Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh in India on 19 February 2012.

Hyderabad is the fourth most populous city in India with an area of 650 sq k.ms (250 sq miles). Hyderabad is also a major global centre for IT and bio-pharmaceutical industries.

Around 50 former leaders of YCS, YCW and CWM participated in the one day launch program which started with a mass by Fr. Thumma Arla, a former animator of YCS and the Director of the Diocesan Pastoral Centre. The Diocesan President of CWM and the Diocesan Youth Director, Fr. Fatima Reddy also attended.

Ms Elizabeth Martin, a former YCW welcomed the gathering and introduced the CCI National Leaders and the International Secretary General.

CCI was formally launched by lighting the lamp by Fr. Thumma Arla and other CCI leaders present.
James Sylvester, a former YCS leader and currently member of the CCI-India Volunteer Team steered the day’s program.

Fr. Thumma Arla assured his support in the efforts to promote Cardijn. He emphasized on the need to ‘See-Judge-Act’ in the light of the Gospel values. Fr. Thumma appealed to the CCI to help him re-activate the Pastoral Centre and put it to proper use and expressed that CCI is always welcome to make use of the Centre.

Xavier Anthony, CCI National President extended the greetings on behalf of the National Team.
Ms Glynis Joseph, National Secretary stressed on the need for clear financial perspectives and self-financing.

Clifford Bastian, Member of the CCI-India National Team, who is also a former YCW of Hyderabad recalled his days in the YCW here and wished the Hyderabad CCI all the best.

M. J. Ruben, CCI Secretary General congratulated the Hyderabad Chapter for the launch. In his brief intervention he covered on the origin and objective of CCI and gave a general view of the functioning of the movement at the international level.

All the former leaders were very excited to meet each other after 20 to 30 years and they were very jubilant that such an opportunity was created by CCI.

There was a feeling of emotion clubbed with gratitude to the Cardijn movements which formed them. In their personal testimony, all those who spoke acknowledged that ‘they are what they are today only because of the formation they received through the Cardijn movements’.

The forenoon session ended with lunch.

Thirty-five members enthusiastically attended the post lunch planning session in which the members continued their testimonies.

Two factors emerged very clearly from the testimonies, i.e. i) Cardijn is the binding factor among all of them; and ii) through the formation in Cardijn movements, they have a ‘special identity’ which is opposed to the ‘identity’ imposed by the consumer culture promoted by globalisation.

All of them felt that there is a need to continue to work to restore human dignity and that they should function as a group. All of them wanted to be part of the CCI.

At the concluding session, James Sylvester proposed formation of an ad-hoc team to work out modalities for regular meetings, activities, etc. and it was agreed.

After consultation in small groups, a seven member team was nominated as the Coordinating Team of CCI-Hyderabad with Ms Elizabeth Martin as the Coordinator; the members of the team are: James Sylvester, I. Prakasham, Martin Michael, Patrick Fernandez, Manasa Janaki and John.

An appeal was made to those who would like to be part of the team to contact the Coordinator and to take part in the next meeting.

The grand launch program followed hectic preparations and contact work done by James Sylvester, Martin Michael and Ms Elizabeth Martin.

The National leaders of CCI-India and the CCI Secretary-General appreciate and congratulate the efforts of the organising team in bringing Hyderabad into CCI fold.

Report: MJ Ruben, CCI Secretary-General

Indian priest, Father Thomas Joseph, 92, recalls his meeting with late Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the YCW.

The nonagenarian priest says he was totally unprepared when his archdiocese appointed him workers’ chaplain in 1950, www.ucanindia.in reports. His only brief was to help in Catholic workers’ faith formation and organize them for their socio economic welfare.

“It was mainly to keep them away from communists,” he said with hindsight.

Inexperienced as he was, he began visiting workers’ families and their leaders. “I found workers helplessness and marginalized from one generation to the other.”

Trade unions controlled only the organized workers and used them for political purposes. And there was none to take care of the unorganized.

“I too felt helpless. My long years of formation did not help,” the priest explained. So, he attended a course in industrial relation at the Oxford University.

FULL STORY

Church needs to renew workers movement: Priest (ucanindia.in)

Dr Race Mathews

The Mondragon worker cooperatives founded by Father Jose-Maria Arizmendiarrietta in Spain's Basque region were inspired and launched through the enquiry method of the YCW, according to former Australian parliamentarian Dr Race Mathews.

The Mondragon cooperatives now employ over 80,000 workers in 17 countries.

"The cooperatives' triumph is attributable overwhelmingly to key attributes that set them aside from comparable conventional enterprises," Dr Mathews writes in Eureka Street.

"Not to be overlooked are the conceptual framework that underlies the cooperatives, as well as the enduring solidarity and subsidiarity values that enliven them. These are the legacy to the cooperatives of their founder, the Basque priest Don Jose Maria Arizmendiarrieta.

"Internalised and in part secularised as the values and framework have so largely become, they stem directly from the unswerving adherence by Arizmendiarrieta to formation in the 'see, judge, act' or 'inquiry' study circle mould, as developed within the Young Christian Workers unionist movement.

"As recalled by one of the five lay co-founders of the cooperative group, 'Father Arizmendi organised specialist courses on sociology to which he invited economics professors ... His ecclesiastical training led him towards being a practical apostle. He not only tried to give guidelines on what should be the model for the ideal enterprise, but he put that social enterprise to which he aspired into practice.'

"The benefits of this model of industry underpinned by Catholic social values are manifold," Dr Mathews concludes.

But, "why is the Church in the English speaking world so largely silent about the Mondragon cooperatives' success in bringing to fruition the long struggle in the cause of its social teachings?" Dr Mathews asks.

SOURCE

Catholic social solutions to workplace fairness (Eureka Street)

explains the influence of the YCW and Cardijn on Father Jose-Maria Arizmendiarrietta, the founder of Mondragon workers cooperatives in Spain.

New Zealand trade unionist talks about his experience with imprisoned Thai ex-YCW fulltimer Somyot Pruksakasemsuk.

To mark the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, CCI will hold a conference on the theme "Vatican 2 + 50: A Cardijn Perspective" to be held at the Pius XII Centre, Manila from 11-14 October 2012.

The aim of the conference will be to launch a three year project by CCI to study the spirit and teachings of Vatican II and their implementation, particularly in relating to Catholic social teaching and the lay apostolate.

This will be done from the perspective of the spirituality and methodology of the late Cardinal Joseph Cardijn, founder of the Young Christian Workers (YCW) movement as well as a Council Father at Vatican II.

In the lead up to the conference, CCI will also launch a preparatory enquiry to begin the process of evaluating how far the spirit and teachings of Vatican II with regard to social teachings and lay participation have been promoted, understood and implemented.

Preparation for the event will also focus in particular on the two conciliar documents: Gaudium et Spes, Pastoral Constitution On the Church In the Modern World, and
Apostolicam Actuositatem, Decree On the Apostolate of the Laity.

Joseph Cardijn took part in the Council first as a consultant to the Commission on Lay Apostolate from 1962-65 and later as a Council Father in the Fourth Session of the Council after he was made a bishop and cardinal by Pope Paul VI.

"Cardijn gave three speeches on the floor of the Council on the themes: Religious Freedom, Young People and the Developing World, and Workers in the World," noted CCI President Stefan Gigacz. "He also prepared two more speeches on the Lay Apostolate and the Life and Ministry of the Priest that he was unable to deliver orally."

"We hope also to work on these six themes that Cardijn emphasised over the next three years of our project," Mr Gigacz added.

More details of the conference will be posted here and on our dedicated website: www.vatican2plus50.com