Former Brazilian YCW leader, Tibor Sulik, who later became a founding member of the Commission for Justice and Peace of the Brazilian Catholics, has died at the age of 85.

Tibor who was born on April 27, 1927 in Trnovec nad Váhom in what is now the Slovak Republic, died on Tuesday, Jan. 15, at his home in Rio de Janeiro.

"A tireless defender of democratic freedoms, he was arrested by the military regime in 1964," says the website of the Archdiocese of Victoria do Espiritu Santo, " but he continued his deep connection to the working world and in building a fair and caring society, always inspired by the social teaching of the Church."

Another former YCW leader, Jose Gomez Cerda writes:

"His modesty and simplicity did not subtract from his dimension as an international leader, or his commitment to raise awareness and Christian hope in the minds and hearts of thousands of young workers.

"With the death of Tibor Sulik, we lose a militant Christian worker model, eg for different generations, of whom I am glad to have had as a friend and international leader model, and who had a fruitful life, consistent in thought and action."

"CCI also remembers Tibor, particularly from his participation at the YCW History Colloquy in Brussels in May 2000," said convenor Stefan Gigacz.

"We send our condolences to his wife Lydia and family."

SOURCES

http://www.aves.org.br/noticias,1,5136,tibor_sulik.html

http://clatjupamdominicana.bligoo.es/tibor-sulik-un-militante-cristiano-jose-gomez-cerda

http://poesiasdedonsevero.blogspot.com/2009/04/tibor-sulik-um-militante-cristao.html

Fr Harry Stocks, CSC, former YCW Chaplain, Bangalore, India and a member of the College of Chaplains, YCW-India died on 19th January 2013 at Hospice Niagara, Canada after a prolonged illness.

"Fr Harry Stocks was instrumental in building the Workers Centre at Bangalore mainly for the YCW and CWM," said M.J Ruben, CCI Secretary-General.

Fr Stocks' first assignment, to the Holy Cross Missions in Bangalore, India, was the beginning of a life-long, passionate commitment to India and its people. He learned the Tamil language and was initiated into his option for the poor by his involvement in two large projects: a YCW workers’ centre and a housing project for the homeless.

He developed a special sensitivity to people who are deaf and dedicated the next 42 years of his life to their benefit. He built a training centre for the deaf in Bangalore. Its modern equipment enabled graduates to get jobs in factories.

He began a second such centre in Karwar. His work with the deaf and the workers’ movement led to national (India) involvement with several organizations, other religious communities and non-Christian agencies. His work with and advocacy for the deaf extended into Asia.

"Thank you Fr Harry Stocks for your contribution to the worker movement in India," Ruben added.


"Unfortunately, the workers movements do not have any say in the running of the Workers Centre now since it has been taken over by the archdiocese like many other properties of the YCW in India," he noted..

Read more about Fr Stocks here:

http://priests.josephcardijn.com/harry-stocks