Chakhro ACYA choir on January 20.
Our Correspondent
Kohima | January 20
The second day of the Golden jubilee celebrations and 33rd Triennial convention of the Angami Catholic Youth Association (ACYA) commenced with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist at DBHSS Ground, Sechii- Zubza.
The holy mass was celebrated by Rev Fr Joseph Nellisseril, parish priest of St Maria Goretti Church, Sechü-Zubza.
The second session of the day was graced by Associate Professor, Kohima College, Kohima, Dr Kekhrieseno Christina as the session guest. Speaking on the scripture reading ‘Let us hold true to what we have attained’, she pointed out that there are five important teachings of the Catholic church- faith, liturgy, sacrament, living Christian life, and prayer.
As she addressed the gathering, she said that faith should not be compromised. She encouraged the youth to be good athletes of the Catholic Church and to live the faith with pride and courage.
This was followed by the cultural session where participants from five ranges- Chakro ACYA, Kohima Town ACYA, Northern ACYA, Southern ACYA and Western ACYA.
Addressing the gathering during the cultural session, Angami Catholic Union (ACU) president L Kenneth Punyü said that the world has evolved, but some things remain constant, like God's nature. He challenged the young people to face their fears head-on and find solace in the timeless wisdom of the Catholic Church.
Angami Catholic Women Association (ACWA) President, Visazhünuo Carmila, urged the need to preserve culture and tradition. Beyond the beautiful traditional attires and language, she reminded that true cultural preservation lies in embodying the noble qualities of their ancestors.
She added that the Catholic Church also teaches the need to love one's culture and tradition. Further, she extended an invitation to the youth to attend the upcoming ACWA golden jubilee celebrations to be held at Christ the King church, Kohima village.
In the cultural programme, KTACYA, Chakhro CYA, and WACYA secured the first, second, and third positions, respectively, in the cultural group song competition.
In the competition for group songs with the traditional one-stringed instrument (tati), WACYA, NACYA, and SACYA claimed the first, second, and third positions, respectively.
In the war cry competition, Kevilekho Keith from KTACYA secured the winning position, while Vitseituo Vincent of NACYA and Kelengol Kevin of SACYA secured the second and third positions respectively.
In the evening, prominent Naga architect Richard Belho addressed the gathering. The architect stressed on the redefining the Naga society. He pointed out how the Church can play a crucial role in shaping lives of people as the society is changing drastically.
The architect also said that there is no reason why Catholics should feel inferior to other Christian denominations as it is the 'true church'.
He advised the youth to learn to work with the strength of people around them and avoid finding imperfections in people. Naga people, he said, should learn to collaborate with one another rather than competing.
The speaker also pointed out that there are many job avenues in Nagaland. He urged the need to do away with the dependence on the government for jobs. Belho encouraged the youth to learn about agriculture, protect the environment and live responsibly as good Christians and not as mediocre Christians.
The day concluded with a session graced by Rev Dn Dr Sherman Kuek OFS, Professor, Christian Institute for Theological Engagement (CHRISTE), Malaysia as the speaker.
Throughout the day’s programme, Chakhro ACYA, Southern ACYA, and Western ACYA presented various songs. At 9:30 am on Sunday (January 21), the third day of the jubilee will commence with a Holy Eucharist and it will be presided over by Most Reverend Dr James Thoppil, the Bishop of Kohima, Nagaland.
