Cultural Exchange Program
This Sunday, I accompanied three youth from Gujarat to the Sunday Mass in our parish and later introduced them to both the Parish Vicar and the Assistant Vicar. The youth had come as part of the Cultural Exchange Program for Youth, organized by Jesus Youth India. Although neither the priests nor I could speak Hindi, the warmth of the encounter was evident. Both priests were visibly happy to meet them—one gifted them a rosary, the other offered sweets, and at the request of the youth, they graciously posed for a photograph together.
Yesterday, the youth who have come to Kanjirapally visited the Shrine of St. Alphonsa. Today, they will visit a Sunday School, and tomorrow there is a plan for them to meet the Bishop of the Diocese of Kanjirapally. In total, five youth have arrived in this zone—three boys and two girls. They shared that nearly 300 youth from various North and North-Eastern states of India are participating in this year’s program.
The program began with the participants attending a Charismatic retreat at the Divine Retreat Centre, Muringoor, soon after their arrival in Kerala. At the conclusion of the exchange, they will gather again for a separate final event culminating in the Jago Conference, to be held at Christ Academy, Bangalore, from 28 to 31 December 2025. During the intervening period, the youth stay in the homes of Jesus Youth families, experiencing local food, everyday life, and the rich culture of Kerala. As this is the Christmas season, they also have opportunities to attend several carol programs and participate in the Midnight Christmas Mass, which has been a particularly joyful experience for many of them.
As I accompanied these youth and witnessed their interactions, I was reminded of the early days of this Cultural Exchange Program. In the very first year of its implementation, in 2001, I was on the other end—coordinating the program at the state level in Kerala. At that time, the concept was entirely new, both for the youth who were coming from other parts of India and for the people of Kerala who were hosting them.
After visualizing the program, detailed letters were sent to all the dioceses explaining its purpose and structure. Simultaneously, preparations had to be made across Kerala. The program included an initial retreat, nearly ten days of stay with Catholic families, and a final common gathering. There were many concerns and apprehensions: What kind of food would the families provide? How would communication happen across language barriers? How would the required funds be raised? How would local parishioners react? It is also worth remembering that at that time, the presence of migrant workers in Kerala was minimal, making cross-cultural interaction even more unfamiliar.
However, when the first batch of 276 youth completed the program, it turned out to be a deeply enriching experience—not only for the participants but also for the Jesus Youth movement in Kerala and the hundreds of families who opened their homes. Looking back over the past 24 years, it is clear that the Cultural Exchange Program has significantly impacted the Catholic community in Kerala, helping it grow in a more missionary outlook.
Mission was a concern for Jesus Youth in Kerala as early as 1990. In preparation for the Jesus Youth ’97 conference, each Kerala zone was assigned an Indian state for prayer and initial missionary efforts. During the 1997 conference, Sr. Viji Rose CMC brought five youth from Bihar and later accompanied around forty youth. These experiences played a significant role in shaping and developing the missionary concept.
This initiative has also played a vital role—along with the Full-Timers Program—in strengthening and deepening the roots of Jesus Youth in the North and North-Eastern states of India. It has truly contributed to shaping Jesus Youth as a missionary movement in both vision and practice.
Prepared by Dr. Chackochan Njavallil
Former two-time Coordinator, Kerala Jesus Youth
Currently Director, Kairos Media
