Spreading the light

Awakening a new life in the youth is what the Youth Retreat Movement and Light of the World movement are striving to achieve.

You wake up in the morning to a newborn day…..

These lines from a popular Jim Reeves number still resound in my ear whenever I recall my first retreat, organized by the Youth Retreat Movement at Old Goa. In fact, that song adds a familiar ring to the Movement which has truly helped awaken one lakh SSC students from all over Goa, to a new life in God.

Initially known as the Light of the World Movement, the Youth Retreat Movement was started by the late Fr. George D’Sa in 1966. However later on it was felt that the HSSC students too needed spiritual strength to ward off the negative emotions, they suddenly find themselves out in the open. Thus, to give such students a new direction in life, it was decided to have two retreats, one for SSC students and the other a follow-up session for the HSSC students. The former was then named Youth Retreat movement while the latter was termed as the Light of the World. The Light of the World Movement is a new realization to every student that life is not only based on bookish knowledge that one receives around the four walls of a classroom. Instead, the retreat strives to make one understand that value education is a far important concept. This is further accentuated by shedding light on the Indian system of a value-based system which aims to review and change your life.

Keeping this in mind, the Youth Retreat Movement divided into two sessions. The first session asks each student to reflect on their present values in life and his or her relationship with God. Followed by one’s awareness of God and how he touches our lives and lastly the question of what must one do to meet God.

The second session deals with recollecting what one’s life has been to date, problems one has encountered and will encounter and the future of his/her life.

The Youth Retreat Movement is open to all schools, and students of all religions, and it stresses on universal brotherhood. But at the same time, it makes one look within oneself and realise that “I have to change before changing the world”. Starting with belittling the material things in life, the Movement strives to change the direction and meaning of happiness and values beyond worldly treasures.

Most of the students when questioned as to what according to them is the major hurdle they will have to overcome after completing school, they are unanimous while pointing out that alcohol is the prime evil, followed by smoking, drugs, and unemployment. Most of these students suffer from a generation gap syndrome, where very few, get along with their parents. The students hail from remote areas to Goa right from Galgibaga to Arambol, interestingly respond well during the retreat when they are spoken to in Konkani than in English.

But Fr Agnelo, the present Director is saddened by the fact that most of the young students lack motivation in life and are content with becoming cooks, waiters, or the recent trend, tourist guides.

“They are not serious in their studies. Most of it is because they lack good role models and making a fast buck is the “in” thing. Adding to this is the latest attraction of becoming a politician”, he adds.

However, at the end of the retreat the students go through a transformation and realize their goals in life.

They usually sum up their experience on a piece of paper, “God has given me so many things. But I was a fool I did not even realize it for so many years. And the moment I realized it; I was very happy. Very joyous. I cannot express my feeling at that time in words. I feel one must experience it,” says an enlightened retreatant after the retreat. The three-day retreat does not end here, as the students are constantly kept in touch with follow-ups. Most of the students who lack motivation, once they fail in their studies, feel dejected and don’t like to appear again. “So, by conducting follow-ups, we encourage them to reappear in the examinations again,” says Fr. Pinto, adding that they want more of the laity to get involved in their mission.

And to give a further impetus to this movement was born the Light of The World Movement. Where, through this light, the youth would further learn to serve one another. Fr. Alban and his team provide this endurance. They visit colleges all over Goa, and conduct sessions for the youth with an aim to make them understand their inner conflict and move ahead in life by realizing their goals.

The students studying in standard XI and XII during the various interactive sessions are made aware of their difficulties in life like peer pressure, the influence of media, etc. which inevitably lead to doubts in their minds about who they really are.

By helping them recall the incidents of the past through a lock and key method and freezers, the students are made to open their minds and realize their aim in life. Thus, focusing on self-actualization.

“As a result, they begin to realize their potential and capabilities of being good individuals,” confirms Fr. Alban.

Interestingly, during the entire session, there is a group that is told to be disruptive and another group to be helpful, so in this way, the student’s reactions to them were taken note of and were judged accordingly.

Hence, after realizing things that caused anxiety, specially their career is are shun completely to come realise that aim is first to serve another, material great cease to exist. And the result is happiness and peace.

“The management and staff of these colleges are aware of the effect of this retreat and asked us to come and conduct these sessions in the colleges,” says Fr. Alban, further stressing on for support from people specially to conduct these sessions in the rural areas.

In this way, the youth lead a superficial life to look for eternal life, and 90 percent lean to teach each other in a positive way. They no longer look at the negative side of their friend, but only look best in each other.

Fr. George’s only dream is bringing out the best in the youth is made in reality,” concludes, Fr. Alban.