JORDAN – Since the beginning of the year 2023, JEC Jordan held their monthly meetings, youth camps, two worship evenings, and met with several Knights and Dames of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher.

“We should not stay away from our assembly…, but encourage one another, and this all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Heb 10:25).

As the later verse portrays, it is crucial for the body of Christ to meet; Gather in unity; And pray. It is spiritually vital for the youth to gather, meditate on the Word, be surrounded with the assembly of believers and priests, who provide them with guidance and encouragement to walk in the faith. As well as, receiving life skills from professionals about certain topics they might be facing challenges in.

“You are the disciples of Christ in this age. You are the Church of today,” said Fr. Salam Haddad, during his homily at the Church of St. Paul the Apostle in Jubeiha, where the JEC held their first meeting of the year on January 20th. The Christian youth in Jordan got to meet one another and welcome new members, brainstorm activities, and set new goals for the year. During the meeting, Fr. Wajdi Twal, National Chaplain of the JEC and the spiritual father for the youth, guided them in a meditation on the scriptures of the Annunciation and Mary’s visitation to St. Elizabeth (Mary and Elizabeth’s Joy), as he elaborated on this year’s JEC’s slogan “Filled with Joy”.

The second meeting was held on February 17th-18th, during which the youth participated in an intensive two-day training camp on influential communication given by Dr. Abdullah Mazahreh at Theodor-Schneller-School in Russeifa. They learned a lot about the following topics: Self-Awareness, influence, and power, discovering DiSC styles, understanding other styles, people reading, dealing with different personalities, and the power of assertiveness. The camp also included a Eucharistic Adoration, during which Fr. Twal shared his thoughts about the power of living a God-centered life.

Also, during the month of February, the JEC of Jordan organized two worship evenings in cooperation with the Catholic Center for Studies and Media. They invited Fr. Peter Hanna accompanied by the musician Fadi Saadeh, to sing hymns of worship in The Twelve Apostles Church in Northern Zarqa. It is worth noting that part of the donations from this event went to support university students who are struggling financially.

During lent, the youth met in the Jesuit center in Jabal Al Hussein, and listened to a lecture by Fr. Tareq Abu Hanna titled “The joy of fasting, and fasting with joy, is possible through determination and obedience to God.” They were encouraged to live out the grace of God and spread it to others, and reflected on questions related to joy and obedience.

And, on Mother’s Day, the JEC held a dinner for mothers, which included a lot of games, entertainment, and prizes.

In the begining of May, the JEC committee met with Dames and Knights of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher from the Lieutenancy of Britain, where they shared with them an overview of their work in the diocese. 

From March 30th till April 1st, the leaders of the youth groups enjoyed a summer camp, held at the Center of Our lady of Peace. They received mentorship and skills in leadership to better serve the youth. Another summer camp was held from 25th till 26th of May, where young Christianadults from all over the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan gathered at the campground of Madaba’s church. The theme of the camp was focused on how to find joy from within and in the simple things, which included a lecture by Fr, Ibrahim Musallam about “the concept of true happiness”. They also enjoyed a program full of fun activities, hiking, and bonfires.

The Christian youth have also been preparing for their participation in the upcoming World Youth Day Lisbon. On June 23rd, 2023, the Christian youth in Jordan held their second meeting at Saint Joseph parish in Jabal Amman, during which they discussed their trip itinerary and the spiritual importance of meeting with His holiness Pope Francis. Before arriving to Lisbon (Portugal), they will be traveling to Italy and Spain to participate in a series of workshops with a couple of parishes there. The youth will be sharing an overview about the Christian life in Jordan, and specifically the life of the Church.

“Through all of life’s circumstances, challenges, and difficulties, you can see God’s hand only if you set your eyes on Christ,” said Fr. Twal during one of their meetings. “Then you will rise stronger from the challenges and testify about God’s grace saying: God never abandoned me nor forsaken me”.

By: Miral Atik | lpj.org