By Anthony Barich
WARWICK Senior High School graduate Merida Cook was installed as the Young Christian Students’ national coordinator for 2011 during a week-long conference from 10-16 January at Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra.
Merida, former YCS National Development Officer, joined the international movement through its Drama group as a student at Mercy College before being named chairperson of Perth YCS in Year 12 while attending Warwick Senior High School.
Brisbane’s St James Catholic College graduate Morgan O’Brien, who has been involved in YCS since Year 8, was appointed as National Development Officer. He will be based in Melbourne.
South Australian Elise Ganley will continue on the National Worker team as National Extension Officer. The National Exec members for 2011 – Sophie Stewart (Perth), Liam McGuire (Townsville), Alida Konyn, (Port Pirie), Hannah Stavrou (Port Pirie), Rebecca Gay (Parramatta) – were also acknowledged and blessed.
Ten student representatives ranging from 14-17 years of age from Melbourne, Townsville, Port Pirie, Canberra/Goulburn, Parramatta, Sandhurst and Perth reviewed the national movement in the past year, planned for the year ahead, held National Worker job interviews and reflected on the movement’s Catholic identity.
At a Mass on the Saturday where Morgan and Merida were commissioned, Geraldton Bishop Justin Bianchini said he admired the YCS’ work in brining youth back to the Church, and said the movement’s ‘life method’ of ‘see, judge, act’ as developed by the Young Christian Workers founder Cardinal Joseph Cardijn was an effective formation tool to reach young people.
YCS is a completely student-run international movement, with 2.5 million members worldwide.
“Our goal is to put our faith into action, and take a stand on issues prevalent in young people’s lives today. We use a See, Judge, Act method to reflect on our lives in light of our beliefs and then to take action on both social justice and personal issues in our world, said a statement from conference participants Alida Konyn (Port Pirie), Luke Dundon (Melbourne), Hannah Stavrou (Port Pirie), Liam McGuire (Townsville), Phillip Wakefield (Canberra-Goulburn) and Sophie Stewart (Perth).
“We are very enthused about the positive growth we are hoping to experience as a movement in the next year, with new national exec members, new workers, three delegates being sent to the International YCS World Council in India this June, plans well and truly under way for our National Conference next January, and exciting developments in our current national campaign, ‘100% Respect: Fair Trade’.”