Experience the JOY of the gospel!
‘Jesus Youth’ represents joy,
vitality, and fullness of life
discovered in Christ!
‘Jesus Youth’ represents joy, vitality, and fullness of life discovered in Christ!
Jesus Youth is an International Association within the Catholic Church with a focus on evangelizing young people and nurturing their missionary initiatives.
Jesus Youth had its beginnings in Kerala, India, and evolved as an active part of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal of the state in the late 1970s. In 1985, the International Year of Youth, a number of campus groups came together for a conference called Jesus Youth. After the conference, the attendees started referring to themselves as Jesus Youth. They nurtured their youthful missionary spirit in their colleges and communities through regular meetings of small groups.
The name ‘Jesus Youth’ represents the association’s emphasis on living the joy, vitality, and fullness of life discovered in Christ, and sharing the Gospel in contemporary life situations. Gradually, Jesus Youth spread to different parts of India and a number of other countries. It is now active in more than 35 countries (JY Statutes 1) Over the years, Jesus Youth has expanded to families, various professional ministries and many mission countries throughout the world.
Verso L’Alto
Striving for holiness
Jesus Youth strives to lead people, especially the youth, to a renewed life in Christ, assists them in their growth in holiness and prepares them for the apostolate in communion with the mission of the Church.
The movement helps people to have a personal relationship with Christ and experience the love of the Father and the fellowship and guidance of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Jesus Youth works to cultivate in its members a life of missionary discipleship, urging them to become joyful witnesses of the Gospel in the contemporary world. (JY Statutes 2)
The 6 Pillars
Jesus Youth live out the faith rooted in ‘six pillars’.
The Charisms of the Movement
In 1998, Pope John Paul II exhorted in the message for the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements and New Communities:
“The charism’s own originality, which gives life to a movement… represents a powerful support, a moving and convincing reminder to live the Christian experience fully, with intelligence and creativity. Therein lies the basis for finding adequate responses to the challenges and needs of ever changing times and historical circumstances.
In this light, the charisms recognized by the Church are ways to deepen one’s knowledge of Christ and to give oneself more generously to him, while rooting oneself more and more deeply in communion with the entire Christian people.”
Youth to youth
Formation
Holy Spirit
Mission
Witness
Fellowship
Catholic Church
Relationships
Accompaniment
Our very identity is rooted in prayer & fellowship, and the best way to get involved is by joining a small group, where local Jesus Youth come together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to pray, read scripture, and spend time in fellowship.
Events
You can also join in any of the local or national/international level programs that are offered including retreats, weekends of prayer, journeying together for World Youth Day, hiking pilgrimages, discernment retreats, Haiti mission trips and much more!
Want to
experience the
joy of the gospel
with Jesus Youth?
Want to
experience the
joy of the gospel
with Jesus Youth?
Accompaniment
Our very identity is rooted in prayer & fellowship, and the best way to get involved is by joining a small group, where local Jesus Youth come together on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to pray, read scripture, and spend time in fellowship.
Events
You can also join in any of the local or national/international level programs that are offered including retreats, weekends of prayer, journeying together for World Youth Day, hiking pilgrimages, discernment retreats, Haiti mission trips and much more!