The highlights of the CBC Youth Convention - Jubilee Year of Mercy

330 young people from 15 dioceses of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands gathered at Don Bosco Technological Institute from 6th to 13th November 2016 to celebrate and conclude the Jubilee Year of Mercy. 

330 people were divided into different groups and in rotation, every one could participate in all the activities of the Convention. An hour of meditation was the start of the day in the morning from 6.30 to 7.30. A Gospel passage was read and did the meditation on that reading. The meditation points from the reading was prepared in a booklet form and distributed to every participant; therefore, the meditation became a genuine learning exercise.

Every day one group could visit the prisoners at Bomana Prison, another group visited the sick at the Port Moresby General Hospital, other group did the Bible Quiz on Gospel of Matthew and the rest did an assignment on Saints/Blessed. After visiting the prisoners and the sick at the hospital everyone could write their experiences and submit to obtain the prizes for the best writings.

The pictures and stories of the Saints/Blessed's of 365 days from the liturgical calendar had exhibited in a hall and every participant could go through every Saint/Blessed. Then each one could choose whom he/she likes very much among all and answered the worksheet. From all the worksheets first, second and third prizes were chosen and given.

The objective of the Bible Quiz was to make every participant to read the Gospel of Matthew and all they did it very well. From chapter one to twenty-eight, there were 75 objective questions to answer on a work sheet and within the each diocese/group had received the first, second and third prizes.

"24 Hours Temporary Adoration Chapel" was prepared and every night from 10 pm to 1 am a night vigil was arranged in the groups for four nights. Missionaries of Charity Sisters from Hanubada, Tokarara, Weifa and Kerema animated the night vigil.

First day evening after the dinner the introductory session was held and second day every participant of the Convention could receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Third day they had inner healing prayer session. Fourth day after dinner they had an entertainment activities. Fifth day, they did a 'prayer walk' from Gabutu Don Bosco to DBTI from 7.30 pm to 9 pm. Badili police escorted the prayer walk. Sixth day evening DBTI students entertained the participants.

On Friday at 9 am the participants began their pilgrimage walk to the Cathedral and all they arrived at the Port Moresby Archdiocesan Cathedral around 11.30. At the door of the Cathedral each diocese prayed the Divine Mercy Chaplet and enter into the Cathedral - the most significant gesture of the Jubilee Year of Mercy. DBTI volunteer students escorted the pilgrimage walk in a very systematic organised way - a bus at the front and another at the end. Without any disturbance they could also distribute the water to the thirsty pilgrims.

On the same day at 3 pm the 'Jubilee Day of Mercy' Holy Mass was celebrated by the Apostolic Nuncio, Archbishop Kurian Vayalunkal. His homily on the readings of Zacchaeus was truly an inspirational one. Earlier on Wednesday Apostolic Nuncio had a session with the Convention Participants and there, they had an opportunity to establish a "fatherly love and relationship" with him which made the participants to feel at home. A good number of participants expressed their experiences saying that "Apostolic Nuncio was truly a man of prayer and he really helped us to understand the need of personal prayer..." Xavier Institute members participated in the pilgrimage walk and in the Holy Mass. From Bereina Cavani Sisters and their selected youth participated in the Holy Mass.

On Saturday all the participants had a picnic at the Adventure Park, 14Mile with a lunch. All they arrived by the hired buses from DBTI and had very good moments of relaxation and joy. At 5.30 pm we celebrated the Closing Mass of the Convention followed by a delicious dinner. After the dinner, till midnight, did the prize distribution to the winners of the Bible Quiz, Assignment on Saints/Blessed's, Bomana Prison and Hospital Visit experience' writings and did the vote of thanks.