MEMORIES

During World War II, I was a small child in a peace loving village of Belgium. We experienced the violence of war, the fear and the agony, but also shared in the solidarity of out village. My parents shared the grief of neighbors, supported young person who organized the safety of our people, and cared for the wounded and the needy. 

Soon after the war I joined the YCS in Belgium, I remember how proud I was its uniform and how enthusiastically we worked for Hungarian students. The committee into the students milieu became clear and strong. The national chaplain Rev. Gust Van Hacgenborgh was one youth. Some people thought we were too serious, other that we asked too many question. But our committee was conscious, focused and clear. This committee was our deepest joy. 

While teaching I got involved as animator of YCS for our region. Young student were so creative and generous. 

Then came the decision and preparation for a mission in India. More than ever I realized how awareness, reflection, action and evaluation have become part of life. 

Life in India started by living and working with blind and deaf children. A fascinating experience of other ‘abledness’. When we experienced blind girls choosing colors foe a saree and the deaf enjoying music on vibration. Also an experience of pain when a child of seven shares how he forever became blind in an accident, or when we experienced the fear of the deaf thinking that everyone during the night bombing would run and they would be caught because they do not hear. 

For the Sunday afternoon some regular school students came to play with the blind and deaf students for their legion of Mary’s work. Playing with deaf in not easy when we do it from our perspective eg. Deaf children do not enjoy standing in line for  games etc, and so this game became more a punished for them than a joy.  

So we, hearing student and I, started talking while the deaf were playing. The student related how in their class some girls never finished homework, how the classroom was divided in clicks according to cast, how teachers would go ahead with a few bright students and leave the larger groups for tuition, which some could and some could not afford. The reflection in the group grew, it could be different and we can do something about it. 

A closer awareness was revealed how these students had no facilities, had to work after school, how so many other girls of their age were already 12 hrs working, something bounded labor, how students relate to working youth with a feeling of superiority. How students relates to working youth with a feeling of superiority, how caste divides, how the tuition system exploits…. 

A deeper reflection revealed the change of the gospels, the relevance to daily life and the inspiring person of Christ. 

The action brought students together and influenced all the students in class. A second started, a third, a fourth and…

Mean while t6he YCW was trying ti start a pre YCW. January 66 Fr. Louis Sena then International Chaplain of IYCS visited the archbishop Mathias in Madras. To them our two groups of involved students were a sign of a new start of YCS. 

The Movement grew and since some students were believing Muslims or Hindus we called it YCS/YSM (young Christian Students – Young students Movement)  

Since I was with the first group and initiated the movement all over India the CBCI – Archbishop Eugene D’Souza appointed me as “National Chaplain”. We accepted this as the normal thing and only afterwards realized how fresh and opening this move was to appoint a ‘Woman” as National Chaplin. 

Already in 67 marry Ann D’Souza worked fulltime for short while, then came Cherry, Agnes Joseph, Evita, Alvito Baretto… The strength of their commitment and the depth of their reflection was revealing, hopefull and challenging. 

Silvio Santana from IYCS contributed a great deal to the Indian Movement. Our National Council brought a consciousness of Indian. The Leader and animator session gave growing life to the movement.  

In 67 we participated in an Asian session in Singapore and I was observer in the Montreal World council. 

The presence of students of different faiths, Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Parsee took some search of how to situate and place if within a catholic movement, thou in our experience it was richness, and the complementary of religions deepened by some theologians was a unique experience of the Indian Movement. 

The social Involvement of students was very clear and strong from 1970’s. Groups of students worked in the refugee camps, and cyclone area with a remarkable dedication, inspiration and vision. Other was active in the burned down village of Ayandur or the through cyclone destroyed area of Vedasandur. 

Students lived in small group with the people most exploited or victimized people in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Orissa… and being close to students but no longer students, we called this groups YSMD. (Young Students Movement for development). To financially support these group some professional helped out, even started a press SIDMA (student Initiative for Development in Madras). 

The ‘open house’ at Eliott’s road, became the ‘home’ where volunteers and students met, relaxed, planned and could meet with theologians, Scripture professors and persons who deepened their analysis. Their reflection got an incredible depth, freshness, and contextualized who deepened their analysis. Their reflection got an incredible depth, freshness, and contextualized sensce. 

The Indian Movement was accepted as member movement of IYCS in the 1970 World Council 

In 1972 the IYCCS asked me to visit the Asian countries and movement, in the beginning of the 70’s many a student group in Asia were highly committee and many groups suffered in Vietnam, Korea, Philippines, India, Indonesia. The Asian Movement was a great challenge and integrated faith experience. 

The Asian session was a mutual support, inspiration and encouragement. 

The First Asian co-coordination came alive and soon we subdivided the animation with a team with: Jeanne as Asian animator, Fr. Luc Van Looy for Far East, fr. Eugene Vaz for South East Asia and fr. Johny Monteiro for South Asian. When Alivito Baretto started working as Asian fulltime, the Asian coordinator, Asian team YCS office became a reality and we all experienced the asianess of YCS.

What inspired me most in YCS?

It is difficult to say what inspired me most, but I wish to share some of the elements which I carry through life without attempting to be complete.

1. The Hidden possibilities and creative in young person. Often I have been wondering at the inexaustable possibilities and resistance in young person. I think of Agnes as a 16 yrs old girl, who would go to the Orissa tribal belt to help Florencia starting, and I would go to console her mother and assure her, Agnes was safe. With support and belief in them the leader would do wonders, and that miracle of resilence is still alive today.
2. The depth of understanding of the society, church, one-self, one’s vocation. Often we were surprised in meeting when we analyzed situation how different forces, myths, create a taken for granted reality which we thought could not changed, till we shared looking differently and with gospel eyes.
3. Discovering God active in reality. This became and is still a god’s experience of “I’ll be there” An experience where god awaits mine / our collaboration to transform an inhuman situation which diminishes persons, group of people. It is a daily choice and response in faith, and incarnted spirituality.
4. The commitment of young people given an integrated formation and a deep joy. In their conscious response to a given situation students feel they are subjected of history and no longer objects. The experience that nothing is permanent but changes continuously (anitja) and that they are instrumented for change give them hope and a big joy. At an early age the biggest choice in the life of a young person get fascinated by god who suffers with people and in a god of liberation.
5. An integrated spirituality where the focus to meet god is reality and history and history and the response a conscious commitment creates continuos relations with god and  became an everyday mysticism – young people get fascinated by god suffers with people and in a god of liberation.
6. Pluriformity of religions.
7. In a growing fundamental and communalism, the listening in faith to people of different religions is enriching and a growth in thruth and unity.
8. Committed young students were for me an inspiration and a sign that god is not yet tired of the world.
9. Team work with the National, Asian team, as well as, with the team of animators was an enriching experience, very supportive and strong.
10. As woman in the church I discovered my marginalization in a male dominated church but also my feminine role in church and society, together with other women animators we contributed to the liberation of women. Later I became very conscious that men back in their stereotyped roles of secretary etc.
11. The experience of the movement created in me the certainty that any group of people in a movement’s responds can grow in dignity, justice and empowerment. It was this experienced which inspired the ‘movement” aspect for domestic workers and children at risk. 

YCS is no longer a uniform that I leave behind, but has become an integrated part of my life, faith experience 

Sr. Jeanne Devos ICM 
St.Mary’s Apts, 201- B
Nesbit Road, Mazagaon,
MUMBAI 400010