KATHMANDU (UCAN) -- Priests engaged in the Nepali Church's youth apostolate are hoping to bring all young Catholics together under a single umbrella because they view the many existing Church youth groups as ineffective.

A dozen parents and youth apostolate priests met with about 60 youths aged 14-35 at Assumption Church in Kathmandu on Aug. 3 to discuss how to reinvigorate the Nepal Catholic Youth Movement (NCYM) launched in 2000.

Two Salesians, Fathers Augusty Pulickal and Benjamin Pampackel, led the meeting, joined by Father George Kalapurackal, pastor of Assumption Church, and Binod Gurung, president of the Nepal Catholic Society (NCS).

Father Pulickal, national youth chaplain and leader of the NCYM, made a plea for Catholic youths to "unite and be active in the youth movement at home," rather than "always wanting to attend international programs and events."

After one Nepalese youth failed to return from World Youth Day (WYD) 2005 in Germany, no Nepalese youth was allowed to attend the recent WYD in Australia.

"Young people can bring about a lot of change in the country," the priest said. "Just look at the Young Communist League (YCL) and how active they are!" He was referring to the Maoist party's controversial youth wing, which claims to be getting rid of "social evils" in the country. However, according to media reports, the YCL has been accused of using brutal tactics.

"Though our mission is different from theirs," Father Pulickal insisted, "our youth force also must be more active and bring about change in society."

Nepal is estimated to have 2,500 Catholic youths and young Christians belong to myriad groups: Young Christian Students-Nepal, International Movement of Catholic Students-Nepal, Youths for Christ, International Movement of Catholic Agriculture and Rural Youth, and the Young Student Movement in eastern Nepal.

Father Pampackel said prospects look good for reviving NCYM, and now that Nepal is no longer feudal, there is need to regroup under this umbrella and work for the Church. A constituent assembly abolished the Himalayan country's 239-year-old Hindu monarchy and declared it a republic this past May.

Rajen Ghimire, who works for Caritas Nepal, told UCA News on Aug. 11, "Our youth are not working as one and some who are not members of any youth group are of grave concern for all of us."

This time, he said, plans have been made "to work more carefully and with renewed vigor, and we'll first register all youths as members of the NCYM, after which they can become members of other groups."

Ghimire pinned part of the blame on Father Pulickal's leadership of NCYM. Shortly after it was formed, the priest was posted to Nepal's east and could not really lead, so the youths were left to fend for themselves, he said.

On Aug. 14, Father Pulickal responded to the criticism by telling UCA News by phone from Dharan in the east it was not that NCYM was "inactive" but its activities were "not regular" due to "lack of full-time animators, political instability in the country, and non-commitment on the part of the youth."

The national youth chaplain stressed that the movement will be "reorganized" and there are plans for more activities such as retreats and youth camps. However, he cautioned, there is a limit to what can be done due to continued political instability. Despite this concern, he expressed hope that the Nepal Catholic Church will have "a very good national movement within a year."

Gurung, the NCS president, told UCA News on Aug. 11 that he wants young people to have a strong presence in the Church and to help it, but "the youths are not there when the Church needs them." Nonetheless, he added, reorganizing the "ailing youth movement" makes him optimistic.

Father Kalapurackal told UCA News he hopes young Catholics can team up with NGOs to do social work. "Our youths are no doubt energetic and can do many good things," he said. "Once our parishioners see the good work of the renewed youth movement, I hope parents will want their growing children registered in the movement."

END