HISTORY IN MAKING | KAIROS GLOBAL | PILOT ISSUE | 2017

Author : Manoj Sunny

Intro: Manoj Sunny takes us through the priestly fomation of Fr Ditto and Fr Das in the Jesus Youth Movement.

On 29th Dec 2018, The Youth movement

made history yet again - when

His Grace Archbishop Abraham

Viruthakulangara ordained Fr Das and

Fr Ditto for the apostolate of the Jesus

Youth movement. This is the first time

in the history of the Church in India

that two priests have been ordained to a local diocese for the apostolate

of a movement

It was in 2004 that a few young people who deeply desired to

set apart their lives fully for the Mission of the Lord approached us

with a unique request. They had already discerned their vocation

for Holy Orders, but at the same time, wanted to be fully available

for the apostolate of Jesus Youth. This request, perhaps a sign of

the times, set us out on a journey of discernment involving prayer,

discussions and consultations. We approached around 30

priests, who were involved in the formation of seminarians

and friends of Jesus Youth, to seek their discernment and

suggestions. To our surprise, almost every one of the priests

responded very positively. After several rounds of discussion,

especially with bishops, priests and leaders, we submitted a

proposal to His Grace Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara in

April 2009. His Grace replied thus to our proposal on 20th of May: "... I affirm that

the need expressed in your letter to have trained and committed priests for Jesus Youth ministry is valid and very much essential in these times. The discernment and the resultant vocations from Jesus Youth are a God-given gift to the movement at this juncture. I hereby confirm to take the responsibility to oversee the formation of the candidates. After the successful completion of their formation, they will be ordained by me or any other benevolent Bishop. And they will be made available for working with the Jesus Youth

movement".

We began the formation with 5 candidates on 19th June 2009 under the guidance of His Grace

Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara and the direction of Rev Fr Jose Parappallil at the MSFS

Vidyashram, Cochin, India.

Fr Das was born on 30th Oct 1982 in

Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh to (Late) Mr.

Devasahayam & Mrs. Jhansi Rani. He has an elder

sister and a younger brother. He completed his

Masters in Information Systems from Andhra

University in 2004. From 2005 onwards he was

actively involved in Jesus Youth. He was the

first one to record the Telugu Catholic Bible in

MP3 audio format and received the ‘Best Youth’

award from the Andhra Pradesh Catholic Youth

Commission in 2009. In 2007 he attended the

Jesus Youth International Fulltimership training

in Bangkok, Thailand to discern his vocation to

priesthood; he resigned his job and took one year

fulltimership commitment. During this time, he

was convinced of his call for priesthood, especially

priesthood to be available fully for the apostolate

of Jesus Youth Movement. He did his philosophical

and theological studies in Pontifical Urbaniana

University, Vatican, Rome and one year of regency

in Italy and India. He was ordained as Deacon by

His Grace Archbishop Abraham Viruthukulangara

on 30th July 2016, during the World Youth Day in

St. Joseph’s Church, Krakow, Poland.

Fr Ditto Devassy Poothekkaden, was born on

14th January 1982 in Potta, Chalakudy, Kerala to Mr. P. L. Devassy & Mrs. Annie Devassy. He has two younger brothers. Fr Ditto completed Graduation in Philosophy (2002-2005) from Mary Matha Major Seminary, Trichur. Later he took a break from his priestly formation and worked both in India and abroad for about 8 years. During this tenure he encountered the Jesus Youth movement in Saudi Arabia in 2008 and from then on he was actively involved in different ministries and shouldered various responsibilities in the Middle East Jesus Youth for a period of four years. In 2010 he participated in the Jesus Youth International Leaders' Training programme, Bangkok, Thailand. After two years of continuous discernment and spiritual guidance under the animators and elders of the movement, he discerned his call and took

a decision to resign his job in Saudi Arabia and joined for Jesus Youth Priestly formation in 2012 in Nagpur, India. From 2012 to 2013, he did one year of Regency in the Archbishop's house, Nagpur. He did his theological studies in St. Charles Major Seminary, Nagpur and was ordained as Deacon on 2nd February 2016 by Most. Rev. Abraham Viruthakulangara. Dn. Ditto also attended the Jesus Youth Pulltimership training in 2016.

A small team comprising of Fr Thomas Tharayil, Fr Bitaju Mathew, Fr Cherian Nereveettil, Baby

Chacko, Dr Edward Edezhath and Raiju Varghese coordinated the whole process of formation.

Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara, Bishop Thomas Chakiath, Fr Jose Parappallil, Fr James

Anaparampil, Fr Abraham Pallivathukkal, Fr Jose Palatty CMI, Fr Joshy Mayyattil, Fr Chilton

Fernandez, Fr Tomy Philip, Fr Dr Mathew Abraham, George Devassy and C.C Joseph guided

and supported us in different roles during this tenure of formation.

On 29th Dec 2016, Archbishop Abraham Viruthakulangara ordained Dn Ditto and Dn Das

as priests at Sacred Heart Church, CMI Provincial House, Rajagiri, Cochin. They will be part of the

Archdiocese of Nagpur and will be available for the apostolate of the Jesus Youth movement. His Grace Archbishop Prakash Mallavarapu (Archdiocese of Visakhapatnam), His Excellency Bishop

Joseph Raja Rao Thelegathoti, S.M.M. (Bishop of Vijayawada), His Excellency Bishop Robert

Muhiirwa (Diocese of Fort Portal, Uganda), His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Francis Kallarackal,

more than 70 Priests, religious sisters and many Jesus Youth leaders joined us during this time of grace. Let us thank our Lord for this blessing! Let us keep Fr Das and Fr Ditto in our prayers.

Manoj Sunny, First National and International Coordinator of

Jesus Youth, presently serving as the International director of

Formation. He is also in charge of the formation of Jesus Youth

seminarians.