by Jacob Pullanthara
DAHANU-MAHARASHTRA, 8, APRIL 2015: What better way to begin The Easter Experience than attending the Youth Pasch organized by the Salesians of Don 
Bosco? Youth Pasch 2015, kicked off on the 1st of April with 21 youth from Mumbai and Pune along with Salesian brothers and priests at Auxilium Youth Animation Center, Dahanu. It started off with ice breakers which helped the youth to get acquainted with each other and their team members. The first session for the evening was the commitment conducted by Fr. Glenn Lowe where the youth were challenged with two questions:
1.What do they expect from the camp?
2.What are the changes they want to make in their daily lives?
The theme for Maundy Thursday was "Love as I have loved" which started with meditation conducted by Fr. Cleophas Braganza where the youth were asked to ponder on the act of the Washing of the Feet. They were also asked to wash the feet of their group members, which was a very humbling and different experience.
Through the course of the day there were sessions on Love and Relationships conducted by Fr. Edison Fernandes which elaborated on the various types of love and relationships. There was also an Exodus Experience which took the group through the complete experience of the Israelites fleeing from Egypt. The day ended with the Celebration of the Lords Supper, Maundy Thursday Service and Taize prayer at the Altar of Repose.
Good Friday started with meditation, conducted by Fr. Glenn based on the Theme "Forgive as I have forgiven". It was an experience of the parable of the prodigal son like never before. The day went on with a session by Fr. Edison on Suffering and Forgiveness, followed by the Labyrinth Experience - a journey to the centre of oneself. The labyrinth experience is based on inner healing, forgiving oneself and forgiving people around you while being in communion w
ith God. The evening ended with the Celebration of the Lord's Passion and enactment of the Stations of the Cross by the youth in relation to the problems they face in their daily lives. The day concluded with the sacrament of reconciliation and nailing sins to the cross, representing Jesus who sacrificed himself for our sins and a snippet from the movie Jesus of Nazareth.
Holy Saturday began with meditation at the feet of the Cross a very powerful experience where towards the end the youth were asked to pluck out their sins from the cross and burn them signifying that their sins have been forgiven by Jesus' sacrifice on the cross. The theme for the day was "Live as I have lived". A session on Forgiveness: Source of New Life was conducted by Fr. Cleophas followed by the Empty Tomb Experience conducted by Fr. Glenn, helped the youth introspect. The evening sessions by Fr. Cleophas on Gazing on the Face of Christ, where the youth were asked to share their experiences relating to the pictures of Jesus which they chose from among a pool of pictures. The sessions concluded with Fr. Glenn asking the youth to ponder whether they have fulfilled their commitment made on the first day of the Pasch.
The Easter celebrations started with the Easter Vigil Service where the Paschal Candle was lit, Holy Water and Renewal of our Baptismal Vows. The Vigil was followed by the Via Lucis (The Way of Light).
The Youth Pasch was a holistic journey through the Paschal Mystery. The youth were enriched through the three days and it was a perfect journey along with Jesus through his Death and Resurrection.