Media Release
Mangaluru, Jul 5: The annual general body meeting and election for the year 2026–27 of the Young Catholic Students (YCS), Diocese of Mangalore, was held on July 5 at Urwa Church Hall, Mangaluru.
The programme commenced with the inaugural ceremony, which was gracefully compered by Aashna D'Souza. The gathering was warmly welcomed by Ryan Mendonca, president of YCS diocese of Mangalore, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Crystal Lopes.
The programme was formally inaugurated by Fr Benjamin Pinto, parish priest of Urwa, who was the chief guest for the inaugural session. On the occasion, the annual YCS magazine, Yuvatare, was officially released by the chief guest, marking another milestone in the diocese's literary and youth initiatives.
In his inspiring address, Fr Benjamin Pinto reminded the students that even an ordinary person can become a great leader and rise to the position of president through dedication, commitment, and hard work. He encouraged the young leaders to shine like stars during their student life and emphasised that leadership is about working together as a team. Quoting the words of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, he stressed the importance of dreaming big, saying that dreams lead to great achievements. He also highlighted that the leaders elected today will shape the future of the Diocese of Mangalore and wished all the candidates and delegates success in their responsibilities.
A special session on "The future of jobs – How work will evolve over the next five years" was conducted by Jeevan Lobo. He spoke about the changing world of work, emerging career opportunities, technological advancements, and the importance of developing leadership, communication, and life skills to face future challenges with confidence.
During the programme, Amica Frank, who successfully completed her term as a NEXCO member, and Venus Wilfred Lewis, who completed his term as the regional treasurer, were felicitated in appreciation of their dedicated service and valuable contributions to the YCS movement. Janet Pinto, diocesan coordinator, introduced both the outgoing leaders, highlighting their commitment, leadership qualities, and selfless service during their respective tenures. She expressed gratitude for their remarkable contributions and wished them God's abundant blessings in their future endeavours.
The closing ceremony was graced by Mithesh D'Souza as the chief guest. In his address, he emphasised that leadership is the foundation of every successful organisation and encouraged the newly elected office bearers to lead with commitment, humility, responsibility, and a spirit of service. He urged them to work together for the growth of the YCS movement and wished the newly elected diocesan team a fruitful tenure.
During the closing ceremony, the newly elected Diocesan executive committee for the year 2026–27 took their oath of office, pledging to serve the Church, society, and the YCS movement with dedication and sincerity.
The programme was presided over by Fr Roshan D'Cunha, director of YCS, diocese of Mangalore. The vote of thanks was proposed by Fr Roshan D'Cunha, who expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the chief guests, the resource person, delegates, organisers, parish members, and everyone who contributed to the successful conduct of the annual general body meeting and election.
The programme concluded on a joyful and hopeful note, marking the beginning of a new chapter of leadership for the Young Catholic Students, Diocese of Mangalore, with a renewed commitment to serve the Church and society.