News n Pics : Ashish Andrade. Additional Pics : Herbert Joseph Menezes
Barkur, December 16, 2025 – Under the starlit sky of Tuesday evening, St. Peter's Church in Barkur witnessed a rare convergence of past and present as generations of youth leaders gathered to inaugurate the Golden Jubilee Year of the Indian Catholic Youth Movement (ICYM) Barkur Unit—a milestone that stands as testimony to five decades of unwavering service, faith, and community building.
A Homecoming for the Architect
The evening carried special significance as Most Rev. Dr. Henry D'Souza, now Bishop of Bellary Diocese, returned to the place where he had planted the seeds of youth empowerment 49 years ago. As a young assistant priest in 1976, Fr. Henry D'Souza had inspired a generation of youth, convinced their parents, and established what would become one of the parish's most enduring institutions. His return as the chief guest for the Golden Jubilee inauguration felt less like a formal ceremony and more like a homecoming.
"Returning to Barkur after all these years, seeing the faces of those first members—now with silver in their hair but fire still in their hearts—reminded me that we didn't just build an organization. We built a family," the Bishop remarked during his address, his voice carrying both nostalgia and pride.
When Vespers Met Jubilee: A Twin Celebration
The timing of the inauguration was deliberate and deeply symbolic. Scheduled to coincide with the annual Vespers celebration of St. Peter's Church on its feast day, the event created a powerful dual narrative—one of thanksgiving for the parish's patron saint and another for the youth movement that has served as the church's dynamic force for change.
The grand procession that preceded the evening ceremonies, led byparish vicar Rev. Fr. Ronald Miranda, along with Rev. Fr. Ferdinand Gonsalves and numerous priests from the Kallianpur Deanery, transformed the familiar streets of Barkur into a corridor of collective memory and shared faith.
As the Bishop released the Golden Jubilee emblem—a carefully designed symbol representing the organization's journey from 1976 to 2026—he drew attention to what made ICYM Barkur truly distinctive: its commitment to building community, not just conducting activities.
"In every field—liturgical, social, educational, sports, cultural—they set the standard," noted Rev. Fr. Ronald Miranda, the current director and president of the Golden Jubilee Committee. "Twenty vicars and directors, nearly 400 members across five decades—each left their fingerprints on this parish's story."
A Jubilee with Purpose
Unlike typical milestone celebrations that look backward, the Golden Jubilee inauguration set the tone for a forward-looking yearlong celebration. Herald D'Souza, President of the Golden Jubilee Committee, announced that alongside an attractive souvenir documenting the 1976-2026 journey, a commemorative book would be released paying tribute to approximately 25 members who had passed away during the organization's five-decade journey.
"We remember them not with sadness but with gratitude," D'Souza explained. "They ran their leg of the relay and passed the baton. Now it's our turn to run."
The current ICYM team—led by President Rian Angelo Arouza, Secretary Rashel Gonsalves, and Animator Johnson D'Almeida—outlined plans for a yearlong series of events culminating in a grand finale in December 2026.
A Parish's Living Testament
As the evening concluded with the traditional lighting of lamps by Bishop D'Souza, Rev. Fr. Miranda, and the committee members, it became clear that the Golden Jubilee inauguration was more than a ceremonial beginning. It was a living testament to what a small group of inspired youth could accomplish when guided by visionary leadership and supported by a believing community.
For the full house attendees who filled St. Peter's Church this evening—from octogenarians who remembered CYM's first meeting to teenagers who represent its future—the message was unmistakable: Organizations may have founding dates, but movements have founding spirits. And in Barkur, that spirit, first kindled in 1976, burns as bright as ever.
The Golden Jubilee Year has officially begun. For ICYM Barkur, the next twelve months will be both a celebration of what was and a recommitment to what can be—a fitting tribute to 50 years of faith, service, and youth empowerment.
