The Varsitarian

CATHOLIC youth organizations gathered at the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) headquarters in Intramuros last Nov. 22 to discuss a website development project that seeks to reach a vast number of young Filipinos and encourage more youth participation in Church-related activities.

Masbate Bishop Joel Baylon and CBCP spokesperson Msgr. Pedro Quitorio came up with this idea, citing the need for Catholic youth organizations to come together and take advantage of the technology.

“One factor may be because Catholics here (in the Philippines) are used to minding only their own businesses,” Quitorio said in the discussion.

Participants agreed to put up a common website, which was expected to contain information about their groups and coordinate their respective activities.

Representatives from organizations such as the Filipino-Chinese Catholic Youth, Tarcisian, CFC-Youth for Christ, Knights of Columbus, Ministry for Youth Affairs, Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and students from St. Paul University and UST participated in the meeting.

A core group was formed to work on the project. It will meet on a regular basis until the website has been completed. The name and general content of the website will be decided in subsequent meetings.

The CBCP media and youth organizations plan to have the website running as soon as possible. The CBCP agreed to promote the site in the mainstream media afterward.

“I’m just so excited to wait and expect how things will turn out for the group and the project. Hopefully, it will contribute something good to the Catholic Church,” Quitorio said in his closing message.