2018
Under the title of “The Call to Holiness” Ankawa Youth Meetings (AYM) were launched in the summer of 2018, bringing together youth from different Chaldean dioceses across the country. Like 2013, AYM had different pastoral activities, lectures, and prayers.
The meetings started with an opening speech welcoming the youth, which was followed by dinner and entertaining contests, which helped the youth to get to know each other. The Franciscan friars from Egypt participated in these days of AYM.
The second day started with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy in St. Joseph Cathedral. After Mass youth were divided into groups upon the Parishes in Ankawa, where they attended lectures/catechism classes. After the lectures, participants shared lunch break with each other. The catechism/lectures resumed after the break. Then youth were again divided into smaller groups, accompanied by the Clergy or religious brothers and sisters, to share their learned experiences; a meeting that lets young people express themselves and listen to others as well. After these meetings, the groups left the Parishes and headed to St Joseph cathedral where they had dinner and enjoyed some activities. Later, there was Eucharistic Adoration and the hearing of confessions, which marked the conclusion of day two.
The third day started with the celebration of the Divine Liturgy, in Sts. Peter and Paul Parish. After mass youth were divided into groups again to conclude and discuss the final thoughts on the lectures and catechism of the previous day, which was followed by a Q&A session for the youth, and then by a closing celebration and lunch.
