January 2025

YCW Centenary - Pontien Kabongo - Fighting fascism - Laudato Si' at 10 - Jimmy Carter - McElroy to DC - Child labour

Jan 15, 2025

YCW Centenary Year

Dear Friends,

It's one hundred years this year since the "official" birth of the YCW with the first National Congress of the Belgian JOC in April 1925.

In memory of the martyred YCW lay co-founder, Fernand Tonnet, we present an article he wrote in 1924 - soon after Mussolini came to power - warning of the dangers of fascism, a warning that is no doubt of increasing relevance today. And we remember Paul Garcet, martyred alongside Fernand at the Dachau Concentration Camp in early 1945, with the photo above.

In fact, they were not the only jocist leaders and chaplains who died in those camps in 1945. Many YCW leaders and chaplains, whose significant anniversaries occur this year, have laid down their lives in martyrdom over the last century, including Pepe Palacio, the first lay collaborator of the International YCW.

We also remember current IYCW collaborator, Pontien Kabongo, who died recently, after a long illness. And we highlight a celebration by former Malaysian YCW of the movement's heritage there.

2025 also marks the 60th anniversary of the Vatican II documents, Gaudium et Spes, and Apostolicam Actuositatem, both key milestones in the development of the lay apostolate. It's also the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis' landmark encyclical, Laudato Si'.

In a new series of General Audience talks, Pope Francis has hit out against child labour, calling on Christians to ensure that they are not complicit in this exploitation.

From the US, we have news of Washington DC's new "see, judge, act" cardinal, Robert McElroy, and a tribute to the late Jimmy Carter from one of his close collaborators, the American former YCS leader, Tom Higgins.

On an academic level, we have the videos from the Marc Sangnier conference in Paris, co-sponsored by CIC, plus a new article by Paul Lentern reflecting on the importance of the see, judge, act in the context of Catholic education.

As usual, we have a Gospel Enquiry by Pat Branson and a Gospel Reflection by Richard Pütz.

Wishing you all the best for 2025.

The Centre International Cardijn Team

YCW Centenary 2025 and other anniversaries

The biggest jocist anniversary of 2025 is indisputably the centenary of the official foundation of the Belgian Jeunesse Ouvrière Chrétienne or JOC in 1925, writes Stefan Gigacz.

The JOC or YCW has been such an important movement in the lives of so many of us around the world. Today, it’s still present in close to 100 countries around the globe. Not forgetting the many other movements and initiatives that have sprung from it over the last century.

Let’s join with the YCW movement in our countries and internationally to make sure it’s a memorable year.

No less important, however, was Cardijn’s iconic first meeting with Pope Pius XI in March 1925 when he gave his approval and whole-hearted endorsement to the new movement.

2025: YCW centenary and other anniversaries (Cardijn Research)

YCW Centenary: 100 years of struggle for young workers! (International YCW)

People anniversaries 2025

Once again, this year’s list of “jocist” people anniversaries reveals an extraordinary range of movement leaders and chaplains who lived lives – and sometimes died – lives of incredible commitment and sacrifice.

Their witness is our legacy. And it’s truly an amazing and humbling heritage with which we have been entrusted.

People anniversaries 2025 (Cardijn Research)

Enquiry: Don't be complicit in child labour: Pope Francis

We must be aware of how we eat and dress in order to avoid becoming complicit in child labour, Pope Francis stated in his General Audience on 15 January 2025.

"Fighting exploitation, especially child exploitation, is the way to build a better future for the whole of society," the pope said.

"And so, we can ask ourselves: what can I do? First of all, we must recognise that, if we want to eradicate child labour, we cannot be complicit in it. And when is this the case? For example, when we purchase products that involve child labour. How can we eat and dress, knowing that behind that food and those garments there are exploited children, who work instead of going to school?

"Find out where those products come from. Awareness of what we purchase is a first act in order not to be complicit."

Don’t be complicit in child labour: Pope Francis

Videos: Marc Sangnier Conference

Over 200 people attended the Marc Sangnier Conference at the Catholic Institute of Paris on 5 December.

The Centre International Cardijn also co-sponsored the event along with the Institut Marc Sangnier, the PAJEP (Archives des associations de jeunesse et d’éducation populaire).

Entitled “Marc Sangnier, d’hier à aujourd’hui, un éveilleur. Militants et scientifiques en dialogue,” the conference aimed to highlight the achievements of Marc Sangnier and the Sillon movement he founded, and to examine the ongoing relevance of their message.

READ MORE AND WATCH THE VIDEOS

Marc Sangnier Conference

Malaysian YCW leaders hold memorial service

Former YCW leaders and chaplains from the Malaysian YCW commemorated their colleagues who have passed on with a special mass and dinner on Saturday 11 January 2025.

Among those remembered were Irene Fernandez and Rupert Thiagajaran, both former members of the IYCW International Team, and Paul Sinnappan, a member of the Cardijn Community International Team.

Malaysian YCW leaders hold memorial service

Remembering Pontien Kabongo

The International YCW has announced the death of its international collaborator, Pontien Kabongo, who died after a long illness on 27 December 2024.

“It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news of the passing of our esteemed International Collaborator, Pontien Kabongo,” an IYCW statement began.

“Pontien will forever remain in our hearts as a beacon of service and action, a true inspiration to all who had the privilege of knowing him. His unwavering dedication to the youth movements and his commitment to the mission of empowering young workers are testaments to his remarkable character and profound impact on the lives he touched.

Remembering Pontien Kabongo

In loving memory of Pontien (IYCW)

Laudato Si' turns ten in 2025

2025 promises to be an “annus mirabilis” in the life of the Church, according to the Laudato Si' Movement.

With a global Jubilee, the 10th anniversary of Laudato Si’ and of Laudato Si’ Movement, the 800th anniversary of the Canticle of the Creatures, and a momentous UN conference on climate change, this is a year for change.

Significant events during the year include the 30th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, which will take place in Brazil, the world’s most populous Catholic country.

"This conference needs to succeed in order to turn the arc of greenhouse gas emissions downward in time to protect creation," the Laudato Si' movement says.

Cardijn Community International is affiliated with the Laudato Si' movement.

2025: A year of adventure (Laudato Si' Movement)

See judge act cardinal appointed to Washington DC

Pope Francis has appointed San Diego’s Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, 70, of San Diego as the new archbishop of Washington, the Holy See announced on 6 January.

Recognised internationally as one of the intellectual heavyweights in the US hierarchy and a specialist in the social teaching of the church, Cardinal McElroy is a bishop who has wholeheartedly embraced the synodal vision and pastoral approach of Pope Francis, writes Gerard O’Connell in America Magazine.

In a 2022 article, also in America Magazine, Cardinal McElroy wrote that Cardijn’s “electrifying” see-judge-act method lies at the heart of the synodality process.

Cardinal McElroy also told Vatican News in an interview that the just war theory never fits with the message of the Gospel, no matter how technically “moral” the theory may be.

See judge act cardinal appointed to Washington DC

Tribute: Jimmy Carter’s ‘moral compass’

“It’s taken some time, but Carter, who died in Plains, Georgia, on Dec. 29, is now being recognised as one of our most consequential presidents,” writes Thomas Higgins, a former US YCS leader, who worked for President Carter’s White House administration.

“Landmark domestic legislation in education, the environment, healthcare reform ‘and energy policy; enshrining human rights as a “constitutive element’ in American foreign policy; securing the Panama Canal Treaty; recognizing China; and almost single-handedly achieving the Egyptian-Israeli Peace Accord.

“But he never forgot where he came from, and it was no surprise that he returned there from the White House,” Higgins noted in an article for the US National Catholic Reporter.

Jimmy Carter’s ‘moral compass’

Analysis: YCW and other movements lack institutional support

“If the work of evangelisation is to flourish then it must move beyond the realms of liturgy, ministry and Church governance and it must embrace the secular world as its primary and fundamental focus,” writes ACI board member, Paul Lentern, in Theology and Philosophy of Education journal.

“This is the place of the lay person, and this is the essence of the lay mission and vocation. Cardinal Cardijn demonstrated, well and truly, how this could be done and, for the decades that followed, the young people of the Jocist movements lived this mission with energy and passion,” he continues in an article first presented at a conference in Prague on 11 October 2024 entitled “Christians and the Transformations of Evangelisation.”

“In recent years this has been waning with a lack of institutional support,” Paul observes. “The Church today and the people of our world, whom she serves, are so much the poorer for this occurrence.”

YCW and other movements lack institutional support

Gospel: Saved by Jesus

We have to be careful with how we interpret the Gospel when we read it, writes Patg Branson. There is much more to a simple description of an event in Jesus’ life than meets the eye, so to speak.

For instance, in the world of Jesus, leprosy meant a range of skin infections that were transmissible. In Mosaic Law, only the healthy could participate in worship of Yahweh; infected people were excluded and were isolated from the community. They could only return after being pronounced clean by a priest, whose task it was to administer the law; priests were not physicians.

The leper in Mark’s story was desperate; he should have isolated himself from all human contact, but chose to present himself to Jesus to be cured. It was believed that the Messiah would have the power to heal the sick. The leper believed that Jesus could heal him.

DO THE ENQUIRY

Saved by Jesus

Reflection: How does Cardijn's work meet the needs of today's working class?

Joseph Cardijn's work has profoundly influenced modern social activism, particularly within the Catholic Church and beyond, writes Richard Pütz. It demonstrates how grassroots initiatives can grow into global movements, significantly impacting social activism and the Church's approach to social issues.

Cardijn believed in ordinary people's inherent dignity and potential, especially young workers. He concentrated on empowering them to recognize and confront social injustices within their communities. This focus on grassroots action and community-driven solutions continues to be a cornerstone of many modern social movements.

How does Cardijn's work meet the needs of today's working class? (Cardijn Reflections)

History: Fighting fascism… in 1924

The fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, came to power as Italian Prime Minister on 31 October 1922. Many Catholics in Italy had supported his rise. So too did many Catholics in Belgium and France, lamented YCW lay co-founder, Fernand Tonnet, in the movement magazine, La Jeunesse Ouvrière, in July 1924.

“The people behind fascism are simply daring and intelligent adventurers, who have taken advantage of the troubles in their country to seize power,” he claimed. “They are ambitious people dripping with impatience to take over.”

They are “people who jumped ship and woke up one fine morning, patriotic as hell,” he wrote, in a clear reference to Mussolini, who had abandoned his previous socialist convictions to become a hyper-nationalist.

“Their main ideas are the fight against the working class, and against Christianity. Beyond that, there is nothing in fascism,” Tonnet deplored.

“When they claim that they have saved their homeland and that since their rise to power factories are operating and the shops well-stocked, ask them where the capital for these factories came from. You know the answer, i.e. from the adventurers of international finance,” he continued.

Stefan Gigacz, Fighting fascism… in 1924 (Cardijn Research)

News briefs and social media

Indian Christian Workers Movement promotes social protection

IYCW leader Leizyl Salem visits Ecuador

Christmas with YCS Paris

Former IYCW president, Geethani Peries, and her daughter, celebrate Christmas with the YCS in Paris.

Pax Romana IMCS launch Catholic Youth Leadership Academy

Burundi JOC leaders prepare for 2025

Flashback

An amazing memory from Patrick Keegan

Editorial Note: The purpose of the CIC Newsletter is to share information and promote discussion. Citing or linking to articles does not imply any endorsement by CIC of the authors' views.