ĐOÀN ADL
Welcome
Xin hân hoan chào đón quý Cha Tuyên Úy, quý Trợ Úy, quý Phụ Huynh, quý Huynh Trưởng, và tất cả các bạn đã ghé thăm trang nhà của Đoàn TNTT Anrê Dũng Lạc - Maryland chúng con. Welcome and thank you for visiting our site. We are glad that you're here! We are the Andrew Dung Lac Charter of the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society. Our website is in the process of building, a lot of the pages are still under construction, but should be up shortly.Our Youth Organization
The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society is a non-profit organization, under the leadership of the Catholic Church. Its aim is to teach youths to be virtuous people and good Christians. It also offers apostolate services for the youth. Throughout its 82 years of service, the Society has kept pace with social and cultural changes of the day in an attempt to reach out to the youth of all times.
Our History
I. INTRODUCTION: The Eucharistic Youth Society was founded in Europe during World War I and was known as the Eucharistic Crusade. Its purpose at that time was to pray, especially to the Blessed Sacrament, for the conversion of hearts and the reconciliation among the disillusioned youths affected by the War. Although the Eucharistic Crusade was founded by a Jesuit, Albert Bessières, S.J., it was brought to Hanoi, Vietnam, by the Sulpicians in 1929. By 1951, it had spread throughout the whole country and became an organized association in the early 1960’s.
In 1964, in keeping with the spirit of the Second Vatican Council, the Vietnamese Eucharistic Crusade was transformed into the Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society and was approved by the National Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Government. This new transition integrated both prayer and apostolate services. From 1964 to 1975, the Society grew considerably in spirit and in number. In order to accommodate the growth of the Society, the first National Convention, “Promised-Land I”, was held in 1972. Over 2,000 coordinating-leaders attended it. By 1975, there were about 140,000 members, under the leadership of 3,800 coordinating-leaders serving in 650 parishes within 13 dioceses in South Vietnam.
With the fall of South Vietnam in 1975, the Society’s activities ceased temporarily. However, with the waves of refugees fleeing to new homelands, the Society came to life again. The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Society is currently active in many different countries in the free world: Australia, Canada, Europe, Japan, and the United States.
In the United States, there are about 16,000 members in more than 100 Vietnamese Catholic communities and parishes under the direction of 1,700 youth leaders and chaplains.
II. EDUCATIONAL GOALS: The goals of the Eucharistic Youth Society are:
- To educate youths in both social and spiritual life and help them become better people and responsible Christians.
- To organize and guide all youths and help them become more aware of the Church’s mission to the world by engaging in the spreading or Good News, and be involved in working for the good of society through apostolate services, in serving others.
III. EDUCATIONAL OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the Eucharistic Youth Society are:
- To promote prayers for the Holy Father who is the Vicar of Christ on earth and to pray for the needs of the whole Church.
- To promote constant devotion to the Eucharist, to give thanks to God for the living bread and in turn share it with others as Jesus did.
- To honor and venerate Mary as a model for discipleship.
- To support the missionary efforts of the Church through a life of prayers, sacraments, services, and sacrifices based on the discernment of God’s will.
IV. EDUCATIONAL METHODS: In order to meet the above goals and purposes, the Eucharistic Youth Society uses suitable methods for the education of its members, both in social and spiritual life. The Society bases its education on two essential elements: the love of God in the Eucharistic Sacrament and God’s Living Words in the Bible.
The Eucharistic Sacrament is the center of the spiritual life, in which each individual starts his/her day with a morning prayer with a deep desire to be ready for Holy Communion and to make sacrifices with God in mind, through loving charitable activities and through apostolate services. The day ends with minutes of silence and a moment to record “A Bouquet of Spiritual Flowers” in thanking God. All activities during the day is called a “Eucharistic Day”. Every day of life shall be “Days of Eucharist”.
Living Words of God in the Bible is used as the Source of Inspirations. Images and stages of the life of Jesus along with the sites in the Bible, related to the different groups of youth are also used to serve the natural methods in educating all age groups (Seeding: 7-9, Search: 10-12, Companion: 13-15, Knights of the Eucharist: 16-17). The gradual development proceeds from easy-to-difficult. The realistic and workable activities such as group meetings, training camps, seminars, public games, folk songs and dances, studying and sharing God’s Words, Annual Spiritual Retreat, etc... are carried out with the educational goals of meditating and interpreting God’s Words.
V. FOUR STAGES OF EUCHARISTIC YOUTH’S LIFE: The Eucharistic Youth Society stages are classified into four main groups in order to meet the needs of the different ages of its members.
Stage 1: SEEDLING
Seeding is a group consisted of fledgling members between the ages of seven to nine years old. Generally, the boys and girls at these ages are active, inquisitive, and fond of nature. The members wear green scarfs, the verdant color of young wheatlings, to symbolize their innocence and youthfulness. Like the wheats in the field blowing with the wind, the youth members are easily adaptable to new situations and receptive to new ideas. The group’s model is the youth and obedient Jesus to his parents. The members learn and practice obedience to God’s will through the daily responsibilities: praising God for many blessings, obeying their parents and teachers, helping and loving others.
Stage 2: SEARCH
Search is a group consisted of pre-adolescent youths between the ages of ten and twelves. Generally, the members during these ages are becoming more aware of their physical and emotional changes. During this transitional period into young adults, they are confused and ambivalent to set rules imposed by authority figures. They are searching for their own identities and the rationality of their existences. Consequently, this nameless quest affects their spiritual beings as well. The members wear navy blue scarfs which symbolizes their unfathomed uniqueness and identity with a great hope of life and society. The scriptural model for the group is based on Jesus’ hidden and evangelical life. Like Jesus, who was patiently praying for a deeper knowledge of his mission, they must find who they are in the solitude of prayers. Imitating Jesus, who was willing to fulfill the Father’s wills, they will learn to accept who they are with gratitude. The members’ natural inclination to reasons and questions abstracts thoughts and concepts is now integrated into their development through concrete apostolate works.
Stage 3: COMPANION
Companion is a group consisted of adolescents between the ages of thirteen and fifteen. The adolescents at these ages begin to consolidate their emerging values and beliefs. They start to formalize their own identities and group dynamic. The basic needs to love and be loved, to understand and be understood become the beginning for friendship and cooperation among the members. Thus, the cannery yellow scarfs worn by the members symbolize the sunrise of the youths before coming into their adult ages, and the manifestation of the heart, the opening of one’s life to others. While the evangelized Jesus is still the primary spiritual mode, Saint Paul is adopted by the members as their inspiring patron figure. Like Saint Paul, who became Christ’s zealous disciple after his spiritual lightning-conversion on the way to Damascus, the members constantly seek for God’s will and conversion of hearts. In addition, the members are encouraged to familiarize with communal apostolates and to live out the spirit of charity and generosity (Corinthian 13: 1-13).
Stage 4: KNIGHTS OF THE EUCHARIST
Knights of the Eucharist is a group consisted of young adults between the
ages of sixteen and seventeen. As unique individuals with specialized
gifts and talents, each member is
invited to live a noble live and serve others with charity and
humility. The Knights of the Eucharist members wear on them the brown
scarf symbolizes the hard work and dedication to serve God. With the slogan of the group is, Dấn Thân, plunging headlong into the world, the knights are invited to participate in the mission of becoming the salt and light for the world. They are constantly reminded to generously commit to serve the church and the country.
VI. LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT
Youth Leaders:
The Youth Leaders are those individuals who went through the formation of the Society from the Seeding to Knights of the Eucharist group. They know the charism and spirituality of the Society. After specialized periods of training, they are initiated to become leaders of the four former groups. They wear red, yellow-striped scarfs which symbolizes love, service, sacrifice, and responsibility.
Chaplains & Assistant Chaplains (Clergy and Layperson):
Priests who are responsible for the spiritual characteristics of the Society are appointed to be Chaplains. They shall invite seminarians and religious members to be their Assistants. Chaplains wear white, red-striped scarfs; and Assistant Chaplains wear the red, white-striped scarfs which symbolizes the dedication to follow Christ.
The Vietnamese Eucharistic Youth Societies are usually managed and directed by the National Leadership Council of Chaplains and Youth Leaders, who are representatives of the Society.
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