Youth Speak News

WINNIPEG, Man.  - At an early age Ian Garcia started doing drugs, drinking, partying and hanging out with the wrong crowd. Eventually his family disowned him.

MISSISSAUGA, Ont. - Nicole Fernandez expected a huge emphasis on faith and to meet friends as one of 125 young people to attend the 12th annual Lasting Treasure’s weekend retreat at Philip Pocock Secondary School in Mississauga in early February. What she didn’t expect, like many others, was the confidence to be a future leader and insight into how to surrender herself to God.

I still remember my first English class in high school. I was in Grade 9 and it was period two. The teacher walked in, smiled and got right down to business. The first item on her agenda was plagiarism.

Editor’s Note: this is a runner up in the Friars’ Student Writing Awards sponsored by Franciscan Friars of the Atonement and The Catholic Register. Miriam Punnoose, 17, is a Grade 12 student at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby, Ont.  The contest is held in conjunction with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. This is the last of six winning essays The Register  will publish.


Our world today has definitely not turned out to be the way God planned. He wanted us to live in peace and harmony with one another, to be faithful to our religion and to be loyal to His teachings. Yet today, one appears to be only faithful to himself/herself and concentrates on his/her needs.

MOOSE JAW, Sask. - Grade 9 students at Vanier Collegiate in Moose Jaw took part in the Catholic high school’s annual four-day retreat from the end of January to the beginning of February.

I wear red on Fridays. It’s not because red is one of two colours associated with Christmas, my favourite holiday. It’s not because red represents the Holy Spirit and as a charismatic Catholic the Spirit is a major part of my spirituality.

EDMONTON – If  a person could define vivacity, love of both God and justice, Julio Cesar Garcia, a 26-year-old engineer and political activist from Edmonton would be a good candidate.

The ways of promoting Christian unity have been controversial among several church communities. Although many believe that Christian unity is evident, in reality we are all separated into categories within our faith. The only way to truly promote Christian unity is through opening our ears and loosening our tongues. We must listen to one another, pray and help those in need in order to come together as one family in Christ.    

Do reserved people seem stuck-up to you? When some people avoid conversations, it’s easy to assume they are pretentious. However, that’s not always the case. Your peers may unjustifiably perceive you as arrogant without you knowing it.

OTTAWA - NET is turning into a bilingual ministry with a travelling bilingual team starting in September.