Young people celebrate Youth Day at St Anthony Pucci parish in Duduza

By Kati Dijane – Over 100 young people from the Far East Rand deanery filled St Anthony Pucci in Duduza, west of Nigel, on Youth Day, June 16, to celebrate one of South Africa’s significant holidays that remembers the youth of 1976.

They led the liturgy during Mass, where Father Joseph Luyombya was the celebrant. He stood in for the parish priest, Father Basirika Grace Matovu, who is also the youth chaplain, as well as the chaplain of the Ugandan Christian Community in South Africa.

Father Matovu was at Our Lady of Mercy Shrine in Magaliesburg to celebrate the Uganda South Africa Martyrs Day. During his homily, Father Luyombya encouraged the youth to live their lives fully and enjoy it. He said the way to do that is by putting God at the centre of their lives and also working hard. “It’s important to search for knowledge to help you understand and navigate the world. You also need to give up the habit of pride, which impedes you from growing and being the best version of yourself.” he added.

Later during Mass, the youth executive of the far east rand, mostly donned in school uniform, made their commitment to serve the deanery and was officially introduced to the parishioners of St Anthony. After Mass, the youth enjoyed a get-together where they played indigenous games, had a braai and got to know one another. What made the event special was that the youth visited a parish that produced two young people who made the far east rand deanery proud: Father Karabo Lephuthing, who was ordained in September last year and appointed the parish priest of St Joseph in Meadowlands, Soweto, as well as Thobile Ndimande, who is currently at Yale University in the USA studying for her PhD.