St Augustine's Catholic Youths Organization - CYON.

10/09/2025

INTERNATIONAL BUY A PRIEST A BEER DAY

It is a beautiful Catholic tradition that goes back to the time of Saint Hopswald of Aleyard, the first man to take his priest out for a beer.
Drinking of alcohol has been a controversial issue in some quarters but of course it is very clear it is absolutely never a sin to drink alcohol at all. A simple reference could be drawn from Saint Paul's encouragement and warning. The first he advised Timothy to take it for a curative purpose (Do not drink water only, but take a little wine to help your digestion, since you're ill so often) and the Church at Ephesus to avoid getting drunk because it can ruin, cf Ephesians 5:18 & 1 Timothy 5: 23 respectively.
G K Chesterton said : Drink because you are happy, but never because you are miserable, never drink when you are wretched without it, you will be like the grey-faced gin drinker in the slum; but drink when you will be like the laughing peasant of Italy. Never drink because you need it, for this is rational drinking, and the way to death and hell. But drink because you do not need it, for this is irrational drinking, and the ancient health of the world.
Ordinarily alcohol is not good for anyone's health. Some say, wine is good for the heart!
What should be emphatically taught and promoted is the facts of dangers of alcohol, how it can abuse, mislead, influence certain behaviours, attitude, and actions.
If alcohol is a sin then Jesus Christ won't have anything to do with it, took it at those outings and feasts he was invited to attend or used it for the Last Supper at all.
I say herein this write up to be careful with alcohol. It can destroy, damage, wreck and become a dangerous addiction. Just like any substance that's not good for the body, not about its sinfulness but the danger they pose to the body:
Ma*****na
Cigarette
Sugar
Cold water
Bad oil etc are all dangerous to health but never sinful due to their intake.
WHAT TO DO ON THIS DAY
Since the priests have a thankless and difficult work and without the priests people of God cannot get to heaven, the day is to be made a day to appreciate the priests who are pastors of souls and friends.
1 Celebrate by buying your priests a drink, even if he doesn't take a beer.
2 You can invite them over for dinner.
3 You can share some moment of prayers for them.
4 It is a day you can have a time to relax in a great deal with your priests, share with them how their ministry is important to you.
5 You can monetize the worths of the drinks and send the the monetary value to them with a note, Fr, I am buying you this drink that worths XYZ naira.
Celebrate the day and see how it goes with the men God chose from his fellow-men and appointed to serve God on their behalf in the spirit of Hebrews chapter 5 verse 1-4.
Saint Hopswald of Aleyard, pray for us.
Saint Arnold of Soissons, pray for us.
How would you mark the day?

19/07/2025

Happy Birthday to Very Rev. Father Lawrence Tajah Our Parish Priest Emiretus and Chaplain!

On this special day, we celebrate not only your Birthday but also the incredible impact you've had on our CYON and Parish community.

Your time with us was a blessing, and your guidance, humility, and unwavering faith continue to inspire us.

May God's abundant grace continue to strengthen you, grant you joy, good health, and many fruitful years in His vineyard.

We remain grateful for your shepherding and pray for continued blessings upon your ministry.

Cheers to a wonderful year ahead!
With love and prayers.

05/03/2025

25/03/2024

This made my day

06/03/2024

*For God and For Youth.*
*_Through Christ_*

The Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, Abuja Archdiocese, Garki Deanery in Conjunction with Assured Charity International Foundation held its first Outreach today (PAD A GIRL CHILD) at Waru.

With the increasing cost of pads in the country, the average female child can't afford to buy pads anymore which has resulted in various means to protect herself.

So in line with the scripture, I needed clothes you clothed me. The Mr and Miss CYON 2024 have embarked on the first phase of their pet projects.

We are still calling for your support for the next phase.

Thank You.

* GARKI DEANERY/WARU, ABUJA.*

04/02/2024

*Dear Parent, Guardians and fellow Youth,*

It is of Great Joy and a Humble Heart to inform you all of the *Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria(CYON)* first meeting for the Year.
And her *Leadership/ Followership Seminar*.

*Theme* : Youth in leadership.
*Topic* : Team Building and Time Management.

*Date* : 11th February, 2024.
*Venue* : Church Hall

Speaker : Mr. Tony Adah( *Laity Council* )

*Immediately after 9:00am Mass*.

All the *Youth* *age 14-45 single* are encouraged to join the Catholic Youth Organization of Nigeria, Apostolate. Together we can build a better Nigeria and Heal the Broken Hearted. Thank you and God bless you all. Happy Sunday and cheers

*Sign* : Youth President
Mr. Ezeleke Cornelius

03/02/2024

Pope Francis speaks to 3rd International Meeting of Choirs

Pope to Choirs: ‘Help community sing, don't replace its voice'
Pope Francis invites choirs and singers around the world to promote the Church community’s participation and prayer during liturgical celebrations, rather than replacing its voice.
By Devin Watkins

“You have awoken the Vatican!”

With those joyful words, Pope Francis expressed his appreciation for the musical art shown by participants in the 3rd International Meeting of Choirs, during a Saturday audience in the Paul VI Hall.

“Your music and song are truly an instrument of evangelization to the extent that you bear witness to the depth of the Word of God, which touches people’s hearts, and to the extent that you assist in the celebration of the Sacraments, in particular the Holy Eucharist, allowing us to perceive the beauty of Paradise.”

Some 7,000 musicians and singers are participating in the Meeting of Choirs, a three-day event organized by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization.

Vatican Choir meeting looks to the New Evangelization
Liturgical animators
The Pope encouraged the choristers to continue giving voice to the emotions that lie at the heart of the Church community.

“Music and song can often make certain moments unique in a person’s life, because they become a precious memory that has marked their lives.”

Pope Francis warned choirs against the temptation of letting their talent outshine the Church community, discouraging the people in the pews from actively participating during Mass.

“You are the musical animators of the whole congregation. Don’t take its place, depriving the people of God of the chance to sing with you and bear witness to the Church’s communal prayer.”

The Holy Father commended the choral singers for studying ways to “promote prayer in liturgical celebrations.”

Popular piety
Pope Francis also invited them to give space to more popular forms of religious expression. “Feasts of patron saints, processions, dances, and the religious songs of our peoples are themselves a real heritage of religiosity that is worth appreciating and supporting, because they are nonetheless an action of the Holy Spirit at the heart of the Church.”

Finally, Pope Francis said music should act as an instrument for promoting unity. He said music can help “make the Gospel efficacious in today’s world, through a beauty that still captivates and makes it possible to believe, entrusting ourselves to the love of the Father

02/02/2024

THE PRESENTATION OF JESUS IN THE TEMPLE.

Mary and Joseph presented Jesus in the temple forty days after his birth following the Jewish custom (Luke 2:21)

Today we celebrate that special day when Joseph and Mary presented the child Jesus in the Temple in fulfilment of the Law of Moses.

Jesus is the light of God who came to dispel the darkness of sin and selfishness in our world, to restore to humanity the innocence that was lost with the sin of our first parents, Adam and Eve.

Wherever that light shines, the darkness of hatred, injustice, oppression, anger, malice, etc. is overcome by this great sacrifice of love.

The Lord indeed has come to save His people. This is what the Prophet Simeon meant, when he proclaimed, "My eyes have seen the salvation which you have prepared for all the nations to see, a light to enlighten the pagans and the glory of your people Israel."

May the light shine in our lives, our families, our business and all our endeavors and dispel every darkness amen 🙏🙏🙏

25/01/2024

TODAY THE CHURCH CELEBRATE THE CONVERSION OF ST PAUL.

Today we celebrate the Conversion of Saint Paul, and the first reading de-scribes this conversion experience. Like St Paul, we all stand in need of conversion in one or more aspects of our lives. Paul's encounter, for instance, made him begin preaching immediately that 'Jesus is the Son of God' (Acts 9:20).

This encounter also led Paul to witness through his letters, even while in prison. We all know how much Paul did for the spread of the Christian faith, especially among the Gentiles. So what has our encounter with Christ Jesus enabled us to do for God?

What mission have you embarked upon for Christ's sake and for the sake of the gospel? What shows that you are truly a Christian who witnesses to the faith? Jesus' words to us today are, "Go out into the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation" (Mk 16:15).

May God give us the grace.

15/01/2024

Rev. For. Professor Dominic Shewama