Youth Speak News
TORONTO - The Queen’s Park Dining Room was filled with the sounds of engaging and enriching discussion March 9 as Catholic representatives from across Ontario advocated for their education system.
Pitfalls of looking for the perfect guy
By Francisco Uy, Youth Speak NewsI recently read an article written by a Catholic teen girl and what she believes every Catholic teen guy should be. She listed off things that (I agree) should be the foundation of any relationship, such as being faithful and respecting each others’ values.
Learning from my temptations
By Maria Montemayor, Youth Speak NewsDuring Lent, we are all like Jesus, starving in the desert and being asked to turn stone into bread. But we must choose each and every time to say no. Even in the “Our Father” we ask God to “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” But why must we face temptations during Lent and how do they shape us?
This Lenten season I decided to give up Facebook and YouTube videos. The reason was simple. I wanted to be more productive. So, I resolved to liberate myself from procrastination and to purposefully get work done.
Youth celebrate the meaning of mercy at annual rally
By Julia Swist, Youth Speak NewsTORONTO - About 1,000 youth and their families gathered together at Metro Toronto Convention Centre’s John Bassett Theatre to learn about a simple five-letter word that most of us struggle to understand: mercy.
Toronto students take on gender, cultural biases
By Evan Boudreau, The Catholic RegisterTORONTO - Nerissa D’Souza and Sajesha “Sunny” Manoharan are trying to break the double whammy of gender and cultural barriers by forging careers as auto mechanics.
Learning from past mistakes
By Melanie Lamarca, Youth Speak NewsIndigenous youth face a lot of harsh realities even in today’s school system and it has made me think about the new responsibilities that Clayton Shirt will face as the Toronto Catholic District School Board’s first-ever elderin- residence. Shirt, a member of the Cree First Nation, will be providing insight into the indigenous culture and act as a resource the school board has not had access to in past years.
Canadian youth, parishes ‘Reboot!’ their faith
By Alister Vaz, Youth Speak News SpecialIt all started with a selfie.
While at the Steubenville Toronto youth conference last July, a few of the youth from St. Francis Xavier parish asked the host, Chris Stefanick, to take a selfie with them.
True faithfulness and gratitude
By Steven Travale, Youth Speak NewsAs I ran down a dirt road in the village of Nandarola, Nicaragua, I could hear the bus approaching behind me, its air horn tauntingly blowing. With four-year-old Miguel on my shoulders, the two of us were racing the bus back to his small house. It was the last day of my visit to this remote community. It was a poignant moment, waving goodbye to the mothers and children — Miguel included — as we left, and one of many fulfilling and joyful experiences I had in Nicaragua.
Young filmmaker shares viability of living with MS
By Maria Montemayor, Youth Speak NewsMary Gyulay was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a year and a half ago, at the age of 22. At the time of her crisis, she turned to God.
What does ‘Amen’ mean?
By Julia Swist, Youth Speak NewsLike any other Sunday I sat in those wooden benches, eagerly waiting for the priest to take his place at the pulpit and give his homily. Impatiently drumming my fingers against the wooden edge, I looked around the church.
Building a safe haven for Kenyan girls at risk
By Julia Swist, Youth Speak NewsTORONTO - Life is very different for the girls at the Abundant Life Centre in Kenya when compared to the students at Toronto’s Loretto Abbey Catholic Secondary School.