Tamil Nadu Youth Observe Christmas with Marginalised Families

Tamil Nadu, Dec 23, 2025: Marking Christmas through outreach rather than celebration, youth of the Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement (TCYM) from Samayanallur and Ellis Nagar parishes visited the Thathaneri crematorium settlement on Sunday, choosing to spend the festival with some of the most marginalised people in the city.

The initiative was undertaken in the light of the Gospel call to proclaim good news to the poor. Guided by Fr. Joachim, Parish Priest of Ellis Nagar, and accompanied by Fr. Martin, Parish Priest of Samayanallur, along with Deacon Arun Michael Raj of Ellis Nagar, the TCYM youth chose to celebrate Christmas among families living around the crematorium, many of whom face severe social and economic hardship.

The outreach reflected the pastoral vision articulated by Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation 'Evangelii Gaudium', which urges the Church to move beyond its walls and reach out to people living on the peripheries of society. In keeping with this call, the Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement youth stepped away from conventional festivities to share the season with those living alongside death and neglect.

During the visit, the youth witnessed the harsh living conditions surrounding the crematorium, where families survive in unsanitary environments that reflect deep-rooted social inequality. Drawing inspiration from the Gospel passage in Matthew 25:35–40, the TCYM youth distributed educational kits to children in the settlement, viewing education as a step toward securing a more hopeful future for the next generation.

The initiative was rooted in Catholic social teaching, with a focus on affirming human dignity. For many of the Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement youth, encountering the realities of life in the crematorium settlement proved to be a formative experience, reinforcing the vision of fraternity and social responsibility articulated in 'Fratelli Tutti'.

The programme was coordinated by Mr. Joseph Arockiadoss of Road Trust and Mr. Babu, with active participation from young members of the Ellis Nagar and Samayanallur units of the Tamil Nadu Catholic Youth Movement. The outreach offered the youth an opportunity to reflect on the meaning of Christmas, recognising that the message of Christ’s birth finds expression not only in prayer but also in concrete steps taken toward those living on the margins.

By Catholic Connect Reporter