YMC Forever

Tayo na at tayo ay sumapi

Sa kilusan ng YMC

Tayo na at makibaka

Para kay Birheng Maria

Tayong lahat dapat magsama-sama

Samahan ng mga kabataan

Iwaksi ang kasalanan

Magdasal ng Santo Rosaryo

Isuot itong iskapularyo

Mag-alay ka pa ng sakripisyo (sakripisyo)

Itaguyod mong samahang ito

Ibalita mo sa barkada mo

Tayo'y sumigaw "Mabuhay si Maria!"

Any true blue Youth Marian Crusader would surely know the song above from the heart. To the uninitiated, the Youth Marian Crusade (YMC), now known as Youth for Mary and Christ, is a high school-based religious group whose main mission is to bring people, especially male students, to Christ through Mary.  I'm proud to say that I was once a member of this organization. In fact, I became its coordinator in my senior year in Manila High School, my beloved alma mater.

Our school had the distinction of having the most number of delegates in all the General Mariologies (GM) that we attended then. A GM is a regular gathering of all  YMC members from secondary schools in Manila. Aside from the GMs, I also never failed to attend the First Saturday vigils held mostly at Espiritu Santo Parish Church in Tayuman, Manila. I also remember attending vigils inside Camp Crame's chapel. While most teenagers our age then were having the time of their life attending parties and gimmicks, we were praying the Holy Rosary all night long in those vigils as if the nightly recitation of the Holy Rosary we had in school was not yet enough to make us saintly.

The impact that YMC had on me was so strong that I wanted to become a priest then. But God had other plans for me that I did not end up entering the seminary (Please read the related blog "Seriously Funny"). As we usually say, "Once a YMC, always a YMC" and I have proven this to myself.

As I have always believed in the Divine Providence, I know that the Lord is calling me again to rekindle my devotion to the Blessed Mother. He has been leading me into it since last week and I am gladly accepting His invitation. Promise, I shall revive my daily recitation of the Holy Rosary starting tomorrow. That way, the YMC priests and brothers will be more than happy to know that one of their fruits has found his way back home to the Mother of God. I know Taning will try his very best to snatch me away again from the mantle of Mother Mary and God's love, but God and the Blessed Mother will never allow him to prevail over me.  I am theirs and theirs alone and that's the premium of being a YMC forever.