About Us

SAYA (St. Alphonsa Youth of Austin) represents the youth community of St. Alphonsa Syro-Malabar Catholic Church of Austin, Texas. Our humble beginnings commenced in 2015, mainly focusing on prayer meetings and social gatherings. In our efforts to build a stronger youth community, we have expanded our reach to fundraisers, charitable causes and national youth events. We are a service organization that is committed to giving back. We provide our youth with an opportunity to learn and grow from each other in our community through service and prayer.  Our primary focus is to build a better future by helping the St. Alphonsa youth grow in fellowship.

Simmi Mani – Chairperson (Product Development Engineer)

“The young and vibrant youth of SAYA are full of energy and great ambitions. It is an honor to be part of their journey, in faith and fellowship, to build a bright future. We have a long road ahead of us and we firmly believe anything is possible through God.”

Jane George – Chairperson (Nursing Student)

“It’s truly an amazing experience to be a part of a group as inclusive and as strong in faith as S.A.Y.A. From our events to our prayers, and everything in between, we’ve accomplished so much, grown in faith and in love, and have so much more ahead of us.”

Nithin Thomas – Event Coordinator (Finance Student)

“SAYA is a community made up of ambitious young boys and girls. By being a SAYA leader, I and the other leaders are able to empower the youth by immersing them in prayer, love and personal growth.”

Sneha Varghese – Event Coordinator (Pre-Pharmacy Student)

“I am truly honored to work with a team of inseparable and inspiring group of people that cares about the youth. For me, the benefit of being in this group have pushed me to step outside my comfort zone and I got a lot closer to God. We accomplished so many things over the past couple of years, but I know we have bigger plans in the near future.”

Kevin Pangottil – Junior Coordinator (High School Junior)

“I am honored to be a leader of S.A.Y.A., it is an amazing and enthusiastic youth group. We take part in various activities that unite us as a team and help us grow in faith. Being a part of this team has allowed me to contribute to the church community. It gave me the opportunity to be more involved in the church and make a difference as the community grows. S.A.Y.A. has a promising future that will continue for generations.”

Testimonials from SAYA Leadership Team

Kevin Thomas – Parish Council Member (Business Systems Consultant)

“I firmly believe having a strong knit youth group is the future of our community, and I am honored to be part of this hardworking team as we strive to build a greater future for our church. The people in this group have taught me many valuable skills and I hope to help pave the right tracks for the youth in our parish.”

Leah Mathew – Junior Coordinator (High School Junior)

“I decided to join the SAYA youth leadership team because I wanted to be more involved in church activities and help the SAYA community make an impact for the younger generation. I love being part of this hardworking team because it has allowed me to experience many different things, and helped improve my leadership skills.”