When God calls someone by name, he also reveals to the person his vocation, his plan of holiness and fulfilment, through which the person becomes a gift to others and is made unique[…]Dear young people, to be called by name is, therefore, a sign of our great dignity in the eyes of God and a sign of his love for us. (Pope Francis)
(Postrervalle, Bolivia) – With the slogan: “Witnesses of the Redeemer, In Solidarity for Mission to a Wounded World” the Redemptorist Vocational Youth Meeting of the Province of Bolivia took place from July 2 to 7. About 200 young people came from different parishes where Redemptorists are present in Bolivia and some priests also accompanied delegations and also seminarians. We have chosen a secluded place, a community that does not have a priest for pastoral care, but is served by a family of lay Salesians from the “Matogroso” Movement.
The following themes were dealt with during the gathering: Vocation, Redemptorist Identity, the Redemptorist Mission and the call made by Pope Francis to the young “Hagan lio” (make a mess), so that young people can renew the option for evangelization by becoming witnesses of the Redeemer, to know Christ more in their lives and to be formed in Christian values. This leads them to a greater and more serious commitment in their parishes, making them feel and discover the call of God with a caring heart for the mission. A big challenge for young people was to leave their mobile phones because we know that we are in a society where technology is above all and makes us deaf to God’s call, these days young people have turned off and delivered their phones in custody in order to fully enjoy and experience of this meeting with the Redeemer.
According to the theme, the work was carried out in groups in which everyone shared their experience of faith and of the Church. The songs, the dynamics, the joy, the prayer, the meditation, the testimonies, the reflection, the worship, the sacrament of reconciliation, the company of our Mother of Perpetual Help, and above all the Holy Eucharist were the essential spiritual food for every youth who participated in this meeting.
We hope that these days were moments of faith, of joy, of commitment, but above all of vocational discernment in each of the young people.
Fr. Juan Carlos Urzagaste U. CSsR
