From 3 to 5 January 2025, the Commission for Redemptorist Youth and Vocation Ministry (RYVM) Italy invited all young people between the ages of 18 and 35 to participate in a spiritual retreat in Ciorani, the first house founded by St Alphonsus precisely to welcome all young people who felt the need to retreat and meditate on the Word and their spirituality.
Fr. Daniele Carta preached the retreat with the help of Fr. Vincenzo Loiodice, Fr. Gianluigi Colucci, and Laura Bonardi. Six young people from the Redemptorist communities of Francavilla al Mare, San Sperate and Rome participated.
This retreat had as its central theme the path the Magi took to go and adore the Child Jesus. We in our lives, like the Magi, at the irruption of God into our lives, too often feel disturbed and shaken by an event that does not fit into our plans. But God’s plans are different from ours! We have learnt from the Magi that we, too, must have the courage to set out and not let ourselves be frightened by events but follow our guiding star.
One of the activities proposed to us was a step-by-step walk about everything that prevents us from setting out on the path, about how we imagine that path and how we can free ourselves from the chains that limit us by entrusting ourselves to Him and surrendering to His will. And when the star of the comet disappears, and we cannot see it, it is precisely at that moment that we must find the strength to go deeper, not to become discouraged and to continue asking because He is there and will always be with us on the journey.
Then, like the Wise Men at the Bethlehem manger, we too prostrated ourselves, adored Him and opened the treasure chests of our hearts to Him. Each of us took home a comet and a treasure chest, with inside what we found most precious along the way and the knowledge of all that we have to give to Him.
‘The’Paradise of God is in the heart of man’ (S’ Alphonsus)
Valentina Nanni, Francavilla al Mare
