PARAGUAY, Maria Fischer with material from the bulletin of Fundación en Alianza •
On Saturday, 3 December, approximately 15,000 youths from all over Paraguay went on pilgrimage from Caacupé Major Seminary to Caacupé Minor Basilica to participate in the official opening of the Youth Triennium Bishop Ricardo Valenzuela, the bishop in charge of the Youth Ministry, and Bishop Pierre Jubinville, the bishop in charge of the commission of the triennium, celebrated Holy Mass.
The Youth Triennium, announced on the anniversary of Pope Francis’ visit to Paraguay, is a three-year period that the Paraguayan Church will dedicate to work preferentially with and for the New Evangelization of youths, in all areas of the Church and of society. This initiative emerges from the need to respond to the Church’s common lines of pastoral action: of prioritizing options for the youth.
Fundación en Alianza made an important contribution in this sense to the Diocese of Encarnación.
The world according to young people
All the representatives of the four deaneries of the Diocese of Encarnación (pastors, religious, representatives of ministries, movements) along with Bishop Francisco Javier Pistili Scorzara (a Schoenstatt Father) socialized, analyzed and reviewed the parish reality within the context of the Diocesan Assembly held Friday – Sunday, 11-13 November at the Centro de Formación y Retiro Santa Maria.
The ecclesial communion, Church mission, Evangelization, Catechesis, Training and education, Biblical Ministry and preaching, the (Diaconate) Service and the Liturgy were the big subjects discussed at the workshop, with a view of the 2017 pastoral mission. The main subjects were:
- Evaluation of Pastoral Year 2016.
- Proposal of a new Plan of Diocesan Ministry.
- Triennium for Youth.
Fundación en Alianza was in charge of a workshop about the Youth Triennium. Alejandro Cañete and Cristian Sosa focused on the following points: Understanding young people’s world, communication, and faith experience at this stage.
Based on these big subjects, more than 200 representatives from thirty-six parishes, chapels, ministries and diocesan movements shared proposals and very enriching contributions.
Forum for directors
The I FORO DE DIRECTORES “Educational Leadership” was also held in Encarnación for forty principals of parish schools. Francisco Montori, from Fundación en Alianza, facilitated: “The exercise, traits, and spheres of leadership.” The workshop concluded with a debate about the dimensions of pedagogical leadership. It was also an opportunity to share experiences and proposals for effective leadership in Catholic educational institutions.
Fundación En Alianza is a non-profit civil institution, created in 1991 by a group of independent professionals and businessmen who carry out tasks in different areas of social life, have felt called to collaborate in the transformation of the country through programs and educational projects that through the cultivation of values will be an influence to bring dignity to men and women in Paraguay.
Original: Spanish. Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA. Edited: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, Elgin, TX USA
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