ARGENTINA, Carlos Eduardo Ferré. A celebration to commemorate the 1st Anniversary of Pope Francis’ pontificate was held at Colegio Máximo de San Miguel, the house where Jorge Bergoglio lived for a large part of his life. More than 250 people attended and of course there was a birthday cake and several important artists enlivened the celebration (see article at schoenstatt.org). Dr. Carlos Eduardo Ferré, one of the initiators of “Generation Francis” and of this event sent his impressions of this celebration to the editors of schenstatt.org.
The event on Saturday, March 15th, at Colegio Máximo was truly a success. It surpassed our expectations in many ways. For example, in the number of participants, there were more than 250. In the number of different institutions involved, there were more than twenty; and in the number of provinces from which the participants came– ten (Jujuy, Salta, Tucumán, Córdoba, San Luis, La Pampa, Santa Fe, Entre Ríos, Buenos Aires and the Capital). But basically for the expressions of congratulations and gratitude that we received at every moment and in the following days, from the participants, their willingness to join or to get more involved, their proposals, and the atmosphere of fraternity and joy that was experienced throughout the event.
People of God
Ninety-five percent of the participants were lay people and five percent were priests and religious. The great majority of the participants belong to organizations from the civil sector such as trade unions, social, cultural, sports organizations and those in solidarity, and from the political sector including government, city, provincial or national officials.
On this occasion, we decided not to invite “public personalities” with a media presence, to avoid that by-product of the press that would make it seem related to this or that sector.
To those who found out and came, we made it clear that they were on equal footing with the rest of the participants, and there would not be any protocol or order of precedence. A national senator, an ambassador, leaders from the General Confederation of Work from the Republic of Argentina, a mayor, a university rector, etc. attended under these conditions.
Not only with applause
I believe that the meaning of the gathering was understood: accompanying Francis not only with applause, but more importantly, with deeds, changing the course of our organizations, in the sense of his preaching and deeds and adopting his method of action and analysis of the reality from discernment.
Father Juan Jose Berli, S.J., Rector of Colegio Máximo (a position that Bergoglio once held) spoke precisely on this subject.
Before this, we projected a video with a message from Dr. Guzman Carriquiri, Secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America that was very well received. It is already posted on the Generacion-Francisco.blogspot.com website.
Culture of encounter – real and lived
The meeting began with the work commissions that dialogued about the culture of encounter, Francis’ challenge to the youths and their response, which is and how the Church becomes poor for the poor and others.
To cite just one example, one of participants had to leave early so he sent me a voice message, in which he provided his first impressions of the work commissions: “My parish priest, who participated in a commission dealing with the topic: “What is and how do we create a poor Church for the poor?” attended by about twenty-five people including Fr. Carlos Olivero (a priest who ministers in a slum), Eduardo González (a graduate from our DSI Master’s program), Sr. Adela Helguera, (a 77 year-old sister from Asuncion, who has been a militant since the 1970s, who up until very recently made inroads in the Misiones Province to defend the poor and was a constituency deputy when Bishop Piña confronted the governor, stating that he could not modify the constitution just so that he could be re-elected, a national senator, Negre de Alonso, (from San Luis) and a young man from Nueva Ciudadanía, among others. He admitted that he had left happy, that the dialogue within the work commission had motivated him greatly, and that this experience of encounter should be repeated.
Protagonists of change
The presence of Father Pepe Di Paola (presently an icon of the priests who work with the poor in the slums) on the panel, Dr. Re from RED SANAR (a voluntary organization that is dedicated to mental health and that has more than seventy-five centers throughout the country, Jorge Benedetti from the Tomas Moro (Thomas Moore Group) (our group), Gustavo Escobar from the Editorial Santa Maria (St. Mary Publishing House) along with two young people who are not yet thirty-years old (Nadia Bilat (Nueva Ciudadania), and Martin Palma – Proyecto unidad nacional (National Unity Project) was a very interesting combination with clear and diverse contributions.
A festive and joyful tone
The luncheon (tables had to be added) and the celebration with singers and guitarists, the birthday cake, the songs of “soccer fans” that the youths improvised and the “Happy Birthday” that was sung several times, gave the celebration a desired festive and joyful tone.
Win in the street
At the time for conclusions and proposals, commitments of repeating this event in cities in the interior were made, the young people committed to continue to place posters and street banners and paint walls with Francis’ phrases to “win the street” and to take Francis’ words to everyone, as they have been doing since January and also to continue gathering among the groups that were present (Nueva Ciudadnía, La patria al hombro, Patria Nueva, Agrupación Compromiso Mujica, among those that I remember) and convoking other new ones, to propose joint actions such as a campaign for first employment and work for youths.
The meeting began with a prayer by Francis and ended with the Mass that Bishop Fenoy celebrated in which he gave a beautiful homily about the Transfiguration, and the beauty and teachings of Francis.
Ultimately I believe that “Generation Francis” has established itself and is here to stay.
“Generation Francis” is a network of organizations and ecclesial and social institutions of all kinds, as well as of people who actively adhere to the innovative proposals of Francis’ pontificate.
Generation Francis on the Internet: http://generacion-francisco.blogspot.com
Contact: generacionfrancisco@gmail.com
Quien Es Francisco – Carlos Ferre.mp4 from schoenstatt org on Vimeo.
Photos
Original: Spanish – Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
