youth Tag

Posted On 02.02.2020In WYD Panama 2019

One year later

WYD2019PANAMA • “A year after celebrating this wonderful World Youth Day, we can say that this small seed has grown and is bearing much fruit.” So says José Ulloa Mendieta, Archbisop of Panama, underscording that one of the most important fruits is the renewal of pastoral ministry to young people.— “This renewal is centered on listening to what the youth are asking. We have held many diocesan assemblies, as well as the national assembly, where young people were able to contribute (…) At the parish level,” he recounted, “ecological groupsRead More
GERMANY, Jonas Glaser, Konstantin Schlosser, Benedikt Matt • Actually, it was already morning when the SMJ set its annual slogan for 2020: at 12:01 am sharp, after a long and intense debate, the 60 participants of the annual conference on Monday morning adopted the slogan “Forging the future in the glow of the founder”. — Along the dimensions of the work motto, #NEW FOUNDERS, the young men had prepared this decision since Boxing Day in lectures, forums, and workshops, and in addition to the intensive study of the role ofRead More
AUSTRALIA, Sr M. Rebecca • The Australian Catholic Youth Festival (ACYF) held every two years in a different city in Australia, is a chance for thousands of young Catholics (aged 15-25) to gather, encounter Jesus and celebrate their faith. This year, the city of Perth, Western Australia was chosen to host ACYF 2019 with the theme: ‘Listen to what the Spirit is saying’. We prepared to welcome 5,500 youth nationwide from Sunday, December 8 to Tuesday, December 10. — The ACYF Expo, with more than 80 stalls, comprising of participating Catholic agencies, organisations, religious orders, ecclesial movements and allRead More

Posted On 02.12.2019In Synod 18

The Now of God

VATICAN, Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life  • “Young people are the heirs of a great past, the bearers of a great present, and the builders of a great future.” This paraphrase of Fr. Joseph Kentenich, the founder of the Apostolic Movement of Schönstatt, was the guiding theme of the intervention which the Secretary of our Dicastery, Fr. Alexandre Awi Mello, gave while participating via Skype in the twentieth Latin American Pastoral Youth Meeting, which was held  November 18 – 23 in Peru.— Taking as his starting point the heritageRead More
PARAGUAY, Ricardo Acosta • Gratitude, joy, amazement, emotion – the closing ceremony for Cristian, a youth who successfully completed the program of Casa Madre de Tupãrenda (CMT), was marked by great emotions. Emma N., who had hired him to work in the Morel supermarket, where he had completed his internship and then was then allowed to stay the same to work as a baker, was there with him. — In the presence of his loved ones and his godfather Don Pepi (José) Cosp, Cristian was thankful for the support heRead More
SOUTH AFRICA, Tapiwanashe Manhombo • When my dear sister Evadne told me to save the date for the celebration of the feast of the Assumption in Lansdowne, I hadn’t put much thought into it. In my mind, this was going to be another one of those great days where we get to gush about Mother Mary – it would be beautiful but ultimately another one of those routine celebrations. Or so I thought… — I arrived almost an hour before the ceremony began. This gave me time to take inRead More
PARAGUAY, Ricardo Acosta and Maria Fischer • “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,” said Fr. Pedro as he poured the water over the head of one of the participants of the youth social reintegration program at CMT (Casa Madre de Tupãrenda), who received the sacrament of baptism, a sign of the new life and the mercy of the Triune God. — His name is Antonio*. His godmother Magdalena is the sewing instructor. Far away, in Europe, he has other sponsors, whoRead More
COSTA RICA, María José González • A few days ago I was asked to write something for the Schoenstatt website about the Opening Day of the Aliados [Girls’ Youth] in Costa Rica. I was touched that they asked me for this and I spent a lot of time thinking about what to write. I decided that right now, the most beautiful thing that we Costa Ricans can show the Schoenstatt family is the impact that Ignis and Hineni have had on our youth. — Undoubtedly, Ignis and Hineni are aRead More
BRAZIL, Leonardo Rodrigues • On Sunday 16 June 2019, the Schoenstatt Boys Youth (JUMAS) in Guarapuava celebrated their twentieth anniversary, a reunion that touched the hearts of all who attended the celebrations. An encounter of the founding and new generations. It was an indescribable moment for the younger members to see the tears of nostalgia and the smiles on the faces of those who once had the experience of being JUMAS.— A short history Some say 20 years is such a short time, others say it’s an eternity. For us,Read More
CHRISTUS VIVIT, editors • For the sixth consecutive year, the Colombian Episcopal Conference has organized in Bogota, Colombia, the National Congress of Vocational Pastoral Ministry.— The Congress entitled “Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment”, the theme of the last Synod of Bishops on Youth, took place from June 17 to 20 to promote a message of hope offered to those who animate, accompany, and joyfully choose to engage in the following of the Lord Jesus. Father Alexandre Awi Mello, I.Sch., Secretary of the Dicastery, participated in the event by sending aRead More