NUNTIA of the CM reports on World Youth Day

Two reports on Vincentian Participation In World Youth Day from the pages of NUNTIA of the Congrgregation of the Mission.XVII Celebration of World Youth Day – Toronto, 2002

Participation of Vincentian Youth. The XVII World Youth Day was celebrated in Toronto, Canada from 22-28 July. More than one million young people from 175 countries participated in this event. The Vincentian Family was represented by about 300 young people from 23 countries. This coming together of young men and women was coordinated by the International Secretariat of the Vincentian Marian Youth. Besides the different activities sponsored by the organizers of World Youth Day (Opening Mass, catechetics, concerts, celebrations of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, Stations of the Cross, Vigil Prayer Service, Closing Eucharist), our Vincentian youth celebrated two special events (23 and 25 July) in the parish of the Miraculous Medal in Toronto.

First, Fr. Maloney, Superior General spoke to the group about their role in the Church and in the world. Then Sr. Asunción García, D.C., member of the JMV International Secretariat, addressed the participants, encouraging them to deepen their commitment to the Vincentian project against hunger. Finally, Joseph Mueller, International Vice-President of the St. Vincent de Paul Society ended this Vincentian gathering by inviting the young people to move from words to action. It was obvious that the participants were proud to be part of an international and multi-cultural family.

The Holy Father invited all the young participants in this World Youth Day “to be sentinels for tomorrow.” The next World Youth Day will be held in Cologne, Germany in 2005.

Gathering of Young Adults. The Youth Committee of the Eastern Province of the United States, in collaboration with other Provinces of the Congregation of the Mission and the Daughters of Charity in the USA, organized a gathering of young adults at Niagara University (20-22 July).

This gathering of 140 young adults between the ages of 18 and 35 served to prepare about 80 of them for the gathering at World Youth Day. The theme of this gathering was “The Vincent Experience.” Fr. Thomas McKenna, Visitor of the Eastern Province, opened the meeting with a conference entitled “The Call.” Through different activities (prayer, reflection, group sharing, conferences, panel discussions, liturgy), the participants were able to reflect on their mission as young Vincentians and on their membership in the Vincentian Family. Ana Maria Escaño, a member of the International Secretariat of the Vincentian Marian Youth Group, gave a presentation about the work of this group. Fr. Maloney, the Superior General, closed this event with a conference “A Commitment to the Vincentian Mission,” in which he presented the young men and women with the challenges of the mission and exhorted them to see the mission as an integral part of their life.