On July 18, 1830 our Blessed Mother appeared to young Catherine to entrust her with a mission “to create an Association for the young people and the poor.” Today, 176 years later, Mother Mary is commending us with the same mission. The call to serve the youth and the most needy rings as loud as ever. Summer has come, vacation time for students in some countries. For VMY it is a time for encounters, camps and mission and service experiences. If wish that in the upcoming months all of us will have an opportunity to meet with others, to put into practice what we have learned throughout the year and share more time with others. I also hope that this time, when we change from our daily routine, we will also go out of dispersion, leaving behind outward appearance, our small concerns and an extremely self-centered life.
When many are trying take a break and enjoy, in concerning themselves in “something different,” we, believers must take this opportunity to focus on what is fundamental in order to have an intimate and profound contact, springing from our being: God. Vacations may also be a valuable time to reaffirm in our lives the primacy of the heart and of compassion. How beautiful it would be if during these months, each one of us will be able to give some of our time for others especially the poor! May it not be a time to lose or to burn but to give and receive, to live-out the same attitudes of Mary during the Visitation who “left with haste” to share the good news, “entered and greeted” Elizabeth, and “stayed with her for three months” rendering her service. (Lk. 1:39-40, 56) What are you thinking of doing these months, in order to live out these attitudes of Mary?
I invite you to know how to locate the encounters and service experiences in the mark of this catechetical process: as moments which allow us to reinforce what has been learned in the Local Centers, opening ourselves to the national and international realities and to know other young people who like us undertake this great adventure of following Jesus of Nazareth, in the Vincentian style.
As an Association, it is a grave error to offer a youth pastoral marked out only be events and encounters. Even worse, if these events only serve as “pastoral training” and does not present to the young people, clearly and openly, the Christian proposal. Let us not lose sight then during these months that the life and future of the Association is played in the Local Centers, in the periodic catechism, in moments of community prayer, in the frequent celebration and reception of the Sacraments, in the weekly service to the poor and in coherence with how each member live his/ her personal life project. Neither do we lose sight of the finality of our formation and encounters, “we are formed to serve and, sharing our gifts, we enrich ourselves mutually.” (AG – Paris 2005; Final Document 2: Formation.) Everything that we do in VMY must be translated into “productive actions in favor of the young people and the poorest of the poor.” (Final Document 1.2.1) Let us not lose sight of it!
Contemplating on Mary, let us leave in haste to share our faith with other young people; let us enter the house of the poor with hearts full of compassion, bringing the good news of our friendship and the love of God; and let us undertake efficient and creative service which allows us to make the Gospel effective. As St. Vincent says, “Let us love God, my dear brothers; let us love God, but it should be with the strength of our arms and the sweat of our brows.” (XI, 40) Only in living this way, will we make the Gospel believable for many.
Fr. Pedro Castillo, C.M.
VMY Sub-director General
Sor Asun García H.C.
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Tags: Youth
