From August 15 to 17, under the motto “Young pilgrims, light of Hope”, more than 100 young people from the different Redemptorist communities of Argentina, belonging to the Pedro Donders Province, gathered at the San Alfonso Community in Villa Allende, Córdoba.
Despite the difficult economic situation the country is going through, young people were able to participate from the communities of Salta, Tucumán, Villa Ángela (Chaco), Resistencia (Chaco), San Vicente (Misiones), Goya (Corrientes), Rosario (Santa Fe), Moreno (Buenos Aires), Bella Vista (Buenos Aires), Las Victorias (Buenos Aires), Quilmes (Buenos Aires), and La Plata (Buenos Aires).
They were accompanied by various confreres, Redemptorist Missionary Sisters, the PJVR Argentina Coordinating Team, and, within the framework of the Jubilee of Hope convoked by Pope Francis—of happy memory—as well as the jubilee year marking the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard, they lived through intense days of encounter, faith, prayer, mission, and celebration.
It is worth noting that, in the context of the restructuring process that our Congregation is undergoing, this was the first nationwide youth gathering carried out with the active coordination, work, and participation of nearly all the communities of the country (which previously belonged to the former Vice-Province of Resistencia and the Province of Buenos Aires).
The themes addressed, inspired by the motto that guides youth encounters across the countries of our Province, were: “In the digital continent, Pilgrims of Hope”: beginning with “the challenges of hope: risks of the digital culture”, followed by “Lights and opportunities of the digital culture”; “Hope: The adventure of becoming a saint”; “Light and hope in the pilgrimage of St. Gerard: contributions for the life of today’s youth”; and “Mary: young pilgrim, woman of Hope, believing and committed woman, who illuminates with her life and guides us toward the Light of Jesus”.
On the second morning of the Meeting, we also had the opportunity to put our charism into action by carrying out a missionary gesture in the Las Polinesias neighborhood, on the outskirts of Villa Allende, sharing with the members of the Holy Family Chapel and their neighbors.
Finally, to share in the words of some of the young participants: these were intense days of encountering Jesus, encountering our brothers and sisters, and sharing the joy of being Missionaries of hope.
Fr. Gonzalo Sotelo, CSsR.
By the PJVR Argentina Coordinating Team
