On 9, 10 and 11 January 2026, the Redemptorist Youth and Vocation Ministry (RYVM) of the Europe South Province enjoyed a meaningful time of meeting, dialogue and shared discernment.
On 9 January, the Provincial Commission of RYVM met with the Redemptorists responsible for the Spanish area of the Province. The meeting was held at the Community of the Most Holy Redeemer in Madrid, to whom we are sincerely grateful for their welcome and hospitality. It was a day marked by attentive listening and a peaceful exchange of experiences, where it was possible to share the different realities of youth ministry already underway in the Province, as well as the first steps of new initiatives that are beginning to take shape, especially in view of the 300th anniversary of the birth of St. Gerard Majella.
Fr. Daniele Carta, coordinator of the Provincial Commission for RYVM, and Fr. Massimiliano Guardini, provincial consultor, participated in this first day, accompanying the dialogue and helping to situate pastoral reflection within the common path of the Province.
Following this first meeting, on 10 and 11 January, a meeting of the extended RYVM team for the Spanish area was held, coordinated by Fr. Guillermo Rejas, member of the Provincial Commission for that area. In addition to the Redemptorists, young representatives from various communities also participated.
These days were equally fruitful. The shared work, reflection, and dialogue were experienced in an atmosphere of communion, placing Christ and the Gospel at the centre and strengthening unity as the starting point for mission. In this context, future pastoral proposals with young people began to take shape and be defined, such as Easter meetings, the summer youth mission, and other initiatives that seek to respond creatively and faithfully to the Redemptorist charism, to the current challenges of youth ministry, and to the social reality in Spain.
This meeting confirms, once again, the shared desire to continue walking together as a Province, listening to reality, caring for processes, and going out on mission with and for young people, from the richness of our communities and the power of the Gospel.
Fr. Javier Arenal Pardo, CSsR
