Young Dawn 2022. Saint Rita's Parish. Manaus, the Amazon, Brazil.

The Parish of Santa Rita organized this event for young people from 15 to 26 years old that began on a Saturday at 9:30 PM and ended with the Sunday Eucharist at 6:30 AM in the morning. It took place between the sports pavilion of the Ruy Araújo School and the parish church itself.

Under the motto “Stay with us, Lord (Luke 24,29)”, around 60 young people between 15 and 26 years old participated in the first edition of the “Young Dawn” organized by the Saint Rita Parish of the Augustinian Recollects in the Cachoeirinha neighborhood of Manaus (Amazonas, Brazil).

The event began at 9:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 3, and ended with a parish mass at 6:30 a.m. During those nine hours there was a complete program that included animation dynamics, gymkhanas, group work, testimonies of life, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, the sung rosary of mercy, a moment of Marian spirituality and the Sunday Eucharist, which coincided with the first that the Parish offers on Sundays to its faithful.

In the sports pavilion of the Ruy Araújo School, next to the Parish, gymkhanas and recreational and entertainment activities were held: three-legged race, pass or review games, dodgeball…

The objective of the Madrugada Joven was to attract young people to a space and time in which they are accustomed to other types of entertainment, but in which it is also possible to experience fun in a community and spiritual way. The game, the laughter and the joy were mixed with the prayer, the blessing, the testimonies and the community experience of the faith.

Many parish groups collaborated to make the event possible. Many people prepared and decorated the environments, designed the dynamics and games, gave their testimony of life of faith or cooked to offer food and drinks to the participants during the night and a good breakfast in the morning.

Among these collaborating groups were the Encounter of Marriages with Christ (ECC), the Mothers who Pray for their Children Movement, the Friends of Saint Rita Project, the Vocational Ministry, the Welcome Ministry, the Confirmation catechists, the group of altar boys , the Liturgy Service, the Theotókos Community and the Pastoral Care of Communication.

Members of the Augustinian Recollect Youth (JAR) of the Manauara parish also participated in the preparation and execution of the event.

In the invitation video, the Augustinian Recollect Jesús Emmanuel Mendoza asked young people to approach the event with a joyful and participative attitude:

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“Hello guys! I am Fray Jesús from the Parish of Saint Rita and we have a very special invitation for all of you. In the early hours of Saturday, July 2nd to Sunday, July 3rd, the Young Dawn will take place with the theme “Stay with us, Lord.” We will start at 9:30 p.m. and end with Mass at 6:30 a.m.

During the night we will have several dynamics of prayer and praise and we will pray singing the rosary of mercy. You can’t miss it, don’t regret not participating. You can sign up after the masses or at the Parish Secretary. We count on all of you..