From Friday, January 27 to Sunday, January 29, seventy young people from the schools of the Augustinian Recollect Province of Saint Nicholas of Tolentine in Spain participated in a pre-JAR gathering organized by the youth and vocation ministry teams, at the Fray Luis de León de los Agustinos refugel in Guadarrama, Madrid.
Seventy students of Compulsory Secondary Education (ESO) from schools Saint Augustine de Valladolid, Romareda de Zaragoza and San Agustín de Chiclana de la Frontera (Cádiz) participated in a pre-JAR gathering organized by the religious responsible for vocation and youth ministry in Spain. The activity took place in the Fray Luis de León of the Augustinian complex in Guadarrama (Madrid), from 27 to 29 January.
The gathering focused on the truths of our faith following the guidelines of the post-synodal apostolic exhortation Christus Vivit of Pope Francis, which aims to give to know that God is Father, he is Son and he is Holy Spirit.
On Friday, they left their places of origin to reach Guadarrama, in the Madrid mountain range of the same name. The students from Chiclana de la Frontera had they had to get up early since they had to travel more than 600 kilometers. Nevertheless, they were the first to arrive. The students of the Romareda School in Zaragoza, 360 kilometers from Guadarrama, they were the second to arrive, and on this occasion it gave them time to get to know some emblematic places of the city of Madrid, for example, the Retiro Park, Gran Vía, the Plaza Mayor and the Plaza del Sol. Finally, the students of Valladolid, located 140 kilometers from the gathering center, they would incorporate the rest of the young people.
At eight thirty in the afternoon on Friday, with temperatures close to zero grade, all gathered -students, monitors-teachers, and Augustinian religious recollects animators of youth and vocation ministry-, the activities began with a group formation dynamic organized by two teachers from the Saint Augustine School de Chiclana de la Frontera: Laura Rodríguez and Blanca Espeda.
On Saturday, January 28, the first theme began: God is Love, directed by three religious of the San Agustín House of Formation in Las Rozas (Madrid): Randy Campos, Ednando Lima and Bernal Guerrero. Next, a space was opened for theatrical representation, listening and dialogue based on some biblical quotes about the love of God the Father introduced by a video about being a father.
Before lunch, despite the disadvantages of the very cold weather, a gymkhana, also organized by the young religious of the House of Formation Saint Augustine and then take a short walk to the center of Guadarrama.
After the meal, another vital message of the Christian faith was delivered: Christ is our savior. The topic consisted of a short explanation that highlighted the bondages of sin, and later the young people would divide into teams to continue deepening in knowing what are the ties that prevent them from being free, for, in their moment, offer them to Jesus Christ.
Then, the coexistence was animated with different games such as the game of the goose organized by fray Francisco Oyanguren and professors Raquel Díez and Ariana García around the experience of the community, to conclude the day with an hour of prayer and the opportunity to confess those who wanted it.
Sunday, the 29th, began with a youth prayer and games. Then there would be a third theme: The Holy Spirit gives us life, resistance and is a creator of communion, directed by the Augustinian Recollect Héctor Molina. This session sought to encourage young people to know and pray to the Holy Spirit who strengthens us and is a creator of unity in our family, school and friends.
The gathering concluded with a Eucharist presided over by Brother Francisco Oyanguren, in which each participant received the invitation to live, show and participate in the joy, letting simple things fill the heart, and valuing affection and love that makes people happier and, therefore, appear happier.
The participants said goodbye with the hope, for many of them, of seeing each other again in the next joint activity organized by the Vocation Ministry and youth: participation in the pilgrimage to Javier (Navarra) together with the whole Church, what happens each year during Lent.
