Within the framework of the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Augustine and the World Day of Prayer for Vocations, the Colegio Fray Luis de León celebrated this 2023 vocational week with the main objective of expanding vocational culture in the educational community.
From April 24 to May 2, the educational community of the Colegio Fray Luis de León of the Augustinian Recollects in Querétaro (Mexico) programmed Vocational Week 2023, with events aimed at all its members: students of all levels, teachers, families, youth groups and young people in discernment.
The Preschool area was in charge of inaugurating the Week with the lively visit of Saint Augustine and Saint Nicholas of Tolentine, characters who shared smiles and hugs. One of the activities was the writing of a letter-invitation to the party, so that everyone could feel that their life next to God is a party that is lived together with others from joy.
The teachers and administrators of the College met that first day to participate in a Holy Hour of prayer for all the vocations of the Church.
During the week the students of all levels received special training appropriate to their age to invite them to decide to form, together with Christ, a life project that was also shared and lived together with the community. For this, all the materials, videos and reflections offered by the Province of San Nicholas of Tolentine and the Order of Augustinian Recollects were used, which were widely disseminated.
The Vocation Week closed with a Eucharist lived with great spirit and with the active participation of all those present. This participation was a constant throughout the Week, highlighting the mutual gratitude for the success of the initiative and the fruits obtained from reflection on planning personal life from the vocational culture.
III Vocational Discernment Meeting
Seventeen young people, some of them members of the Augustinian Recollect Youth (JAR), wanted to strengthen their vocational discernment and promote a spirit of fraternity and a sense of community life by participating in this gathering, within the framework of Vocational Week, which took place on April 28.
The guiding thread was the Augustinian Recollect Vocational Itinerary (IVAR), a vital and gradual process that leads to understanding oneself as a person, recognizing oneself as a member of society and committing oneself as a member of the Church.
A prayer at the beginning served to prepare the participants to let themselves be led and guided by the Holy Spirit. A dynamic followed in which the person of Jesus was shown as the rock and modular axis of the vital history of each one.
Recognition as a member of the ecclesial community was the next step, after God’s free call through baptism to participate in the Church in an active, joyful way and with a willingness to contribute and learn: a call to holiness and to give thanks for one’s own gifts to put them at the service of all.
Lastly, they discussed, reflected and prayed around the idea of group identity, Augustinian friendship and overcoming age or personality differences. This environment of sharing was present at all times, reinforced by common food and rest, leisure and sports activities.
