On May 10, 11, and 12, accompanied and helped by twenty volunteers, monitors, and advisors, the participants lived a space of spiritual growth and community meeting to move on to the next stage of JAR life.
For three days, in the Augustinian Recollects of Costa Rica Boys Town, 60 young people had the opportunity to live the Restless Heart Retreat, which is within the Itinerary of the Augustinian-Recollect Youth (JAR), the gateway for the Milan stage both for those who have completed the previous stages (Tagaste, Madaura, Cartago), as well as for those who want to join the JAR at this vital moment (14-17 years old).
The retreat consists of plenary meetings and varied activities focused on knowing, feeling, and deepening the personal and community experience of Augustinian thought and the Recollect charism.
Thus, topics such as the personal perception of others, love of and to God, the search for truth, the experience of community, and the mediating and witnessing role of Mary were discussed. Dynamics, games, and songs completed the schedule, with community experience and promoting friendship as fundamental values.
For example, a whole series of group games was organized in which each of the so-called “five notes of the Augustinian Recollect Youth” was better understood, that is, the “five adjectives” that best define the charism of the young Augustinian Recollect: Augustinian, communitarian, prayerful, missionary and Marian.
Each participant had to evaluate the level at which these five notes lived daily. A Eucharist and a sharing of what each one lived in this experience of faith served to close the retreat.
Now, it is expected that the participants will be able to bring the feeling of community and love of neighbor to their daily lives, helping and serving others, living more and better those charismatic notes. They were also invited to reinforce their testimony and show themselves as examples of joy and accompaniment to those who lived through the previous stages.
