From January 31 to February 2, members of the ARY-JAR Cartago stage of the Romareda School of the Augustinian Recollects in Zaragoza lived a “vocational kerygma” meeting, with the aim of sowing vocational culture in these adolescents between 11 and 12 years old.
The Fray Luis de León complex of the Augustinians in Guadarrama, Madrid, has welcomed for a weekend a group of 33 members of the Augustinian-Recollect Youth (ARY-JAR) of the Cartago Stage of the Romareda High School of the Augustinian Recollects in Saragossa, whose main objective has been to sow vocational culture.
In September, during a meeting of those in charge of vocational pastoral care of the ministries of the Province, it was decided to promote the culture of vocations in the ministries and in their pastoral actions, and to organize a retreat based on the Vocational Animation Plan of the Augustinian Recollects.
The JAR Cartago group of the Romareda High School, called the Club of Restless Hearts, whose members have previously gone through the Tagaste and Madaura stages, has been chosen to have this meeting, coexistence and vocational retreat.
The objective was to receive the so-called “vocational kerygma”, the first announcement about what human vocation is and how to prepare for discernment and answer the great questions that support a conscious Christian life project: What am I called to be?
The person, upon receiving this announcement, understands that his or her life is not the result of chance, but the fruit of God’s love and creation. Every human being is unconditionally and definitively loved by God, and for that reason is also destined to love, he or she carries that mark within him or her.
Every life has a meaning that we must discover. In this context, personal freedom takes on a new understanding, our decisions are coordinated towards this objective: we love because we are loved, we are born from love and to love.
The JAR participated with great enthusiasm, because it was for them the second experience of retreat and coexistence as a small community, a new opportunity that unites them, encourages them and helps them to understand and know each other better.
The first day was about integration, for which the same experience of the trip and transfer was used. Upon arrival in Madrid, they visited the Almudena Cathedral, emphasizing one of the distinctive notes of the Recollect youth movement, the love for Mary, mother of Jesus. In Guadarrama, the different work groups were formed.
On Saturday, the main theme was “Sowing the encounter with Christ,” with two steps: “plowing” or preparing the land, that is, preparing the heart for a personal encounter with Jesus and knowing and loving silence as a previous process to inner listening; and then, “to sow,” that is, to carry out this living, personal and communal encounter with Jesus.
Each of these meetings used fun and joy as creative and educational resources. There was a gymkhana and a celebration of forgiveness to complete the program. The participants greatly appreciated the closeness and the atmosphere throughout the meeting.
The organizing team that accompanied these 33 members of the JAR was made up of three Recollect religious and two mothers, who made sure that everything was ready so that the young JAR could dedicate their time and motivation to better understand the vocational culture in a practical way in their lives.
