viator web 61 en

8/13/2019 Viator Web 61 En

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4/18

Inordertosupportthe lifeofallthosegroups,theSPLpublishes,fivetimesayear,anewsletter

aboutSPL life,aswellasareflectionreview,theKhaoua,whichmeansfraternity.Additionally,

the SPL offers training and reflection sessions in preparation for the seasons of Christmas and

Easter.AWebSitewillbeestablishedin2014.

Overandaboveallthat,theSPLexperiencemakesitpossibleforustoaffirm,withoutanyfear,that

youngpeople

of

today

have

alife

ideal

that

it

devolves

upon

us,

as

educators,

to

support,

develop,

andhelptocometofullfruition.Accordingtocertainpeople,thenotionoflongtermcommitment

isperhapslessvisible,butyearafteryearwefindyoungpeoplewhocontinuetobelieveinlife;to

beconcernedaboutwhatishappeningintheworld;tofighttodefendthedignityofallpeople;to

standup,throughtheiractionsandtheirattitudes,tocontributetoaworldthatisbetterandthat

reflectsGospelvaluesfortoday.Thoseyoungpeoplerecognizethepotentialforteamworkanddo

nothesitate to reachout toothers.Themarvelouspartofourexperience is thatweoftentimes

meetupwithformermemberswho,basedupontheirexperiencesintheSPLandintheCampsfor

the Future, have themselves become educators (teachers, school life leaders, educational

psychologists,directorsofeducationalinstitutions,andsoforth),personswhoareinvolvedingrass

roots

movements

and/or

in

organizations

for

the

defense

of

human

rights,

the

protection

of

the

environment,andsoforth.Thoseyoungadultsactwiththeconvictionthatitisbyworkingtogether

thatwewillchangetheworld,whichisanotherwayofsayingthatunityamongusisessential.

Thus,theSPL isproudtoaffirmthatmanyoftheseyoungpeoplehavesustainedoneanother in

learningaboutmeaningfulvaluesfortodaysworld,especiallythepoor.Accompanyingsuchgroups

of youngpeoplenaturally requiresa gooddealofpatience thepatienceof theeducatorwho

plantsandtillswithconfidence.But,evenmoreso,teamleadershiprequiresaqualityofleadership,

a concern for genuine commitments, a lifewitness of committedwomen andmenwhomove

forwardwithtotalhopefulness,whoarejoyful,whobelieveinthecreativeandliberatingcapacities

ofeachperson.

Tohavestoodtallforfiftyyearsthatisthereasonforourjoy!Letusadvance!Letuslove!Letus

live!

LandreDugal,c.s.v.

MarcAntoineParent,

SPLPresident

ThePresidentandtheConcilofHait


5/18

ViatorianYouthCongress

BartonHisgen AnthonyGugino

The ideafortheViatorianYouthCongressbegan in2009,whenmembersof

the provincial vocation team serving in parish and campus ministry

throughoutthemajorministerialsitesintheUnitedStatesdecidedthatthe

youthandyoungadultswithwhomtheyservedwouldbenefitfromagreater

understandingoftheViatoriancharismaswellasfromdirectcontactwithone

another. In 2010, the inaugural Viatorian Youth Congress took place near Chicago, bringing

together more than seventy teenage delegates and young adult leaders for a fourday

conferencetolearnabout,discuss,anddeepentheirgraspoftheCatholicfaithandhowthey

canbetterservetheViatorianmission.

ThestructureforeachcongressisprovidedbythecoreaspectsoftheViatorian

charism:namely,

liturgy,

prayer,

and

social

justice.

During

the

congress,

professedViatoriansofferreflectionsonhowtheViatoriancharismguidesus

in celebrating, deepening, and living our faith. Each presentation is

conversationalinstructureandisfollowedbysmallgroupgatherings.

Thisexchangeof ideasenriching forboth thedelegatesand theViatoriansenhancesour

understanding of the Viatorian charism as dialogue develops between Viatorians and the

delegates.

The prayer services and Masses at the four Viatorian Youth Congresses are among the man

highlights. They were all sopowerful, inpart due to the music, theprayerful tone setfrom th

beginningofeachservice,andtheopennessoftheassemblygatheredtoparticipate()Ithelpsgiv

thefirsttimedelegatesthechancetoputthewholeViatorianpuzzletogether.

Anthon

J'ai t un tudiant de l'cole SaintViateur pendant 10 ans et je n'avais aucun

connaissancedesViateursavantquejeparticipemonpremiercongrs(...)Nousattribuon

unejournechaqueaspectdelamissiondesViateurs:eucharistie,prire,justicesociale.J

peuxmaintenantdirequejenesavaispascequtaientlesViateursetencoremoinsqu'ilss

proccupentdes

gens

qui

sont

laisss

pour

compte.

Ils

sont

des

ducateurs

qui

cheminen

aveclesjeunessurleurparcoursducatifainsiqueceluideleurfoi.

Anthon


6/18

Each congress is comprised of delegations of teenage delegates and adult delegation leaders,

youngadultleadersandyoungadultcoordinators,youngadultmusicleaders,andanassortmentof

Viatorianassociates,brothers,andpriests.Animatingthecongressisasharedresponsibility.

Youngpeople thesedays are looking for aChurch thatwill take theirhopes, fears, anddreams

seriouslyandthatwilljourneyalongsidethemastheylive,celebrate,anddeepentheirrelationship

with

Jesus

Christ.

WorkingwithyoungpeopleasksthatwebecometravellingcompanionsoftheyoungintheChurch

as they learn to hear Gods voice in their lives and to respond through prayer, service, and

commitmenttoacommunityoffaith.

My leadershipskillshave improved throughattending theViatorianYouthCongress. Ihave

metotheramazing leaderswhohavetaughtmehowtobeagood leader()Ihavegained

invaluableexperienceasamusic leaderat theViatorianYouthCongressasacantor,choir

member,andpianist.

Anthony

InwhatwaywouldyousummarizetheimpacttheViatorianYouthCongresshashadonyour

growthasaCatholic?

TheViatorianYouthCongress ismuchmore thana retreat. ItconnectsViatoriandelegates

fromacrossthecountryandallowsthemtoenterintocommunitywithoneanother,muchas

theViatorianCommunitydoes,whetherona localoraprovincial level.TheViatorianYouth

Congressisasteppingstoneforyoung leaderstocomeintoandtoexperiencetheViatorian

Community inanewwaythattheyarenotusedto.TheyemergefromtheViatorianYouth

Congress as Viatorian youth leaders equippedwith the knowledge and the confidence to

spread themission and charism of theViatorianswherever they go in life. True, genuine

friendshipsthat lastforyearsemergefromtheViatorianYouthCongress.The impactofthe

ViatorianYouthCongressgoesfurther than thewallsof theViatorian institutions that the

delegates and young adult leaders represent. The impact of theViatorian YouthCongress

stays in theheartsof those involvedfor life,justas theViatorianmissionandcharismwill

continuetoliveonstronglyforyearstocome.

Antonin


7/18

CommunityofPreparationforLife(CPL)

IvoryCoastRegion

SergeKouakou,c.s.v.

As ineveryCatholicActionmovement,theCPLhas itshistory.TheCPLbeganwithseveralyoung

peoplewho, in thecontextof thecrisisof faithamongyoungCanadians,askedBrotherLandre

Dugal tobe their spiritualguide.Faithhadbeen relegated to thebackgroundoreven tonon

existence.ThoseyoungpeoplecametogetherregularlywithBrotherLandretoreflectonthestate

of theChurchandof society.Thuswasborn the youngpeoples club.Given thebreadthof the

situationandtheimportanceofthereflectionsaboutlife,thatclubwouldgrowandlaterbecomea

CatholicActionmovementunderthetitleofServiceofPreparationforLife,theobjectiveofwhich

wastoformChristianscommittedtopersonalandcommunitylifeprojects,aswellastoeffortsto

bringabout

anew

society.

To

attain

those

objectives,

the

SPL

and

the

CPL

must

re

read

for

today

thefaithfuldeedsdescribed intheActsoftheApostles(2:4247).Thattext isthefoundation,the

rockuponwhichthemovement isbuilt.ThefirstGeneralCouncil(19671970)wouldbecomethe

GeneralAssembly.Alsotobenotedwasthebirthofthefirstgroupofyoungwomen.Between1970

and1976,themovementgrewbothinQubecandinotherplaces.Between1984and1988,new

teamswerecreated inAfricaand inHaiti.In1994,theSPLcametolifein

the Ivory Coast and took the title of Community of Preparation for Life

(CPL).

TheSPLwould thenexpandaround theworld,especially in thoseplaces

wheretheCongregationoftheClericsofSaintViatorwas found.Wecan

notethat

Brother

Landre,

founder

of

the

SPL,

is

aCleric

of

Saint

Viator.

TheViatorians,therefore,assumedownershipofthismovement inorder

tohelpitattainitstarget:youngpeople.Itwaswithinthatframeworkthat

themovement came to birth in the Ivory Coast,more precisely in the

ScholasticateinAbidjan.ThefirstdirectorswereFatherCarlosOrdunaand

exBrotherJosephKoua(whoisnowinArgentina).BrotherJosephwoulduseacoregroupofcamp

participants,aswellasseveralViatorians.Sincethatdate,themovementhasexpandedacrossthe

IvoryCoast,withteamstobefoundinHolyFamilyParish,OurLadyofTendernessoftheGulf,Our

Ladyof the Incarnation,SaintViatorSchool inBouak, theMunicipalityofBouak,SaintCharles

Lwanga School in Ferk, the Academy of Ferk, Saint Viator School in Abidjan, aswell as the

reconstitutedteam

at

Saint

Viator

Scholasticate

in

Bonoumin.

Atthepresenttime,thereremainscarcelyfiveteams,allwishingto live intenselythepreceptsof

thePrimitiveChristianCommunity.TheIvoryCoastwouldadoptthenameCPLratherthanSPL.

Today,themovementrespondstothesameobjectivesasatthebeginning,whileatthesametime

taking intoaccount thecurrent realitiesofourworld.Themovementsobjectivesareconstantly

updatedandreenergized.


8/18

Themovementisstructuredinthefollowingway:

- GeneralAssembly (composedof theGeneralExecutiveBoardandall themembersof theSPL/CPL.

- Regions(theIvoryCoastconstitutesaregion,composedofaRegionalExecutiveBoardandallthemembersoftheregion).

- CPLZones(composedofanofficeandallthemembersofthezone).- CPLTeam(composedofanofficeandallthemembersoftheteam).

Throughitsleadership,ateamsuggestsreflectiontopicsandcommitmentprojectsbaseduponthe

generalthemeoftheyearproposedbythemembersoftheGeneralAssemblyoftheSPLandupon

thesubthemesdevelopedby theCPLRegionof the IvoryCoast.Thiscommitmentproject is the

placewhere adults and young people learn to act uprightly and to celebrate life. All of that is

necessarily found in the activity programs conceived by each team,who also develop different

leadershipstyles(stories,games,songs,conferences).

Itsspecificmissionistoformuprightwomenandmenwhochooselife,unity,andcommitmentina

societyinwhichallwillberecognizedandwillbeabletoflourish.

Youngpeopletodayaremoretakenupwiththedifferentconcernsofdaily lifeand,attheriskof

theirownlives,arereadytodoanythingtoassuretheirlivelihood.Thatsituationattimesreflects

ignoranceaboutourbeliefsandourreligiouspractices.OnecouldsaythatGodisrelegatedtothe

background.

Workingwithyoungpeople involvesmanydemandsandconstraints.Firstandforemost,wemust

understandwhatyoungpeoplearelivinginordertohelpthemcontinuelivinguprightlives.

BrotherLandreDugal,c.s.v.,

SPL/CPL

Founder


9/18

Workingattheirsidedemandsthatapersonbehumble,patient,young,charitable,andgenuine

NorbertZongo,

c.s.v.

Called upon to contribute to this issue of VIATOR WEB, which deals with young people andespeciallywiththeyouthmovementsinwhichViatoriansareinvolved,itisaschaplainoftheSaint

Viator School Group (SVSG) and therefore, more exactly, as the coordinator of those

movementsthatIamgoingtotrytoprovideapanoramicview.Besidestheeducationalactivities

oftheViatoriansintheclassicaleducationalsystem,BurkinaFasoViatoriansarepresentwithyoung

people

through

Catholic

Action

movements

and

other

groups.

Those

movements

exist

as

parts

of

Viatorian apostolicworks (schools andparishes).And there areothermore specificmovements

thatarefoundinotherplaces.ThosemovementsfoundinallCatholicschoolsaretheYCSandthe

YPEM. The other movements or groups found in Viatorian schools,

especiallyinBurkinaFaso,areScouting,SPL(ServiceofPreparationforLife),

BG (BibleGroup,aProtestantmovement),AMSBF (AssociationofMuslim

Students of Burkina Faso, a Muslim movement), the Green Brigade of

Friends of the Environment, and the Voice of the Viatorian (school

newspaper). I will be content with briefly presenting the first two

movements:theYCSandtheYPEM.

YCS

ThismovementiscalledtheYoungCatholicStudents.Itwascreatedsometimebetween1928and

1935.Thismovementcame forth from theCAFYP (CatholicAssociationofFrenchYoungPeople)

andtheYCW(YoungChristianWorkers)ofBelgianBishopJosephCardijn.Atthattime,aneedwas

felttobecomeinvolvedinsocietyinthenameofonesfaith.ButtheYCSdifferedinitsperception

that the timeof studieswas life itselfand that the culture received in schoolhadmadeus into

people living toomuch in the abstract. Thus, the YCW provided a sense of the real and of the

concrete.Its

mission

would

be

to

act

in

the

present

according

to

the

action

pedagogy

of

seeing,

judging,andactinginordertochangethingsinscholasticandstudentsettingsand,attimes,even

beyond that scope. Its spirituality fallswithin the social teachings of the Catholic Church. It is

structuredinteamsondifferentlevels:parochial(withramificationsinprimaryschools,secondary

schools, and universities), diocesan, national, and international. Its African headquarters are in

Nairobi, Kenya,while the international headquarters are in Paris,where a Burkina Faso priest,

FatherPaulTiga,isthedirector.Thismovementstrivestoformcitizenswhoareresponsible,critical,

and involvedaccording to itseducationalplan,which includes subjects that areasnumerous as


10/18

theyarediverse(social,technical,andspiritual).Itsactivemembersaredenominatedasbeginners,

cadets,andseniors.Aftertheirownyearsoftraining,YCSmembersarecapableoftrainingothers,

ofworking innetworkswithothergroupsororganizations,ofevangelizing,andofparticipatingin

internationalmeetings.Aftermuchthoughtandstudy,theYCShasgonethroughanevolutionto

suchapointthat,fromoncebeinganintenselylivedChristianity,itisreproachedtodayforhaving

verylittleinterestinthingsspiritual.

YPEM

Bornneartheendofthenineteenthcentury,theYoungPeoplesEucharisticMovementappeared

inBurkinaFasointheearly1950s.Itsgoalistoformapostlesbytrying,fortodayandforthefuture,

toawakenamongitsmembersazealfortheapostolateoftheChurch,especiallyCatholicAction.

SimilarlytotheYCS,theYPEMdrew its inspirationfromtheApostolateofPrayerand fromthe

EucharisticCrusade in the contextof awar inwhich itwasnecessary topray for children, for

combatants,andforpeace.Themovementsmottois:Pray,ReceiveCommunion,MakeSacrifices,

BeAnApostle.Themovementisenlivenedwiththeconvictionthatthesoulofeveryapostolate is

theEucharist,throughwhichChristmakeshimselfpresenttomenandwomensothattheywilllive

byhim

and

make

him

to

be

known

and

loved.

YPEM

members

are

divided

up,

by

age,

into

three

sections:NewFire(primary),YoungerWitnesses(secondary),andOlderWitnesses(advanced).Since

1974,there isalsoasection foryoungpeopleattending institutionsofhigher learning.This isan

apostolicteamthatwelcomesallofthosewhowishtocontinuelivingaccordingtothespiritofthe

movementandwhomakeaChristiancommitmentinthismovementorelsewhere.Then,in1975,it

becamepossibletowelcomeparents(fathersandmothers)intotheworldwidestructure.

Thesetwomovements,whicharegenuineschoolsof life,arewellorganizedwithanappropriate

educationalplanhaving theGospelas itscommonpointof reference.Thechallengesare similar

andare referred toas: reenergizing, recruiting, faithfulness to theoriginal intuition, spirituality,

and financialautonomy, theabsenceofwhichsometimesobliges thesemovementstosubmit to

thedemandsor thevisionsof theirdonors.Nonetheless, there isa renewed interestamong the

younginScouting,whosetrainingandeducationalmethodsaredemandingandsevere.

Todaysyoungpeoplearenolongersatisfiedwithafewthings.Theyareaheadoftheirageandof

theirtime.Sincetheyareinterestedineverything,workingamongthemrequiresaformationthat

isboth solidandvaried.Even though theyareyoung, theyareoverflowingwithspiritual, social,

economic, and political questions. Thus,working alongside of them demands that a person be

humble,patient,young,charitable,andgenuine. Inaword, theyexpectthosewhoaccompany

themorwhoaretheirelderstobecoherent intheirwordsand intheirdeeds.That iswherethe

proofoftheircredibilitycomesintoplay.


11/18

GROUPOFORIENTATIONFORLIFE(GOL)

JosCarlosGmez,ViatrorianReligious

IDENTIFICATION

The GOL is a young peoples association with human and Christian dimensions that aims at

completingtheeducationaltaskofSaintViatorSchoolinValladolid,Spain.

Thisassociationwasbornabouttwentyfiveyearsagothroughtheintermediaryofwhatwasthen

theVocationOrientationGroup(VOG).

Concretely,theassociationsgoalistohelpeachyoungpersoninhis/herpersonalgrowthaccording

toGospelvalues.

By educating them to actively participate in the Church, we also wish to train children, pre

adolescents, adolescents, and young people to have a Christian presence in

society.

This educational association is legally recognized by the CastillaLen Regional

Council.

GENERALOBJECTIVE

Toorientateeachyoungpersontodiscoverhis/herhumanandChristianvocation.

OBJECTIVESBYLEVELS

PRIMARY:discoveryofthegroupandoffriendship.

JUNIOR HIGH: relationship between faith and culture according to Jesus style and in

relationshipwiththeworldsotherstyles.Constructionofonespersonalityinreferenceto

JesusandhisGospel.

HIGHSCHOOL:discoveringandanalyzingthesocialrealityandtakingapositionwithrespect

tothatreality.ProgressiveinvolvementinthegeneralactivitiesoftheGOL,as,forexample,

theLeadershipandServiceVolunteers(LSV).

UNIVERSITY:drawingupatrainingplan:coursesformonitorsandpersonalaccompaniment.


12/18

ACTIVITIES

Personalaccompaniment Highschoolcampaigns

Weeklymeetingofthegroup Commonmeetings

Timesofprayer Summercamp

Liturgicalcelebrations Occasionaloutings

LOGO

Thelogospeakstousofalightthatenlightensusandthat,atthesametime,isourhorizon.

ThelogospeakstousaboutaGOLgroupthatweareallconstructingamongourselves,witheach

person contributing his/her talents, personality, and gifts. Each person has an indispensable

character;withoutyou,thegroupwouldnotbethesame!

Thelogo

speaks

to

us

about

active

hope

(the

color

green)

and

about

the

light

that

enlightens

us

(thecoloryellow).

Finally,thelogoindicatesourwillingnesstoattainourobjective,toaccompany,todiscern,andthe

makegoodchoicestheorientationofoneslife.

OtherInvolvementswithYoungPeopleinSpain

TheLiturgicalGroupatSaintViatorSchoolinMadrid.OrganizesaEucharisticLiturgyforyoungpeopleonSaturdayafternoons.

AgroupofyoungadultsatSaintFelixofVillaverdeParishinMadrid.Inadditiontomeetingtoevaluatetheirlives,theyprovidedifferentservices

intheparish.

TheCRYSTALgroupatSaintViatorSchoolinVitoria.SomefortyyoungpeopleareaccompaniedintheirhumanandChristiangrowth.

AgroupofcommittedyoungpeopleatourFatimaSchoolinMadrid.Objective:todevelopasocialmethatismeaningfulandthatfacilitates.


13/18

MovementsforYoungPeopleinJapan

GatanLabadie,c.s.v.

WemustrememberthatJapanisanonChristiancountryandthatscarcelyonepercent(1%)ofthe

population isCatholic.Schoolsrunbyreligiousmenandwomenarenot forCatholics,even ifwe

callthemCatholicMissionSchools. Inourschool,whichhas1,350students,thereareonlyabout

twenty Catholics. Our schools are therefore places for spreading the Gospel. Almost all of the

CatholicMissionSchoolsprovidereligionclassesonehourperweek.And,atourschool,thereare

manydifferentreligiousceremonies:Massestocelebratethefoundingofourschoolandforthose

whohavedied(teachers,parents,alumni,andsoforth);theexhibitsetupbytheCatholicsatour

culturalfestival;theannualconferencegivenbyaCatholicmanorwoman;ourChristmaspageants,

inwhichmorethanfivehundredstudentsparticipate,withoutcountingthe1,500intheaudience;

morningprayer

for

all

of

those

who

wish

to

participate;

weekly

prayers

and

conferences

given

by

theschoolsdirectortoallthestudents;andnumerousChristianactivitiesafterschoolonThursdays.

Those activities are directed by Viatorians (religious and

associates)andbyseveralnonChristianteachers.

This year,we are offering eighteen different extracurricular

activities after school on Thursdays.Among those, we can

mention catechism classes and charitable activities such as:

visitingseniorcitizenresidences,collectingstampstobesold

forthebenefitofthepoor,preparingBrailleeditionsofbooks

forpeople

with

vision

problems,

organizing

social

groups

for

Catholics,andsoforth.

It is said that,owing towhat isdone inCatholicMissionSchools,more than seventypercentof

thosewhobecomeCatholicdosobecauseoftheCatholicschools.Theseedissownandwecansay

that, even though they are not Christians, our graduates are imbuedwith a Christian way of

thinking.

BecauseoftheBuddhistandShintotraditions, itisverydifficulttoconverttoanotherreligion.At

thepresenttime,alargenumberofJapaneseareBuddhistinnameonly,whichisperhapsaremote

preparationforafutureharvest.

Insofarasourparish is concerned, religion classesaregiven for theyoung,but it isnoteasy to

gatherthemtogether,sincetheymustoftentimesbeginpreparingtoenterthebestschoolsand,in

ordertodoso,musttakethespecialpreparatoryclassesthataregivenonSaturdaysandSundays

inpreparatoryschools.

HereinJapan,allstudentsbelongtosportingorculturalclubs,withmeetingsandpracticesessions

takingplaceafterschool.Alltheteachersareresponsibleforoneormoreclubs.Itisthereforevery


14/18

difficulttobringstudentstogetherforotheractivities.SaturdaysandSundaysarethedayswhen

the greatestnumberofpractices and/or games takeplace.Wehave tried toorganizeweekend

camps,buttheonlytimewhenwecanbringstudentstogetherisafter6:00P.M.onSaturdayorat

noontimeonSunday,providedthatotheractivitiesand/orgamesarenotscheduled.

Wemustthereforesaythat,whenweareinanonChristiancountry,ourmostimportanttaskisto

bebearers

of

the

Word.

For

that

reason,

we

can

say

that

we

do

try

to

hold

our

own

through

all

the

religion classes for students, Bible study classes, and preparation classes forBaptism and other

sacramentsthataregiventoadults.


15/18

TheViatorianYouthMovement

ClaudeRosSaveda,c.s.v.

TheViatorianYouthMovementcametobirthastheresultofthepastoralinculturationeffortsofa

numberofViatorianswhowanted to respond to theworldof the young through their creative

proposals.Thebirthofthismovementisthefruitofaprocessthatwentthroughanumberofsteps.

Atthebeginning,itwasstrictlyareligiousvocationsprogrampromotedbyFatherValentnIzarde

la Fuente. Later, Father Jos Luis Iturriaga and other religious contributed to its expansion,

especially throughgroupsofcommunities foryoungmenandwomen, the identityofwhichwas

inspired by those of the Viatorians. In fact, the process was structured as a movement that

facilitatedthemorespecific formationofChristian leaders.Allof thatconstitutesthe fruitofmy

reflectionsandworkattheCatholicPontificalUniversityofChile.Mycontributionwastotakewhat

alreadyexistedandtoreshapeitintoitsnewform.

Thus,wecansaythatitwasallthereligiousintheViadelMarcommunity

whowere the true founders of thismovement andwho, during a given

periodof time, at the SanAntonio Parish School,maintained an apostolic

spiritandaconstantconcernfortheyoung.Historically,themovementwent

forthfromViadelMartotheotherViatorianapostolicworks.

Atthepresenttime,theViatorianYouthMovementhasthesamestructure

aseveryotherapostolicmovement,whichmeansthatthereisahierarchy(a

religious councilmember, general coordinators, leaders, and so forth) on

different levels according to the ages and maturity of themembers. Its

formationprocess

is

very

structured.

Thisisamovementthat,whilestrivingtoprovideChristianformationinlife

andforlife,isawayofbeingChurchthatparticipatesinthemissionofevangelization.

Thisisamovementthatraisesupnewresponsestoyoungpeoplesproblems.Bornoutoflife,itis

nourished by amystique that is incarnated in those concrete personswho generate a special

dynamicinordertoconfronttheworldwithitschallengesanditsinvitations.Themovementexists

insofarasthismystiquereenergizesthelifestyleofthosewhoareanintegralpartofit.

ThisisaViatorianpastoralmovement,inthesenseofthelifeattitudeofthosewhofeelresponsible

forannouncing

the

Lord.

This

movement

accompanies,

with

greater

attentiveness,

peoples

growth

infaith.

This isaViatorianmovementwithregardtothestyleandthespiritualitythatarepromoted.The

movementsnamereferstoSaintViatorandtoFatherLouisQuerbes,whoarethemodelsthrough

whomwedrawneartotheFatherandmakehisBeingpresentinourworld.


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Thisisamovementthatintegratesayoungpeoplesvocationprogram,sinceithelpseachofits

memberstodiscoverandtocarryoutGodsplanofloveinhis/herexistence.Everylife,afterall,

isavocation.

Thisisayoungpeoplespastoralmovementbecause:

The

way

that

young

people

live

out

their

values

characterizes

it.

Young

people

themselves

are the main characters in the movement. The movement feels that young people

constituteanenormousforceforrenewalinsociety.

ThisisamovementofhumanChristianformation,basedupontheeducationalproposalsofFatherLouisQuerbesanduponthelifeofSaintViator,thatrequiresitsmemberstomakea

commitmentintheirownsurroundings.

Ibelievethatthismovement iscontinuingwith itsprocessofgrowth.Eventhoughperiodical

evaluationsof itsorganization structurehavebeencarriedout, theprovincialdimension still

remainstobedefined.

Inanycase,theworldoftheyoungevolvessorapidlythat itrequiresthateverystructurebe

continuallyrevisedandconstantlyadaptedtopresentdayneeds.

TodaysyoungpeoplearethefutureoftheChurchthe futureofourCommunity.Theyare

ourpriority!Forthatreason,workingwiththeyoungrequiresthatwebefaithfultotheLord,

foritistheLordwhomyoungpeopleneedtoencounter.

Atthepresenttime,theViatorianYouthMovementispresentinallofourapostolicworksand

itsleadersareactivelyinvolvedinourpastoralwork.

For a number of us, the Viatorian YouthMovement is the intermediary throughwhichwe

ourselvesdiscoveredanddeepenedourvocation.


17/18

MenandWomenPromotingChangeYoungPeople:SubjectsandActors

NoemDepazPrezandKarenLezmaQuincho

Near theendof the1990s,byvirtueofacomprehensiveplanof theViatorians inPeru,several

changes came about in our type of presence among young people.We wished to enrich our

pastoralactioninthatsegmentofthepopulation,bothinurbansettingsaswellasinthesectorsof

theAndesandtheAmazon.

ThosechangesreflectadebatethatarosewithintheCommunitywithrespecttotheconcernfor

andthepastoralattentivenesstobepaidtoyoungpeople.SincethearrivalofthefirstViatorians

inPeru,apreferenceforworkingwiththeyounghadalwaysbeenexplicit.Thatpreferenceoffered

processesforaccompanimentonthepersonal,collective,andorganizationallevels.Itscontribution

toeducational

and

community

actions

made

it

possible

to

attain

remarkable

levels

of

integral

development and topromote averyactive civic life.Those actions tookplace throughparishes,

schools,andtheSaintViatorCentersinColliqueandYungay.Thesamecanbesaidaboutpursuinga

pastoraltraditionthatsoughttoactivelyincarnateintheyoungthe

centralmessageofJesusofNazareth:asocietyofgreatersolidarity,

justice,andequalityispossibleanditistheKingdomofGod!That

questwascarriedoutwithavisionoftheChurchcharacterizedby

anoptionforthepoorandindialoguewithtodayssociety.

PresenceintheWorldoftheYoung

Youngerpeople

constitute

alarge

majority

in

Comas

and,

even

more so, inCollique, in allof the space, in fact,occupiedby the

ParishofChrist,SonofGod.Itisestablishedthatsevenpersonsoutoftenarelessthanthirtyyears

old.Forthatreason, it is importanttoknowhowtheyoungpeople live.Ascientificstudycarried

outbytheSaintViatorCenterinColliquein2010concerningtherealityoftheyoungindicatedthat

manyoftheneedsoftheyoungboysandgirlsarenotbeingmet.Consequently,itisfundamental

to promote the inclusion and the participation of the young as being both subjects and actors

withinsociety.

Weareconvincedthateducationandcommunicationsarethefundamentaltoolsthatcontributeto

theintegralformationofpersons,toculturalcreation,andtothedevelopmentofthefamilyandof

thecommunity

through

apastoral

program

that

is

inculturated

in

time

and

in

space.

Our

action

is

foundeduponthemissionofannouncingJesusChristandhisGospelandofraisingupcommunities

wherefaith is lived, deepened, and celebrated. Thus, it is permitted to say that young people,

adolescents,andchildrenarenotonlythefutureoftheworld,butalsothepresentoftheworld.In

the same way, we try to bring about improvements in their quality of life by promoting a

communitythatiseducative,inclusive,andintegratedintosocietyinordertoconfrontadversities,

havingChristpresentintheirdailylives:theenliveningandrenewingpresenceoftheChurchinthe

world.


18/18

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