As part of the bicentennial celebration of the Congregation of the Vedruna Carmelite Sisters, young representatives of the VedrunAmérica Youth Movement (MJV) had a deeply meaningful experience as they made a pilgrimage to the origins of the charism. Walking the streets of Barcelona and Vic, visiting Manso Escorial, and exploring the places where Saint Joaquina de Vedruna began her mission allowed them to move beyond simply learning about history to personally experiencing the power of a legacy that, two hundred years later, remains alive.
More than just a trip, the gathering was an experience of faith, fellowship, spirituality, and mission. The young people returned to their countries with renewed hearts and the certainty that the Vedruna charism remains a timely invitation to love, serve, accompany, and transform reality.
For Jhonneyck Moreno, from Colombia, making a pilgrimage to the places of origin meant moving from books to firsthand experience. Visiting El Manso, Joaquina’s birthplace, and other significant sites took on a special meaning, but what moved him most was meeting people from different countries and cultures. He returns with a deep affection for this great international family and with an invitation to other young people to dare to walk together and take big steps.
From Brazil, Álvaro experienced the gathering as a special call from God. Walking through Vic, visiting Manso Escorial, and praying before Saint Joaquina allowed him to understand more deeply that his entire life was dedicated to the Good Jesus, the source of the generous love that drove his mission. She returned with her faith strengthened, her hope renewed, and a firmer missionary commitment. Deyse, also from Brazil, acknowledges that the experience led her to reevaluate her personal, professional, and vocational path. Inspired by Joaquina, she found the strength to live with greater love, courage, and hope. The friendships she formed with young people from different countries were, for her, a true gift and a genuine rebirth.
For Lili, from Peru, the gathering confirmed that it is not enough just to listen: it is necessary to take action. In the face of the challenges of today’s world, young people are called to be a light of hope and to keep that light burning through the mission they carry out in their communities. Like Saint Joaquina, they are invited to go out and meet others and bring the charism into everyday life.
Sol, from Argentina, highlights the joy of having found friends, songs, hugs, prayer, and a large family. What she experienced now becomes an invitation to share the charism in every action and gesture, with love and joy. Mariana, from Colombia, sums up her experience with words like peace, spirituality, journey, guidance, and friendship. She highlights the warm welcome she received and the shared joy, which allowed her to return with renewed spiritual clarity.
Valery, from Venezuela, feels called to live out her faith with the same boldness as Saint Joaquina, who never set limits on love and knew how to discover God in the simple things. She was particularly struck by the vision of the future and the sense of fellowship she experienced during the gathering. She discovered that in every face and every gesture of support, she could find the presence of Jesus.
From Argentina, Carolin highlights the richness of sharing with people from different cultures and recognizes in Saint Joaquina a legacy that is fully relevant today: living in community, putting one’s gifts at the service of others, and always being a home with open doors. Verónica, from Venezuela, discovered that a vocation is not lived in solitude, but within a community that accompanies, supports, and encourages. The gathering inspires her to continue seeking God’s will with an open and trusting heart.
Micaela and Antonia, two young women from Chile, express their commitment to bringing what they have experienced back to their country. Micaela acknowledges that there is still a long road ahead to continue spreading the seed sown by Joaquina two hundred years ago. Antonia emphasizes that Saint Joaquina was never indifferent to the needs of others, but rather took action to transform them. For this reason, she sees the gathering as a call to look at different realities, overcome obstacles, and turn faith into a stream of living water.
Finally, Nicol, from Peru, sums up a sentiment shared by everyone: the Vedruna Family knows no borders. From the very beginning, she experienced such a warm welcome that she felt right at home. Cultural differences were overcome by a shared spirit and a shared charism. Seeing so many young people living out their faith with joy renewed her desire to serve and confirmed that, when we walk together united by a shared dream and a shared faith, bonds are formed that can overcome any distance.
These testimonies show that the Bicentennial is not just a celebration of history, but an opportunity to renew the present and look toward the future. Each young person returns carrying with them a part of what they have experienced and a commitment to help the charism grow in new contexts.
Two centuries later, the seed sown by Saint Joaquina continues to bear fruit in new generations. These voices become other voices, multiplying hope, fraternity, and selfless love. The journey continues, and the Vedruna charism, in the hands of young people, still has much to blossom into.
Sr. Inés Rojas Mori, ccv
