On August 12, International Youth Day, we join together in strong and joyful recognition of the vitality, hope and creativity that young people bring to our faith and community. Youth have always been a fundamental pillar in the Church, a symbol of renewal and a constant call to transformation and growth. Pope Francis, on several occasions, has stressed the importance of young people in the Church, reminding us that “young people are God’s now.” He exhorts us to listen to their voices, to walk alongside them, and to accompany them in their search for a deep and genuine meaning in life.
This year, our congregation celebrates a significant step in this accompaniment by presenting the new Vedruna Youth Pastoral Commission (PJV). It is composed of the following sisters: Rubina D’Mello from the Province of India, Ivy P. Lupiba from the Delegation of the Philippines, Ines Rojas from the Province of Vedrun America, Virginia Felix from the Province of Europe, Lucie-Anne Mulata from the Province of Africa and Xinghao Dong from the Province of Japan. This commission has begun to work with the firm conviction that youth are not only the future of the Church, but also its vibrant present. Four of these sisters who are part of this commission have shared their feelings and expectations in this exciting beginning.
A new YWW commission is born, what does it mean for our sisters?
Rubina expresses that she is deeply grateful and full of hope. Being part of this committee is both a privilege and a profound responsibility. She is inspired by the challenges ahead, eager to contribute, and honored to walk alongside our youth. She envisions this as a journey of faith, full of surprises and grace. Her hope is to witness the blossoming of unity, joy and solidarity within our community. She aspires to see our Vedruna charism flourish, to cultivate a family spirit, to truly understand the hearts of our youth, learn their language, and accompany them with compassion and understanding from where they are.
For her part, Inés, initially wondered what she could contribute and if she would live up to the expectations. However, the recognition of her feeling of belonging to the Vedruna family and all that she had received throughout her life, led her to say with determination: “Here I am, I will try to offer the best of myself and of the experiences that I am living in the Caminar with the young people”.
Being part of this Commission of the MYM made her feel like a woman without frontiers, who, as she went along the road, in a chain with other women, different from each other and from diverse realities. She bets with greater conviction to work together at the level of the Congregation, listening to the reality of youth, allowing herself to be challenged by it, and trying to respond from an attentive look to the world of young people, in an attitude of joy and availability.
In Ivy’s case, she joins in the feeling of gratitude and excitement to be part of this commission. She feels grateful for the opportunity to work with our sisters from different continents; and excited to hear and learn from each other’s experiences on how we accompany today’s youth. She hopes that this journey will inspire us to work with the youth and at the same time strengthen the bonds and our relationship as one Vedruna family. She hopes that we will share and discover new things about how to animate our young people, even though there are many challenges and that we will plan together different activities in preparation for the celebration of the bicentennial of our Congregation. Above all, may we find joy, enthusiasm and support in every step we take. May St. Joaquina de Vedruna be our inspiration and our guide.
Virginia, known as Chipishares her feelings of gratitude, illusion and hope. To be able to search, to dream, to reflect on our journey with the young people in the Vedruna Family at the international level was a desire of several years ago.
He believes that this commission can be an opportunity to reformulate, revitalize and open new horizons in our youth ministry. It is, in short, to put everything on our part so that something new can be born from here.
On this August 12, we not only commemorate the importance of young people in our Church, but we also celebrate the beginning of a journey full of faith, hope and love with the new Vedruna Youth Ministry Commission. The commission, with its different perspectives and experiences, reminds us that walking with young people is an opportunity to renew our mission, to learn and grow together, and to build a Church that truly reflects the spirit of unity, joy and compassion that Joaquina de Vedruna taught us.
