September 06, 2011
Young Catholics from all over the world gathered recently in
Madrid, Spain, to participate in World Youth
Day. Three St. John's students, Arielle
Castillo, Melisa Martinez and Victor
Garcia, had an opportunity to participate in the
Vincentian Youth Gathering that preceded World Youth Day and all of
the World Youth day festivities in Spain. These events challenged
the young people gathered to root their faith in Christ and to use
Vincentian values to help them as they become the people that God
calls them to be."
The group arrived in Madrid and joined hundreds of young
Vincentian leaders from all over the world. They made the Daughters
of Charity school classrooms their home. During the Vincentian
gathering, participants wrestled with the question of what it means
to be a Vincentian in the 21st Century. Melisa Martinez a junior in
Staten Island
campus reflected:
"
The Vincentian Gathering was a unique experience. It was the
very first time we got to see the Vincentian spirit outside of the
St. John's community. We learned about other branches of the family
such as the Vincentian
Marian Youth, the Daughters of
Charity and the St.
Vincent de Paul Society. We heard Father General
Gregory Gay and the International President of the St. Vincent
de Paul Society Michael Thio speak about the importance of serving
the poor.
Although we may be from different parts of the world, we all
have the same Vincentian spirit. Eating, sharing and worshiping
together as a community, we recognized that the Vincentian family
is a real family. Regardless of our different cultures and
languages, we learned from each other and realized the importance
of not just appearing to be Vincentian, but to really be
Vincentian".
Photo Gallery
The group of young Vincentians then journeyed to World Youth Day
to join nearly two million young Catholics who came together to
celebrate their faith. In these days, our students joined other
English speaks pilgrims at morning catechetical sessions and prayed
together with groups from hundreds of different countries. The
groups participated in Taize prayer welcoming Pope Benedict, a
living Stations of the Cross, an evening prayer vigil and the week
culminated in the closing mass with Pope Benedict and two million
pilgrims. Just like Vincentian gathering, young people once again
had an opportunity to reflect on their vocation as a follower of
Christ. They had come to learn the suffering of Catholics around
the world but also how the faith has carried them through. Arielle
Castillo, a junior in The
School of Education on the Queens campus
said:
"World Youth Day was an unforgettable experience for all of
us. We were taken back by the millions of youth crowding the city
of Madrid for the same reason — faith. We may not have been able to
communicate but the cheers and chants as youth from different
countries walked through the streets were enough to show the
excitement and acknowledgment of one another. When we were
surrounded by youth of our own language, we were able to share
testimonies and stories of our experiences as young Catholics. I
will never forget the man from Malaysia that spoke of the
persecution of Catholics in his home country. They cannot wear
crosses or religious symbols, as they fear discrimination as a
minority in the country. I was reminded of the freedom that we have
as Americans to be who we are and openly express our love for God
and the Church. We do not always take advantage of this freedom
because of the societal pressures that we youth face. But, World
Youth Day restored my faith in the power of God's love and showed
me we are not alone."
This experience is one of many stories that young people shared
with each other during the Vincentian gathering and World Youth
Day.
World Youth Day has changed our students’ perspectives. Victor
Garcia a senior in St.
John’s College writes
“Meeting the numerous Vincentian youth leaders and seeing the
dedication in all the pilgrims was awe-inspiring. Being together
with millions of Catholics from all over the world strengthened our
resolve to continue to remain firm in the faith. We had the
opportunity to befriend countless individuals, both religious and
lay. From our encounters, we learned about new orders in the
priesthood and the dedication that one needs to consecrate their
life to the Blessed Mother. Our time spent in unison with the other
youth of the world in both prayer and song filled us with the joy
of the spirit of the Church.
We will bring back this resolve to the St. John’s community
through our involvement in Resident Life, Campus Activities and
Campus Ministry and strive to instill the love and respect for the
Church that we experienced during our time in Madrid. Through our
efforts, we hope that the camaraderie that crossed international
borders in Madrid will permeate from our actions throughout the
University community and into the surrounding Greater Area of New
York. Although we are all Vincentian leaders in our own ways, each
of us are called to live our lives through Christ firmly rooted in
the faith.”