Young people from the Piarist presences in Poland spent New Year’s Eve in Poznań. The event lasted from December 30 to January 1, 2025. Almost two hundred participants from Bolesławiec, Elbląg, Katowice, Łapsze Niżne, Łowicz, Rzeszów parish, Kraków schools and Kraków-Wieczysta parish, as well as the hosts from Poznań, welcomed the New Year.
As part of the integration, the participants played a role-playing game of “Deadwood City”. The first day ended with a vigil before the Blessed Sacrament, during which confessions were heard. On the second day of the meeting, the young people explored the Old Town by taking part in an activity called “Quest Powstańczy”, a game dealing with the historical theme of the Great Polish Uprising commemorated on 27 December 1918. The arrival of Ignacy Jan Paderewski in Poznań was also commemorated. The participants not only admired the battle of the famous goats on the clock in the town hall tower, but also visited the city centre and saw one of the largest mobile nativity scenes in Europe. It is located in the Franciscan church in Poznań.
On Saturday morning, Fr. Rafał Stenka shared a report on the psychic state of today’s youth at Mass. A relevant and interesting moment of his presentation was the experts’ description of the current reality of young people, who feel isolated and abandoned. The report was given by Fr. Rafał about the great desire to find the meaning of life, which can only be fully achieved in Christ.
In small groups led by the animators, the differences between travelling, pilgrimage, and their meaning in life were discussed. The New Year’s Eve party with colourful and creative costumes was a journey with dances “Around the World”. In the evening, Father Jacek Wolan, referring to the motto of the jubilee year, recalled the Calasanctian tradition of pilgrimage through the seven churches of Rome. Fr Jacek spoke about his own search as a “pilgrim of hope” and explained the prologue of St John’s Gospel in his sermon. He said that when “the Word has become flesh”, then we Christians can also put our words into action with our deeds.
All the participants were very grateful for the welcome they received from the Piarist community of Poznań, which consisted of thirteen animators, three teachers and two Piarists. This group was led by Fr Łukasz Adamusiak.
P. Jacek Wolan, Sch. P.
