Within the framework of the Piarist Vocational Year, the Colombia headquarters of the Nazareth Province has celebrated the 3rd Calasanctian Youth Day during the days 13 to 17 June. The venue of the meeting was the Calasanz of Pereira school, along with surrounding areas, such as the magnificent landscape of the Cocora Valley.
The meeting wanted to be an experience of being close: close to each other, close to the community, close to God, close to those in need, and of course, close to Calasanz. More than 200 young people and companions participated in it, belonging to the Piarist works (of the Piarist Fathers and the Piarist Sisters).
The day of arrival was Monday, June 13, where the delegations made their approach to the venue of the meeting: from Cúcuta, Medellín, Bogotá and, of course, Pereira. After the location in the respective class rooms (adapted as rooms), and a tour of the school facilities, the welcome was held with a few words from the coordinators of the event, from other accompanying religious; to continue with the Scolopi Show: a cultural, artistic and joyful exhibition in which the Piarist religious, the lay members of the Fraternity and the Calasanz Adult Movement, as well as young hosts, expressed the joy of meeting us, interspersing the harangues prepared by each of the delegations.
During the first day we had the opportunity to live the experience of being close to each one (Close to Me), as a way to recognize the beauty that inhabits one’s own being. Presided over the day by a pedagogical and profound conference, directed by Juan Carlos Gómez, in which he addressed his own knowledge as a principle of the spiritual life, it was continued with a journey through bases, where young people had the opportunity to explore their relationships (environment), their body, their sensitivity, their mind, to access, finally, the best of each one (The Best of Me). The afternoon was lived in double dynamics: the first part we lived the Ubuntu Match, a rally full of game and challenges where the logic was to recognize that community life is the best place to discover and live what we are; the second part was the tour of the Piarist community life, where the Piarist religious, in a close and creative way, some places or dynamics of growth of our way of living together. The first day ended with an experience of prayer, with a youthful tone.
The second day wanted to be lived as an experience of retreat, since he wanted to experience the fact of being close to God. For this, the young people and their companions visited the wonderful Cocora Valley, a natural park located in the department of Quindío. There they made a journey of ascent and descent where they contemplated the life of Glicerio Landriani, as a way of recognizing the way of living God in a young and committed way. It was a rich experience of encounter with God, of prayer, of contemplating creation. At the end of the intense day of walking, prayer and reflection, the day concluded with moments of play, of encounter, of recreation.
The rhythm of the third day was lived from the discovery of the other in need. Thus, wishing to be close to others, the young people participated in a valuable conversation where two former students and a religious shared their testimony of participating in mission experiences in different places of our Order. The discussion, enriched by the valuable questions of the young people, led to the visit to various foundations with different populations (children of limited resources, women in the process of restitution of rights, homes for the elderly); there they explored their capacity to serve, to give themselves, to love others from the simplicity of heart. The moving meeting was concluded in a beautiful way: with the Eucharistic celebration in memory of the Blessed Piarist Martyrs, men who gave themselves to the end.
The last day began on Thursday night, with the Calasanz Picnic. In this experience, the possibility of sharing different cultural samples prepared by each of the delegations was lived. And the closing ceremony was accompanied by the Piarist religious (priests, juniors, novices, pre-novices), Piarist Sisters and by Fr. Juan Carlos Sevillano, provincial of Nazareth, who presided over the Eucharist in memory of our Holy Father Joseph Calasanz. This day was lived as an opportunity to be close to Calasanz who invites you to live near him to discover the wonderful experience of surrendering.
And so, these intense, valuable and enriched days passed. Days of encounter, of passion for Piarist life.
We thank God for all that could be shared in this experience, and we pray that the fruits of this day may strengthen the life of the Pious Schools.
P. Daniel Toro Candamil Sch. P.
