60 youth gather to learn about leadership

Summoned by the National Commission for Youth Ministry, 60 youth and animators of youth ministry took part in the fourth ‘School for Leaders I’ in Cuba from Aug. 8 – 13. 

The encounter took place at the feet of Our Lady of Charity in the retreat house of El Cobre. 

The School for Leaders I is a youth experience aimed at having a profound encounter with Jesus, with ourselves and with others to form and prepare them to the mission that the Lord proposes them based on their personal and group life project. The leadership, always well understood, from the perspective of the style of service of Jesus of Nazareth.

The school’s theme is “whoever does not live to serve, does not serve to live,” very much in tune with the Year of Mercy proposed by Pope Francis.

In the fourth edition, participants included youth from the dioceses of Santa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín, Santiago, Bayamo-manzanillo and Guantánamo-baracoa.

Participants had the opportunity to re-read their personal history in the light of faith, meet Jesus in the Eucharist and in prayer workshops.

They were also able to experiment community life in ‘groups of life’ where they shared in a free and simple manner how they had been experiencing God and life in their history with their light and shadows.

They realised that Jesus loves them how they are and invites them to follow him more radically.

During Marian moments and the Eucharist at the shrine of Mary of Charity, the encounter encouraged participants to better live out the call of an “apron” Church, serving and going out to the peripheries, like Mary at the Visitation, that is, a Church that encounters the simple and needy.

Techniques of public speaking and tools to be a good animator to better serve adolescents and youth were also covered.

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Br Héctor Ávalos Gil
Executive Secretary of the National Committee of Youth Ministry