International Gathering of Marist Youth 2019
Almost 150 young Marists, aged between 20 and 30 years old, from all over the world, will take part in the International Gathering of Young Marists which will take place in the city of Guatemala from the 15th until the 21st of January, 7 days before World Youth Day in the city of Panama.
At the gathering, entitled "Weaving Life", there will be a total of 180 people, including participants from the four branches of the Marist Family.
During the meeting, the young Marists will reflect on four topics or "experiences of life: community, solidarity, interiority and commitment", said Brother Mark Omede Assistant Director of the Secretariat of Mission of the Marist Brothers and member of the commission in charge of organising the gathering in Guatemala.
The objective of the gathering is to contribute to the young people elements for the discernment of personal vocation as a way of strengthening their role of leadership in the Church and in society through the development of a project of life (Project "Weaving Life").
The meeting of the Marist family in Guatemala already has a web page and can be found on the social networks.
"The title 'Weaving Life' was chosen after reflecting on topics such as JMJ, vocations,service to the community and the Synod of the Bishops in October of 2018, whose main principals are always the youth", affirmed – once again – Brother Mark Omede.
The members of the organizing committee belong to the four Marist branches: Brothers Carlos Rojas Alberto and Mark Omede (Marist Brothers, of the Secretariatof Evangelisation and Education), Father Juan Carlos Piña (Marist Fathers), Sister Cristina Giustozzi (Marist Missionary Sisters) and Sister Anne McCabe (Marist Sisters). There is also a local organizing team, coordinated by Brother Jorge Sánchez Kopper, fms.
To better coordinate the event, the organizing committee has met four times: April 17th (through Skype), from the 27th to the 30th of June in the city of Guatemala, December 28th (through Skype) and from the 10th to the 15th of January in the city of Guatemala.
After the first international meeting of young Marists in Sydney (2008), the large gatheringsof young Marists have also taken place in Madrid (2011), Río de Janeiro (2013) and Lyon (2016).