Marist Vocation Year
More than 600 students including their teacher moderators from different Marist Brothers? schools of the Philippine Province gathered at Notre Dame of Marbel University gym in Koronadal City, province of South Cotabato to celebrate Marist Vocation Year through prayers, songs, dances, visits to the poor communities, exhibits of photo of their school?s outreach activities to the poor and lots of fun-filled activities aside from listening to various speakers including Bro. Theoneste Kalisa, fms, General Counselor and the chair of the Vocation Commission. The two-day activities dubbed as Marist Youth Congress capsulized the theme Marcellin?s Dream: Live it Today.
One of the special features of the Marist Youth Congress is the Marist Songfest where Marist students and alumni participated in the original song writing contest. One of the criteria in determining the winning piece is its faithfulness to the theme Marcellin?s Dream: Live it Today.
Towards the end of the congress the participants, through the assistance of the Marist Vocation Year Oversight Committee, formulated their preamble and resolutions. The Marist Youth Congress 2005 preamble states the following:
We, the participants of the Marist Youth Congress 2005, inspired by the charism of St. Marcellin Champagnat believe that the youth is a potent force in the evangelizing mission of the church; that to be responsive to the call of the times, every faithful must be filled with confidence and renewed sense of purpose to truly make incarnate the gospel values in our lives; that simplicity of lifestyle, humility, modesty and love of work as exemplified by St. Marcellin are important values in transforming society; that the value of prayer and love of the Eucharist are basic dimensions in strengthening the faithful?s Christian Vocation and at the same time sources of religious vocations; and that St. Marcellin?s charism is forever relevant and everyone especially the Marist Youth is called and challenged to continuously witness his dreams.
Furthermore, the participants of the Marist Youth Congress 2005 commit themselves to the following: to be an evangelized evangelizer to our peers and to the community; to participate actively in all endeavors that promote holistic development of societies and renewal of the church; to live and radiate the charism of St. Marcellin in our own unique ways; to work for vocations in the church most especially for the Marist Vocation; to embrace a Christian life centered on the Eucharist; and to value love of work and concern for the least favored as a way of becoming Marist.