Marist Youth Mission Conference 2019
More than 150 young people from the Provinces of the United States, Canada and Mexico Occidental attended the 2019 Marist Youth Mission Conference from 24 to 27 May at Esopus (New York).
Students came to the gathering from parishes and Marist schools in the United States, two schools in Canada, and a delegation from the Province of Mexico Occidental. Also present were other Marists, Brothers and lay adults, as well as 2 Marist Missionary Sisters.
Br Owen Ormsby and Matt Fallon were responsible for the opening and welcoming ceremony, as well as explaining the activity program and the house rules.
On the first day, the young Marists met around various worktables to share their experiences as students.
At the end of the day, the group gathered in the gym for an evening prayer, entitled, “Mary, Undoer of Knots”, led by Mrs Maureen Hagan, director of Young Adult ministry for the Province of the United States.
On the weekend, the young people heard presentations from Ed Kennedy, director of open-air adventure activities of the Marist Centre and Valerio Savino, a lay Marist and director of Our Lady of Mt Carmel School in the Bronx, and discussed these in small groups.
The third main conference presentation was a round table where young people spoke about their connection with the Marist world and how they are living as Marists. At the final gathering, Sarah Kolkmeyer, from the Marist High School of Chicago, invited participants to put what they had learnt at Esopus into practice.
Over the four days of the gathering, the young people shared moments of morning and evening prayer, and took part in workshops and group entertainment, music, dance, games and bonfire activities.
Before the conference ended, a number of Brothers of the Province of the United States joined the young people for the Mass celebrated by Fr. Richard LaMorte. After the liturgy, Br Patrick McNamara, Provincial of the Brothers of USA Province, thanked Br Owen Ormsby for his work as executive director of the Marist Brothers Centre at Esopus over the last six years.
The Marist Brothers Centre, Esopus
Each year, around 4,000 young people come to the Marist Brothers Centre at Esopus. The centre is a refuge for young people looking to develop and nourish their spiritual lives. As well, the centre is the site for a short camp of 9 weeks for those in need. The Marist centre brings to life two dreams of St Marcellin Champagnat: being present among young people and helping the marginalised in society.