Friday, August 26, 2011

JMJ en Familia Claretiana-WYD in Claretian Family

World Youth Day was an amazing experience, but this my sixth WYD, has been different.  In all the previous ones, I yearned to see a Claretian Sister, and in a couple of them I found a sister or two...with diocesan groups.  This time around there were Claretian Sisters everywhere -I think 28, from all places journeying with young people, sharing the charism with them with the theme> "Fall in Love with Jesus and others and you will do great things¨...Enamorénse de Jesucristo y del prójimo y harán mucho más que yo." (Claret)  Our encounter in Segovia gathered 1,100 young people, priests, sisters, and Claretian laity.

The excitement with which they sang "Claret, voz peregrina, que vas sembrando..."  In Segovia, which is one of most magical cities of Spain -parks, gardens, castles, saints (tomb of St.John of the Cross is there) and romanic churches- we kind of took over the city when all the youth gathered at the famous Roman aqueduct and choreographed a song, and then went through the streets of Segovia sharing the Good News...watch it to get an idea: youth in Segovia  The 13th was the celebration of the Claretian martyrs, and we did an 11 km walk from SEgovia to La Granja where Claret experienced -actually on a day like today 8/26- the preservation of the eucharist. The Claretian Superior General celebrated this eucharist and everyone was moved with the reading of the last testament of the young martyrs. On the vigil of the Assumption we did a procession through the streets of the city, praying with candles in multiple languages...which ended in a prayer with the Blessed Sacrament in front of the Cathedral.  The next day all the sisters renewed their vows -as we traditionally do on the 15th of August- in different languages,   there were sisters from Japan, Korea, Mexico, Phillipines, Italy, Poland, Spain, Venezuela, Honduras, Peru, Congo, USA. The Bishop gave us a paella farewell for all 4,000 pilgrims in the city...it was good!
Como Claretiana me siento muy orgullosa que la Congregación haya acogido la experiencia de JMJ en familia claretiana, con todo  lo que ha supuesto de trabajo para las que lo organizaron, para nuestras 4 comunidades de Madrid que abrieron las puertas y hospedaron hasta 120 peregrinos, estas hermanas no han parado...ya se imaginan tener 120 jóvenes en casa!  Todas con mucho amor y generosidad, GRACIAS!  Bien saben lo que todo ésto ha impactado a la juventud y seguirá dando frutos a lo largo de sus vidas.
Después les pego alguna foto más...
Chiqui

Thursday, August 25, 2011

We come home from WYD with a greater cultural awareness

This past Tuesday our Palm Beach group of pilgrims returned home, weary and some a little ill from the change in weather the little storm at Cuatro Vientros brought about, but still wanting more of Spain. We were 48. Three priests, one sister and 3 adults and 41 young people ranging from 16 to 26 years old, one of the young adults a seminarian. The priests one was a Carmelite, one a Scalabrinian and one diocesan. Our little group formed a tightly bound community as we journeyed Asisi, Rome and Madrid in 12 days.
We had profound faith experiences that the youth lived with intensity, mass at the tomb of St. Francis with Bishop Noonan and the Orlando group, Mass at the tomb of Peter, on August 15th where I had the joy of renewing my vows, we found a wonderful church close to our Hotel in Plaza Mayor, San Gines, that became our parish away from home. The prayer services and the liturgies helped make the journey a true pilgrimage for all of us.
I loved seeing the kids faces as they encountered hundreds of years of history and catholicism in each of the churches we visited. The WOWs... OHHHHs.... AHHHHs when they came face to face with saints, popes, and historical events they had only heard of in catechism books was priceless.
One of my favorite parts was the Mass at Cuatro Vientros, we were supposed to be close enough to see the altar in section E3...We arrived realtively early, yet our section was packed full of people and we had to walk back to an empty, unmarked, spot close to the restrooms, we could see the portable potties close by, we could barely see the TV screen was telecasting the event, we could not see the altar section at all! Yet as the mass began, the kids, to my surprise got up and followed it through with devotion, standing up, kneeling, sitting at the right times whether they could see or not, as the storm that hit the night before made it impossible to receive communion, when they asked that people received spiritual communion, all our kids devoutedly kneeled down and the silence was impressive. So was it when the Pope exposed the Blessed Sacrament the night before, in a split of a second a million and and a half young people fell silent. It was truly a miracle.
I thank God for the opportunity to participate in this WYD event, and more so, for the group of youth that came from our Diocese- St. Rita, St. Joan of Arc, Our Lady Queen of Peace and St. Juliana- they have been a model for me of how deeply they look at their faith and how seriously they take it.
May God bless all the youth who participated and may this event be a life changing experience in their journey.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Let's Continue on Our Foundation

Ah!
Y me encontré algo para todos en los Puntos para la Reforma.
Antonia writes, "Hemos dicho que nadie se excuse. (Do not excuse yourself) La Ley Santa del Señor es una y la manda predicar igualmente en todo el mundo sin excepción de personas, reinos ni provincias. (Preached to all the world without exception of people, reings provinces {states???}) Luego en todas partes y personas está su gracia pronta para cumplirla. (All places and people have the grace to fulfill it.)

Well, my people, what can I say. Let us go out and preach the Good News that God's love is for all. Dejemos que sea el Senor Jesús quien guíe nuestra vida. Pues en nuestras vidas "it is all about Him" Y es Dios quien nos guiará.
Yoly

Monday, August 22, 2011

OUR FOUNDATION

Today is the 22.
As I read some of M. Antonia's writing, I find things that speak to us today. Her message, I think, is not just for us Claretian Missionary Sisters but for all who want to be faithful to what the Lord as of them.
"Las Órdenes Religiosas guardando y conformando sus vidas con las santas reglas de sus primeros Fundadores, pues que toda regla aprobada por la Santa Iglesia, comprende toda la perfección evangélica."

In this writing, taken from the Reform of the Church, she writes to Religious Orders. She asks them to  keep and shape their lives with the sacred rules of their founders... they contain evangelical perfection.
As Christians, let us follow the Gospel of the Lord.
Yoly

Sunday, August 21, 2011

NUESTRA FUNDACION


Todavía no es nuestra la fiesta de neustra fundacion, pero sí es tiempo para prepararnos para ella. Estaba leyendo los Puntos para la Reforma y encontre este punto que me gustó mucho. "A Nuestro Santísimo Padre y Señores Obispos les pide Dios Nuestro Señor el conformar sus vidas y costumbres con las de los Santos Apóstoles: esto lo alcanzarán con mucha facilidad tomando cada uno por propias las palabras del Santo Evangelio; pues no se puede dudar que las palabras de Dios Nuestro Señor se cumplirán hasta una tilde, y para ellos las dijo Jesucristo junto con sus Apóstoles." (Puntos para la Reforma)
Y si me gustó es porque pienso que lo podemos adoptar todos y cada uno de nosotros los que seguimos a Cristo. Conformemos nuestras vidas y constumbres a la de Cristo. Dejemos que sea el Evangelio el que guíe nuestra vida y nuestro hacer.
Yoly