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