IGNIS: The International Boys Youth starts facing their challenges
During the closing of the IGNIS, the Boys Youth met to reflect and respond to the challenges that our times present them.
During the morning of Sunday 19th, after intense and blessed days of celebration for the 100 years of Schoenstatt, the International Boys Youth encounter IGNIS came to an end. Young people from different countries around the world met to discuss about the experiences of the jubilee days, in order to reflect about how the future looks like and the mission for which they are called nowadays.
The event began with breakfast in which the atmosphere was very fraternal. After that, they gathered to start the meeting with the typical songs of the Boys Youth of each country, and then they continue with the main theme of the encounter.
The young men were confronted with the most significant challenges that they encounter nowadays as Schoenstatt Youth. There were videos, testimonies and reflections that helped to go deeper into the meaning of these challenges, which are mainly contained in these topics:
- Self-education, affectivity and sexuality.
- Bonds and human relations.
- Social Networks (Internet).
- Apostolate and Mission.
- Church.
- Poverty.
- Politics and social contingency issues.
Each theme was approached by a representative of the Boys Youth of different countries. They gave testimony of how they approach these topics in their cities and spoke about the difficulties that they still find.
After all the topics were covered, they were divided into small groups to discuss in depth. In this way, the boys could interact and come up with a concrete idea of what is the Schoenstatt Youth called to be, in relation to the challenges that the our time is presenting them. Juan Vicente Escobar commented about his experience: “The encounter was very exciting. We have very few opportunities to meet as International Schoenstatt Boys Youth. It has been a great gift being here all together and feeling that we are chosen as the generation of the 100 years of Schoenstatt. Undoubtedly, we have a huge mission. Having the possibility to meet for responding to God’s call is a great blessing, a great gift and a huge responsibility. Now we have to take this fire to our countries.”
Finally, the IGNIS encounter ended with a Holly Mass presided by Father Frank Riedel, in order to give thanks for these days and as sending out. Sebastian Pineda from Chile talked about his experience: “The Youth Mass was incredible. I was very impressed with many languages and flags. That was really amazing. We could realize the fire we all had in our hearts and we all felt part of the same history. Now it is very clear that for the next years we are called to be protagonists.”