Van de wereldjongerendagen
Maria Montserrat woont in Argentinië bij haar ouders en drie broers in de provincie San Louis, Zij is 22 jaar en heeft naast een gelovige opvoeding ook een vorming gehad in de cultuur en de geschiedenis van haar land Argentinië. Zij heeft in die zin een meestertitel gehaald in de traditionele Argentijnse dansen en heeft ook een bevoegdheid om les te geven in geschiedenis. Daar ligt ook haar grote interesse. Momenteel, tot ze een baan heeft gevonden in haar discipline, werkt ze op de administratieve afdeling van een school. In 2016 heeft ze deelgenomen aan de wereldjongerendagen in Krakau ( Polen ) ( daar ben ik ook geweest met een Chileense groep) en daar ontmoette ze Felipe ( uit Chili) op de foto links die ook een keer in Oss is geweest.
Undersigns María Monserrat Baca, 22-year-old, of Argentine nationality.
I write these lines to share with you and the parish community of your city, my experience in World Youth Day Lisbon 2023.
In 2016 I had the opportunity to participate in the Day held in Krakow as a pilgrim, being a before and after in my spiritual life during adolescence, having the deep desire to participate in the different activities that communities within the Catholic Church can offer to youth: camps, training courses, apostolates, among others.
That experience was so strong for me that I always long to return. A few months ago Banco Santander launched 200 Scholarships to hire people who formally work in the organization of WYD 2023, among the different conditions that it had is that 180 people had to be Portuguese, that is, only 20 foreign people.
Firmly proposing that I wanted to relive this experience, my battle began in prayer and different offerings to Jesus. Finally, I ended up making a promise to San Francisco Marto, one of the holy shepherds that the Virgin appears to in Fatima, promising that if he intercedes for me in heaven to be able to travel to his country and participate in the day, I would name my first son "Francisco" in his honor and to spread his devotion... And since God does not let himself be outdone in generosity, at the end of my prayers to San Francisco Marto received the expected email: Winner of the Santander Scholarships among the 20 foreigners who could remain from all over the world!
Now, God was putting in that wait and to fulfill a dream people who helped me a lot, among them Father Ronald, to whom I will always be deeply grateful.
After two months of work and finishing volunteering, I can say that it was an enriching experience in many ways: professional, spiritual and human growth, where one learns to share with people who bring with them different histories, cultures, languages, etc. But united in a single purpose: working for Christ. And one wonders: Is it worth working for Christ? It's worth it and a lot. An example of this is precisely the World Youth Days, where one sees thousands of young people seeking to feed and grow in faith.
Personally, there are two images that took me from WYD 2023: the young people resorting to the Sacrament of Confession and the smile of so many people. Since I consider that in confession we approach Jesus with humility and after receiving it we show it with sincere joy. Just what the world needs: humility and joy!
My participation in this new edition of World Youth Day allows me to testify that we must never get tired of praying and trusting in God: because his mercy and gifts to reach heaven are infinite, also reaffirming my belonging to the Catholic Church , committed to praying for their unity and holiness.
Without further ado, I greet Christ the King and his mother, the Blessed Virgin Mary.
