 |
|
 Beloved brothers and sisters, With great love and longing we have launched for you a video in memory of the good moments that we shared together: YOUFRA International Gathering and World Youth Day! Check it out! Enjoy it, Watch it and Share it! Add Comment  Dear brothers and sisters from OFS, Peace and good! Already with the enthusiasm of those who hosted the YOUFRA International Gathering and experienced the World Youth Day is that we would like to give a big thanks to all the fraternities of the Secular Franciscan Order of Brazil by the donations made to the international gathering of the Franciscan Youth. The collaboration of all of you was fundamental so that we could carry out this very important moment for the hike of the Franciscan youth in Brazil and in the world. As our beloved Pope Francis told to Varginha Community in his discourse, at Manguinhos in Rio de Janeiro : It is important to know how to host; is anything cuter than any embellishment or decoration. This is so because when we are generous in welcoming a person and sharing something with him/her (a little food, a place in our house, our time) we are not poorer, but richer (...) ". It was in that spirit that the international gathering of the Franciscan youth was built and it is also with the simplicity of our Pope that we thank all your fraternities, from North to South of the country. Thanks for all the support and commitment, because we have no doubt that success only happened because we had generous support of all of you. Make sure that the 200 young people from 19 countries present in São João Del Rei had the grace to share unique moments, with exchange of experience important to the future of the Franciscan Youth. In the certainty that we are really in family and that the OFS has contributed immensely to strengthening the walk of our youth, so that increasingly we can be enchanted by the Franciscan charisma. We hope that our thanks and our gentle and affectionate hug are brought to all brother/ sister/each fraternity who volunteered to help. Thank you so much! Fraternally, Ana Carolina Miranda, JUFRA (Local Coordinator of the Gathering) Alex Sandro Bastos Ferreira, OFS/JUFRA (YOUFRA International Delegate) Mayara Ingrid Sousa Lima, OFS/JUFRA (National Fraternal Secretary of YOUFRA Brazil) Ide e proclamai! – Go and Proclaim! – Id y Anunciad! – Andate e Annunciate!  Oficial Photo of YOUFRA International Gathering The International Council of Secular Franciscan Order (CIOFS), by means of the Franciscan Youth of Brazil, hosted in Minas Gerais, in the city of São João del Rei, during July19th to 22nd the YouFra International Gathering-international gathering of the Franciscan youth. Since World Youth Day in Rome in 2000, the FRANCISCAN YOUTH from around the world promotes into the programming of World Youth Day, a moment to gather young people from YOUFRA from different parts of the world to commemorate, celebrate and share. It was set for the first time, at World Youth Day in Cologne, the experience of making a four-day meeting, in the period pre-wyd (which in the WYD Rio has been called Missionary Week), where it could gather young people from YOUFRA from different countries of the world. Germany's experience was wonderful, it was repeated in Madrid and this year in Brazil. The gathering happened in the city São João del Rei-Minas Gerais, and was attended by almost 190 young Franciscans of 19 different nationalities: Guinea Bissau, Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, South Korea, Costa Rica, France, USA, Colombia, Cape Verde, Croatia, Lithuania, Panama, Bolivia, Spain, Mexico and Brazil (in its various States: Pará, Piauí, Paraíba, Sergipe, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul). And the presence of CIOFS (International Council of the OFS, which is part of the Franciscan Youth International Committee), National Fraternal Secretariat of the Franciscan Youth of BRAZIL, OFM, OFMCap and OFMConv, religious men and women from TOR (third order Regular), National Minister of OFS and several brothers and sisters from the OFS of Brazil. This gathering could be considered a great opportunity to strengthen our ties of unity and diversity, and it is necessary to get to know each other much more, we need to meet more. Among the important moments, we had: July 19th - the celebration of the Eucharist that officially opened the Meeting, which took place in the historic church of the Venerable third order of St. Francis, in São João del Rei downtown, with the entrance of the flags of the countries which were present and a replica of the Pilgrim Cross of World Youth Day. On July 20th, at night, in the Church of São Gonçalo, the Lucernarium took place– the celebration of light- where we meditated the mystery of the Risen Christ, whose light breaks the darkness of our darkness and warms and lights for our mission. After the celebration, we had the Festival of Nations, with cultural presentations of various countries present. Other strong moments of mystical, animation and sharing experience permeated the whole gathering. The FRANCISCAN YOUTH of Brazil is grateful for the prayers and the support received from various Franciscan entities, in particular from several local fraternities of the OFS, which cooperated by sending donations to the Organizing Committee of the gathering. In us, who took part in this moment, celebrating YOUFRA International Gathering, is sure that, as Young Franciscans, we have created bonds of true brotherhood among the many brothers and sisters who came to Brazil, who came to São João del Rei. Geographical barriers were broken, we were together, we shared our charisma and we heard the invitation to reassume our mission: go and announce!  1st day of gathering: On July 18th, São João del Rei was the stage of the Franciscan Youth scene, simple and from various nationalities. It is true that everyone has already knew they would be welcoming YOUFRA international gathering, but seeing so many young people, with different faces, accents and uncommon languages, colorful flags, smiling and singing around the town has to be highlighted thrilling. The gathering took place at the School Maria Teresa and counted with the presence of almost 200 (two hundred) young Franciscans of 19 different nationalities: Guinea Bissau, Argentina, El Salvador, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, South Korea, Costa Rica, France, USA, Colombia, Cape Verde, Croatia, Lithuania, Panama, Bolivia, Spain, Mexico and Brazil (in its various States: Pará, Piauí, Paraíba, Sergipe, Bahia, Minas Gerais, São Paulo, Mato Grosso, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Rio Grande do Sul). And the presence of CIOFS (International Council of the OFS, which is part of the Franciscan Youth International Committee), National Fraternal Secretariat of the Franciscan Youth of BRAZIL, OFM, OFMCap and OFMConv, religious men and women from TOR (third order Regular), National Minister of OFS and several brothers and sisters from the OFS of Brazil. During July 19th, with much rejoicing, fellowship and exchange of affection, there was, in the morning, the reception of the participants. In the evening , at 7 pm, in St Francis of Assisi Church, which belongs to Venerable third order-VOT, began the Opening Mass of the Gathering, presided by the diocesan bishop Dom Célio OFM, with the visit of the Diocesan Replicas of the Pilgrim Cross and the Icon of Our Lady, symbols of World Youth Day (WYD). After the Holy Mass, the participants of the gathering followed a pilgrimage with the cross and the icon until the Cultural Square of the city, where the Missionary Week Vigil from the Diocese of São João del Rei was happening, for delivery of the symbols of the WYD. On July 20th (Saturday) The Meeting's Schedule was full of blessings: Mass in São Gonçalo Church, reception by the General Minister of OFS and YOUFRA International Commission, Roundtable, work in groups, plenary session, prayers and the Celebration of Nations. Keep connected to Jufra Brazil website and its Fanpage on Facebook (Jufra do Brasil). Check out the photographs of the first day of the gathering HERE: | Archives |
RSS Feed