After 10 years of drawing young people together from different Viatorian institutions — including delegations from Bogotá the last two summers — Viatorians in Colombia hosted their own Viatorian Youth Congress.
The first annual CONVIDA
Over the second weekend in January, a spiritual retreat called CONVIDA (Viatorian Teen Congress) took place for the first time in the history of the school.
Duván Medina, religion teacher at Colegio San Viator in Bogotá and delegation leader for the last two years to the VYC, says the initiative was born as a result of their participation in the Viatorian Youth Congress in this country.
Duván Medina, left, accompanies students during one of the liturgies.
The gathering was led by the head of the Pastoral department and accompanied by former VYC young leaders and more than 40 students.
Many of these leaders participated in VYC
Medina described it as a “wonderful experience,” as the young people came to look at themselves, their classmates, nature and their relationship with God, through a new perspective.
“Through recreational activities, prayer, silence, fraternal life and the Eucharist, these young people managed to find a space for reflection,” Medina said. “It allowed them to recognize that love is the engine that moves our lives, seeing in the poor and the neighbor the loving face of Jesus.”
Medina shared the results of this first CONVIDA with Viatorians in this country, and he asked them to pray for its continued success.
“Pray that the teachings of Fr. Luis Querbes continue to be a seed in the hearts of these young people,” Medina said, “and thus form communities of love in which Jesus can be adored and loved.”