A meeting of youth in Argentina

Friday, 07 November 2008, 12:11

On Sunday, October 26, the 19th meeting of youth of the Eparchy of the Holy Protection in Argentina took place. Despite strong rain and a tropical storm, 350 persons arrived at the Parish of Saint Volodymyr in Posadas, Misiones.

On Sunday, October 26, the 19^th meeting of youth of the Eparchy of the Holy Protection in Argentina took place. Despite strong rain and a tropical storm, 350 persons arrived at the Parish of Saint Volodymyr in Posadas, Misiones. Registration of the participants began in the morning, and after breakfast the youth glorified God with singing. After the greeting with bread and salt and a short performance of the youth organization Youth for Christ from Posadas, Father Pastor Jose Hazuda led a prayer, greeted the participants, and gave a blessing to all, and so the meeting officially opened. Consequently, the greeting and blessing of Bishop Miguel Mykycej, eparch of Argentina, was read, as was the greeting of the district government, which proclaimed the meeting as an important matter for the whole capital city, and other greetings which came on this occasion were read. As part of the Year of Christian Vocation proclaimed by the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC, the 30^th anniversary of the Eparchy, the 100^th anniversary of the arrival of the first Ukrainian priest to Argentina, and the 75^th anniversary of the Holodomor (forced famine), the youth reflected on their Christian vocation precisely as a vocation to the spiritual state. The main lecture was read by Proto-priest Jose on the theme “You should give them something to eat,” (Mt. 14:16) emphasizing methods with which we can feed our neighbor through talents, working, and ministering conscientiously in parish communities. "Only the one who works for Christ’s sake gives himself totally and really loves. The person who does not use the talents given by God and lives proudly and greedily is an unsuccessful person," the preacher noted. After the meditation, all the youth gathered in church for the Divine Liturgy. In his sermon Proto-priest Jose underlined the beauty and grandeur of consecrated life, encouraging the participants to a positive consideration of the call of Christ: “Come, follow me.” After the Divine Liturgy they ate lunch together and then started work in groups, in which they responded to liturgical, historical and church themes. The reward for well-done work was books of the Bible, a “map” to the treasure, Christ. At the end of the meeting the viewed a video-film about a man without hands who did not give up but, on the contrary, serves God with joy, singing and playing on the guitar with his toes. This wonderful example of life touched all the participants and gave inspiration, encouraging them never to say “I can’t.” You can, God gave you talents. Use them and feed your neighbor.

Information was given by Deacon Nestor Harapchuk

Translated by the Information Department of the UGCC