Although I have had four years at the service of the national youth and vocation ministry, I had never had the opportunity to accompany the FRAT. The FRAT is 10,000 young people from all over the Paris Region, gathered for 4 days in Lourdes! Unique opportunity to speak about our call to holiness and the vocation of each one!
An incredible atmosphere, deep liturgies, young people open to meeting and deepening their faith. Our Vocations space was next to that of Confessions where the line was very long, a great opportunity to initiate meetings thanks to this “vocation bookmark”!
You cannot imagine the depth of the discussions from this imaginary “bus line”…. Going around in circles without moving forward, becoming aware that God loves me, that he matters in my life, daring to choose, because everyone is called to holiness... everything is there!
We also had the animation at fixed times for sessions dedicated to vocations, in groups, through the figure of Bernadette and our Christian life….
For several years, I have experienced how young people are changed by a time of pilgrimage to Lourdes. They are receptive and open to reflection on the meaning of their life (meaning and direction) and the various activities that we offer them allow them to take seriously this certainty that each of us is called to Holiness and that we must on the way to seek and find our vocation. Yes, "each of us has a mission on earth" Marie Eugénie liked to say; it is a joy to help young people to discover it. Next step the WYD in Lisbon and we are counting on your prayers for all these young people!
Sr Marie Valerie