Young people are a priority for the Religious of the Assumption (Rule of Life 80).
As part of the Youth-AMA-Vocations Team program of the Province of Central America and Cuba, the National Youth Gathering was held in Guatemala from July 12 to 14, with around 30 young people from the Assumption Communities in Guatemala participating in it.
The gathering took place in Sayaxché, Petén, with participants from La Asunción and María Eugenia Milleret Schools in the Capital, Maya Assumption Educational Center in San Luis, Petén, and the Assumptionists Youth Ministry from Sayaxché, who hosted the event. The teenagers, accompanied by Sisters, met on the afternoon of July 12 to begin a gathering centered around the theme: "Adolescence and Social Media," aimed at guiding young people in the responsible use of social media and exploring how, through the means of communication, they can live out synodality, metanoia, prophecy, and the culture of care.
Regarding synodality, the young people realized that social media can build strong bonds and that its proper use can foster real and positive connections. They also reflected on how the use of social media requires constant conversion (metanoia), recognizing that it’s not just about using social media but using it purposefully and responsibly.
Through games and activities, they learned that it’s possible to use social media platforms for evangelization and that even as teenagers, they can live out practical holiness. They also visited the sick in Sayaxché, bringing Communion to them with the help of Ministers from San Antonio de Padua Parish. This deeply impacted the youth, teaching them the importance of cultivating a culture of care.
The gathering took place in an atmosphere of simplicity and camaraderie. Despite coming from different contexts and schools, they discovered a shared connection through the Assumption charism, realizing that Jesus calls them to be joyful and socially committed young people. The final invitation was to live out their commitment as Assumption and share the Good News through their lives.