THE HEART BEATS THE CULTURE OF LIFE IS STRONGER

Today's theme: Some young people, young people who remain faithful to Jesus, the one Lord, and faithful to his Church, who are signs of the culture of life present in Latin America, in Bolivia, in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Young people who with their testimony of life cry out: "BEATS, HEART... NOT ALL THE EARTH HAS SWALLOWED IT”, remembering the great forgotten Spanish poet, Antonio Machado. YOUNG PEOPLE STILL SHOUTING: THE HEART BEATS THE CULTURE OF LIFE IS STRONGER.

Youth life, present in this portion of the Church, is part of the ARCHDIOCESAN YOUTH VOCATIONAL MINISTRY, the body that embraces the entire Archdiocese of Santa Cruz, led by a group formed by the auxiliary bishop, Monsignor Stanisław Dowlaszewicz Billman, Order of Friars Minor Conventual, Poland, Sister Gladys Chávez Pillancari, religious assistant belonging to the Congregation of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Sacred Heart, Chile, both with many years of presence in Santa Cruz, and the coordinators of the vicars who make up the Archdiocese. The periodic meetings of the group make it possible to know, plan and accompany the path of youth ministry at the archdiocesan level. The coordinators are about 30 people, eloquent figures of the presence of young people in the Church. They are responsible for animating and supporting the life of faith of the youth groups of the different parishes, led by an archdiocesan coordinator who works together with the team. Monsignor Stanislaus also accompanies the vocational youth ministry at national level. All the work is organised and enriched by national, archdiocesan and jurisdictional meetings of the Archdiocese of Santa Cruz.

Most of the young people who are part of this great movement are university students or young people who work, young people who take responsibility, with perseverance and commitment. Dynamism and creativity are their identity. They are always up to date on all the events of the Church of Santa Cruz; they are committed, always seeking the Lord in prayer, which nourishes and illuminates their lives and is projected into fraternal meetings, generous service and exchange. This is how they make their way, walking the sometimes dusty streets of the Santa Cruz department.

One of the main events that leaves deep traces among young people is the so-called "Youth Easter". It takes place every year on 1 May, which is a public holiday, allowing everyone to be present. Around 3000-4000 young people participate, together with priests and religious councillors, coordinators and the Bishop. As these are mass meetings, they have been suspended for the last two years because of the pandemic.

This active youth vocations ministry also carries out its mission through various Church programmes, including prayer and sacramental life, the organisation of the Pope's visit, missionary congresses, archdiocesan assemblies, national meetings, and solidarity actions planned by them or by lay adults. In the various organisations, young people always offer their support for any activity that is in the interest of the community.

A great sign of life is the preparation for World Youth Day WYD, together with Monsignor Stanislaus, which involves a large number of them, becoming a school of great human and Christian values, through formation meetings every 15 days, deepening the documents of the Church, especially those of Pope Francis, who today as yesterday challenges young people: ... Therefore, today, once again, God is saying to each one of you: "Get up!". I hope from the bottom of my heart that this message will help us to prepare for new times, for a new page in the history of humanity. "But, dear young people, it is not possible to begin again without you. To get back on its feet, the world needs the strength, the enthusiasm and the passion that you have. In this sense, I would like us to meditate together on the passage in the Acts of the Apostles in which Jesus says to Paul: "Get up! I bear witness to what you have seen" (cf. Acts 26:16) (Message of the Holy Father Francis for the XXXVI World Youth Day.

The annual programming of the archdiocesan vocational youth ministry begins with two events: a retreat for the coordinators of the vicariates, to reflect on the theme of synodality; a national meeting where they will meet the new national councillor, Monsignor Nicolas Renán Aguilera, bishop of the diocese of Potosí.

This entire youth movement is a luminous presence of the culture of life that radiates hope, new life that flows through the veins not only with the energy of the years of youth, but which flows from the inexhaustible source of God's merciful love, realised in his Son Jesus Christ, the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE, proclaimed and celebrated by the Church that walks in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.