Ozanam News 4th Quarter 2013 Ozanam News | Page 13

towards the living Savior Who is the center of our very being. Nevertheless, I cannot let this fear prevent me from sharing God’s graces with others. Thus, I recall the words of our Holy Father: “When we go to proclaim Christ, it is He himself who goes before us and guides us…He always accompanies us.” The most profound fear seems to be the fear of transformation. In the welcoming ceremony, Pope Francis urged us to “put on Christ” and allow faith to bring about a revolution in us, one that “removes us from the center and puts God at the center.” After the original Campus Fidei vigil site was moved from a flooded nearby village back to Rio’s Copacabana Beach, Pope Francis affirmed that we, ourselves, are the Campus Fidei, Field of Faith. He asked each one of us to offer a piece of ground in our hearts for Christ to sow the seed of God’s word. Even with our stones, thorns, and weeds, God can work in our hearts. When it feels like I have not made any progress, I am encouraged by the Holy Father’s words: “Seemingly, nothing has changed; yet, in the depths of our being, everything is different. With God, peace, consolation, gentleness, courage, serenity and joy, which are all fruits of the Holy Spirit, find a home in our heart; then our very being is transformed.” >Serve. When transformed into the Heart of Christ, our hearts become inclined to serve. Since my childhood, God instilled in me a concern for the sick, suffering, elderly, poor, and marginalized. The Saint Vincent de Paul Society blesses me with the opportunity to serve those in need. The theme for our International Vincentian Youth Gathering was “Missionaries of Charity— Let Us Go to the Poor.” Over the last year and a half, as my relationship with Christ deepened, I began to recognize Christ in the people I served. At the same time, I have felt Christ’s love flow to them through me. This notion of connecting with my brothers and sisters through a Christ-given-Christ-received relationship brings me great joy. Therefore, I was very happy to hear the Society’s International President General Dr. Michael Thio tell us that we, as Vincentians, are special because we find the suffering Christ in the poor who in turn find the hopeful Christ in us, and this is a powerful Yo uth & Yo un Ad ult g s witness. Yasmine Cajuste, the Vincentian Marian Youth International President, called the poor a sacrament because they are a sign of Jesus among us, and Father Gregory Gay, Superior General of the Vincentian Congregation, encouraged us to be Good News for the poor. Hearing the Vincentian speakers echo the stirrings of my heart confirmed me in my Vincentian vocation. At home I am surrounded by few peers who share the same passion for volunteering, so I was excited to meet young adults from the many different international groups and organizations inspired by Saint Vincent de Paul. What encouragement I received by witnessing the vast extent of the Vincentian Family and knowing that all across the globe there are young people like me who see Christ in the poor and marginalized and strive to serve them! As part of the gathering, we visited a conference in Nova Lima and spent time at the local nursing home supported by the Society. It felt great bringing the joy of Christ to the elderly and meeting adult Society volunteers from Brazil. Other opportunities to serve arose in Rio, where we offered food to homeless men and women who crossed our paths. > Go, do not be afraid, and serve. To serve God and others, one must have the courage and faith to go wherever and do whatever Christ asks of us. I am so very thankful for the opportunity to attend WYD RIO 2013 and the International Vincentian Youth Gathering. What an extraordinary time of encountering Christ through Pope Francis, catechetical speakers, my travel group, the diverse multitude of young Catholics, and the various challenging and joyful events! Through this gift, I have a place from which to gather the faith, hope, charity, strength, and peace to persevere in the Catholic faith and the Vincentian spirituality. St. Ann Mini Vinnies in Naples, Fla., helped to organize a service project with the 6th and 7th grade students so that all the students can become aware of the need to serve the poor. The project was to make hygiene bags that were given to the adult conference to be distributed. I must love my neighbor as the image of God and the object of his love. - St. Vincent de Paul 13