By Anh Thi, FMA
FMA southern Vietnam, 18 May 2022 -- On the 150th Anniversary of the Foundation of the FMA Institute (August 5, 1872 – August 5, 2022), on Sunday, May 15, 2022 The FMA Vietnam's Provincial Sector of Youth Ministry organized GEN H - 2022 youth meeting with the theme “1500 Love” at the provincial house in Tam Ha, Thuc Duc city. Attending the meeting is Sr. Maria Hoang Thi Thu Ha – the Provincial, Sr. Maria Nguyen Thi Tuyet Nhung – the Vice-Provincial Superior, Sr. Maria Thu Ha – Provincial Coordinator of Youth Ministry, Sr. Maria Thien Hang – In charge of the Youth Movement, the community animators, the FMA and more than 600 young people from different places in the South of Vietnam where FMA sisters are present.
From 7:00 am, young people came and left their first impressions at the check-in place, and at 8:00am the program officially opened. Young people took part in activities of exchanges and sent their personal information on their paper planes, which helped them to connect, build up friendship, create excitement to start the main part of the meeting.
The joy of the celebration of 150th Anniversary of the FMA Institute was expressed through lively songs and dances by the Vietnamese FMA. Then, via the media, Mother General, Sr. Chiara Cazzuola sent her warm greetings to the young people in Vietnam, wished them to become ones of hope: honest citizens and good Christians, thereby committing themselves to be barm and salt in their lives; Sr. Runita Borja, General Counsel of Youth Ministry also reminded them to be disciples of God, who know how to love one another, because love is possible with 3 characteristics: non-discrimination, selfless giving and freedom.
Then a member of the provincial Youth Movement team - representing the young people, expressed their deep gratitude to God, congratulated and expressed their gratitude to the Institute: “Thanks to the presence of loving educational accompany of the FMA Sisters, the Good News has been spread and young people have been transformed in blessings. We ourselves are young people who have grown up in the wonderful educational environment of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians.”
Sr. Maria – the Provincial said thanks to the young people for congratulating and celebrating this important event with the Sisters. She also left them the message of love: “love as God has loved us and respect the one you love”. She also wished them to achieve many good things in order to continue living happily in their daily life.
After that the participants continued to experience “1500 Love” through three challenging big game stations. At the first station, they realized their biggest fear when living love and bravely overcoming it. At the second station, they recognized and accepted love and good things in life with gratitude, respect. At the third station, they understood that living Love together is the way to connect and spread love.
Then, the message of “Journey of living Love” was concluded by Sr. Maria Hoang Ngoc Yen – the Provincial Councilor and it was inserted with meaningful songs by the singers.
The high peak of the meeting was the Holy Mass presided by Father Joseph Nguyen Xuan Quang SDB and co-presided Father Joseph Le Quoc Hung SDB. In his homily, Father Joseph Quang invited the young people to look up to the example of Jesus, who loved with His selfless love, sacrificed to death for the ones he loved. The 150 years of the presence of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians are proof of love as God has, filled with concrete sacrifices that the Sisters have saved for the young people. Then, they also listened to the short sharing of Father Joseph Hung about his mission in South Sudan.
The youth meeting ended, but the joy still shines in the eyes and smiles of the young people. May the good things they experienced today continue to be extended in their daily lives.
