JOGJAKARTA-INDONESIA
AN
ENCOUNTER WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE
By Marselina Maru
On July 2 & 3, 2016 we had the opportunity
to join some other Congregations in the program of Vocation promotion in Wisma
Salam, Jogjakarta. The participants consisted of some grade school students,
Junior and senior High school students from different Parishes together with
their parents and some Coordinators who helped to animate the program itself.
The purpose of this program is to help or
assist the children in realizing the seeds of Vocation within them. We also
hoped that there would be participants interested to be religious or to embrace
a life of celibacy. Yet, the desire of the participants to be religious or to
be priest was really lessened. Nevertheless, the spirit and desire to serve
others and the Church are still alive within each person. It was found out
through the simplest sharing and activities that we had done with the
participants.
Eventually, we realize that this program was
really meaningful for us because through it, we were able to know directly the
reality of the decrease of vocation in Religious life. We are challenged also
to look for the “better responses” that we can offer to the reality of our
world today so that the spirit of service through Religious life will be
increasing and attracting for the young generations.
