From September 16 to 18, the Caritas-Spes base in Zarichany became a meeting place and a spiritual resource for almost 300 young people from various parishes of the Kyiv-Zhytomyr Diocese.
In this extremely difficult time, young people are even more in need of support, spiritual growth and a place where they can be filled with the Holy Spirit, accompanied by the bishops of our diocese, priests and nuns.
The beginning of the Days of Youth was the prayer of the Crown to Divine Mercy, the Way of the Cross and the Holy Mass, which was led by Bishop Oleksandr Yazlovetskyi.
Saturday was busy and filled with various activities.
The center was the Holy Mass, which was presided over by Bishop Vitaly Kryvytskyi. During the ceremony, the bishop reflected with the young people on the concept of nobility and its implementation in our everyday life, which can be implemented even in quietly closing the door.
One of the interesting guests invited to announce the conference was Fr. Vadim Dorosh, military chaplain, who shared his experience.
There was time at the conference, work in groups, communication, meetings with interesting people already in the traditional rubric “visiting the DYD”, prayer.
After a delicious dinner, which was prepared for all gathered in a 100-liter cauldron, there was an informal meeting with Bishop Vitaly. It was an opportunity to ask the bishop a question, to hear his opinion, to have the opportunity to spend this evening next to a person who, even in episcopal ministry, does not forget to be for the youth and with the youth.
The evening and night of the second day were different from all the others. It was a night of prayer vigil, it was a prayer vigil in unity with those who are now guarding our peace, protecting us from enemy missiles. And as noted by Fr. Serhiy Voronyuk, our soldiers are proud of those young people who knew how and wanted to devote the night time to prayer.
The rainy Sunday morning began with prayer and a conference by Fr. Serhiy Voronyuk.
In a very accessible way, Father Serhiy told that we can be before God in the position of a slave who fears God. Either a mercenary, or the position of a daughter or son who responds to God’s love and wants to love God.
The day was also enriched by a conference given by psychologist Lyubov Mykhailiuk.
The conclusion and culmination of Sunday was the Holy Mass, which was led by Fr. Michal Wotsial is the head of the commission for youth affairs, and the ceremony was preached by Fr. Waldemar, who has been the organizer and engine of the Diocesan Youth Days for many years.
You can do small things, but do them with great love.
The Diocesan Youth Day has ended. Everyone went to their homes and parishes. Already tomorrow, someone will return to study, someone to work, but the memory of these days will remain in the heart for a long time, and there is a living hope that the next Diocesan Youth Day will already take place in Ukraine freed from the enemy and peaceful.
The source is kzd.org.ua