06/11/2024
From September 27-29, the city of Sumaré, Brazil, hosted the III National Vincentian Youth Forum. About 2,000 young people from different Brazilian states, the theme of the meeting was “Youth, Living Face of Ozanam”. The event was attended by the President General of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SSVP), Juan Manuel B. Gomez.
The Forum had an intense agenda full of emotions. Workshops, talks, moments of spirituality and moving testimonies that marked the attendees and deepened the Vincentian values. The Apostolic Blessing of Pope Francis to the Vincentian Youth was also a memorable moment, reinforcing the importance of youth work in the Church.
The President General stressed the importance of the participation of young people: “I have the feeling that the Vincentian Youth of Brazil live the Society of St. Vincent de Paul from within, through their faith, they know Frederick Ozanam and know that we are not here for philanthropy, but because we are first of all a network of friends, who practice charity understood as love of neighbor for the love of God”.
The president of the National Council of Brazil, Márcio José da Silva, highlighted the importance of this meeting for the future of the Society: “Today’s young people are no longer the future of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, they are the present. They are already taking on responsibilities, leading units and helping to strengthen the charitable work we do every week.”
With a varied program, the Forum left a deep legacy in the participants, strengthening the network of friendship and commitment to the Vincentian mission. The III National Vincentian Youth Forum reaffirmed the crucial role of young people in the SSVP, demonstrating that the commitment to charity and faith is still alive and ever stronger among the new generations.