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From 14 to 18 July Jean Davi Frainer, youth leader in the parish, coordinated `Project Youth Mission`, which was organised by the Youth Ministry team and carried out thanks to the commitment of 250 young people from the diocese of Joinville, post-novices, young Salesians on practical experience, theology students, Salesians and Salesian Sisters.
`Project Youth Mission` was inspired by the theme `We have a thousand reasons to live`. It grew from the need to announce the Gospel to all and aimed to offer young people and adolescents an experience of God among people. At the outset the young people were invited to make themselves the main characters in their personal stories and commit themselves to try to transform society and the Church.
On Wednesday 14 July, in the Church of St Anthony, there was a Mass to send the missionaries into the community. During the Mass the resources to be used in the mission were blessed. In their turn, the communities to which the young people were being sent carried banners to welcome the boys and girls.
The young people, supported by several priests, were divided into teams each of which was tasked with going into a community and leading various learning activities. During the five days of the mission about 20,000 people from various parts of Joinville received a visit from the missionaries.
On Sunday 18 July, the final day of the mission, the various communities were reunited in the parish for Mass. Afterwards there was a `Feast of Tents` and a Festival of Song, with performances of sacred and secular music, to show appreciation for the talents of the young people who had taken part in the event.
For the first time in 49 years the parish of St Anthony celebrated the `Feast of Tents` in the place where the people thank God for the fruits of their labour. During the celebration each community distributed food to all those present.
Published 30/07/2010
