(ANS – Valencia) – The Young People’s Easter is an event that has been celebrated in Spain since the 1980s. In this report, Fr Josep Luís Burguera, from the Spain-Valencia Province, tells of his experience as he celebrated Easter 2013 with some young people, on the theme “There was you faith”.

I have just celebrated Easter with a group of 45 teenagers and young people from the Salesian Youth Centre “Entre Amics” of Valencia. This year, like every other year, as I celebrate yet another Young People’s Easter, I ask myself why does this genuine sign of the Spirit pass unnoticed by people in general and, in particular, by the Church in Spain.

From the early 80s, Young People’s Easter has been celebrated in every part of Spain. It often started in youth centres of different religious congregations working with young people, like my own congregation, but sometimes also in parishes and catholic schools. One of the Easter mottos associated with this type of celebration that became very popular in the early years was “Cristo Vive!” – Christ is alive.

This year there are hundreds of celebrations of Young People’s Easter. The social networks testify to many of these, in reports, photos and video links.

This year’s Young People’s Easter at my centre focused on the theme “There was your faith”, a clear reference to a recent film documentary in French entitled “Il était une foi” (There was a faith). The film was viewed and discussed during the days the young people came together.

Boys and girls from age 17 upwards were invited, especially those who were leaders in the youth centre. Two Salesians were present all the time, one of them always in charge, but the organization was done by the young people themselves, since youth empowerment is an essential aspect of our style of youth ministry. The young people are not just empty vessels to be filled with thoughts and ideas, given in long talks by their elders (or priests!), while they are expected to agree and do what they are told.

There are many ways of celebrating Young People’s Easter. Some groups leave their centre and go to a holiday home or a place in the country. Others prefer to stay in the city and celebrate on their own, with their group members. Others still – and we belong to this group – prefer to celebrate Easter in their own centre or school, but also taking part in the celebrations in the parish or public Church. The last option seems to me a very balanced one. It does not take the young people away from the parish community and gives them a real sense of being part of the people of God which, by definition, includes people of all ages – even if our Churches are filled with mostly old people.

Our Young People’s Easter began early on Holy Thursday and ended shortly after the Easter Vigil. The participants slept in the local youth centre, and so they were present together for two and a half days. This had a value in itself, given that today’s youth culture involves journeys together, camping, time on the beach and shared leisure activities.

Two activities proved to be of particular significance for the young people – the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament on Holy Thursday before going to sleep, and the adoration of the Cross on Good Friday evening in a part of the school specially prepared for this purpose. Everything was done in youthful style and language, but it was always serious and well-prepared.

We came to realize that we suffer from “a deficit of witness to the faith”, a problem that is getting worse especially among the young. Even in Christian circles we are not accustomed to proclaiming our faith, except on a few occasions at special times of the year. The Young People’s Easter is a great encouragement to let the light of our faith shine in our lives, with whatever depth we are capable of. This leads on to the most important thing which is a personal and community experience of faith in Jesus Christ, discovering that he is alive and present in our lives. It leads us to make a decisive choice for him, despite all the obstacles and doubts that inevitably exist.

It seems to me that this is the significance of Young People’s Easter. It helps each young person to make a choice for Jesus Christ as the point of reference of his or her whole life. In practice, this can happen only when the young person realizes that he or she is not alone on the journey, but that there are other young people accompanied by Christian adults who walk with them, just as the disciples did on the road to Emmaus.
 
Published 16/04/2013