Sixty-two people attended the 2024 Marcha Way Encounter. The group consisted of seven accompanying members from the European Pastoral Team and the MRE follow-up and coordination team, as well as young adults belonging to various Marist Youth Pastoral movements. All of them, coming from different countries of Marist Europe such as Greece, Germany, Portugal, Italy, and Spain, enjoyed the activities prepared during the 23-24 school year by the European Marist Youth Team (EJEM).
The Marist house of Llinars del Vallés became “home” to all the young Marists of Europe, so that “around the same table”, a genuine experience of brotherhood could be lived. It is striking how, through the service of monitors, animators, and catechists, the young participants managed to develop their own personal life project, even from a vocational perspective, wanting to be more committed to accompanying other children and young people so that they too could experience what they had lived in their spiritual journey and through this encounter.
By means of various activities (games, sunrises, optical illusions, prayers, deserts, pair walks, music, approaching realities, testimonies of Marist mission agents, among others), the participants were able to reflect on their path (way) and conclude by recognizing the importance of walking knowing they are not alone in their desire to follow Jesus, who is our path (our way) as Marists.
Each day of the encounter emphasized the experiences of the animators, monitors, and catechists in each Province. On the closing day, there was a celebration to commemorate the unity of Marist Europe. The end of the day was marked by a Eucharist in the presence of Father Jaume, who came from Cambodia, and a concert by the Marist group UBUNTU.
For each of the young people, this experience of feeling AT HOME has served as a basis for making the decision to tell Jesus, “COUNT ON ME”. For its part, the EJEM has begun working on the preparation of the next encounter in August 2025. Its mission will be to facilitate the encounter with God of more young people from Europe, starting from their service in the youth movements as Marists of Champagnat.
