“YOUTH ON THE MOVE… BE MORE!” – DAY 2, Feb. 14. The National Youth Assembly – Hijas de Jesus

“YOUTH ON THE MOVE… BE MORE!” – DAY 2, Feb. 14. The National Youth Assembly

Gifts and talents…

Regardless of the late night, the delegates did their best to be punctual for breakfast and morning prayer, followed by the recap and house reminders.

Miss Noreen Santos

At 9:00 a.m., Mrs. Noreen Santos, mother of two MS students and member of the parent volunteers of the Pastoral Team, gave her talk on Personal Gifts and Giftedness. She stressed that they are gifts of God that please Him, using Biblical passages throughout her talk. She cited Ps. 139:13 to stress their uniqueness; Col. 2:10 to remind them that they have everything in Christ; and Jn. 10:10 to remind them that Christ said He came so that we may have life in all its abundance.

She guided them to see the spiritual gifts listed in the Bible, and then to do an exercise on spiritual gifts. The delegates spent some 25 minutes taking the “test”, after which she surveyed who has which gifts.

The talk was followed by the usual journal writing and group sharing. For their reflection, they were asked to identify their prominent gift and explain how they can grow in it.

After lunch, the Concurrent Sessions began at 2 o’clock. The students attended different classes to discover and reflect on their gifts. Part 1 had the following sessions with the facilitators from the different schools:

Musical Instruments (Mr. Alvin Mangona, Mr. Marc Misael Gamil)

Photography – Mr. Jay Mark Salazar, Ms. Liza Legaspino

Arts – Mr. Jeff Santiago, Ms. Erika Gapas

Creative Writing – Mrs. Florilou Pantallano

Liturgical PowerPoint – Mr. Cloyd Arbolante

Baking – Ms. Violeta Medina

Journal writing followed the first part, after which Part 2 followed:

Acting (Ms. Angela Francis Timan)

Dance (Mr. CJ Tirol)

Singing (Mr. Benny Castellon

Public Speaking (Mrs. Melissa Kuo)

Hidden Gifts of Service (Mrs. Revy Supangan)

Again, journal writing followed. After the break, at 5 p.m., Sr. Anna-Maria Cinco, F.I. (Manresa School), gave the talk on How to Share Jesus with the Youth. She followed up Mrs. Santos’ emphasis on their being unique, saying that each one shares Jesus in a unique way, and that each one will have to answer the question posed by the title after having been helped toward awareness of certain things. Salient points in her talk were the following:

Sir Francis showed that in all the schools’ vision-mission statements could be found the element that God is our Father, and we are all brothers and sisters.

Mother Candida experienced God as a loving Father, and this experience engendered a child’s trust in her, leading her to want to do the Father’s will, concretized in working for the salvation of souls for God’s glory. This is reflected in the Constitutions of the Hijas de Jesús (CFI 136 and 209).

Mother Candida wanted the sisters (and the teachers by extension) to have this same experience (CFI 136), and she wanted them to communicate this to the youth in F.I. schools and centers (CFI 209).

In relation to Tristan’s talk citing the prayer “Fall in Love”, after all these years, in an FI school, where they have been given numerous opportunities, have they fallen in love with God?

As a child of God, whether they like it or not, they “share” their Father. What do they share about Him?

As we share our supreme gift, Jesus the Son of God, we grow. “Share or Shrivel”.

They can share: their smile, their joy, their simplicity, their passion and wisdom, their humor, their laughter, their gratitude; all the gifts they have received as youth of FI school, and the gifts they continue to receive.

They can share their morals as Catholic youth, too, for the world needs goodness and truth.

If they offer every moment to Jesus, then every moment becomes a gift, and a gift to be shared.

Mrs. Santos urged them this morning to be involved in parish activities. This is part of the WHERE and HOW in sharing Jesus with other youth. Those who are in the parish are already interested in Him.

They should be deeply aware of who they are (children of God, beloved by Him) and share themselves. Share Jesus in words and deeds, in their being as Catholic youth, as students from an FI school. Let Jesus shine in them.

Written by Sr. Anna-Maria Cinco, F.I.