Youth Formation at Casa Guadalupe & Activities at the Granja

Approximately 55 youth from various parts of Honduras and a few from Nicaragua participated in a week of intensive Christian formation at Casa Guadalupe (the friars' neighborhood/mission center in Comayagua) sponsored by Missioners of Christ. The schedule of the week included classes on different aspects of Catholic faith and life, workshops on the spiritual life and evangelization and times for personal and worship. I celebrated Mass most mornings for the participants and led the Holy Hours in the afternoon, as well as teaching two classes on the life and teaching of Blessed Pope John Paul II and leading evening discussions on apologetics during supper.

Some of the youth who participated in the week of formation.

Most afternoons during the week I went to the Granja ("the Farm" - a nearby Catholic boys orphanage) with a few young men participants to lead some recreational and formational activites for the boys. However, on Thursday a group of about 18 participants for a full afternoon program.

We began with a Eucharistic Holy Hour in the provisional chapel, during which I also heard confessions while the youth lead prayers and music,  concluding with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament.

The remainder of the afternoon was comprised of fun-filled team activities. Carol Restaine, a consecrated lay woman Missioner of Christ, is a genius at coming up with ideas for young people to do. The boys were divided into four teams with members of varying ages, and each team was given a digital camera to use. There was then a series of tasks each team had to complete and capture with a photo graph. The teams received points based on how quickly they finished the task and returned to the base, as well as on which team produced the best result. The tasks included taking a photo with one of the animals and one of the workers at the Granja. Another involved spelling a word on the grass involving all the team members. Yet another involved taking a photo in which every team member could be seen, but showing as little as possible of each member. Everyone had a blast, and of course prizes and snacks followed at the end of the day.

One of the teams with a cat and one of the Granja personnel.

Spelling "Fe" ("Faith") on the grass.

A photo showing everyone on the team, but as little as possible.