MAGIS
This weekend, 5-8th august, the IBVM will unite to MAGIS, an ignatian experience in which we will find with other young people from all around the world. What is it Magis?
Magis is a unique opportunity to celebrate live from our faith in Jesus Christ, a faith that moves us to build a better world for the whole Humanity. It’s an extraordinary occasion to extend our horizons and get to know realities that are far away from our, sharing ideas, worries, concerns and dreams with girls and boys from other cultures and races.Pilgrimage:
All along the History, too many people have walk long distances in order to find God, looking for their place in t he world and in the Church, as St. Ignatius did.
Following the experience of St. Ignatius, Magis is an invitation to go on a pilgrimage from their own heart to the world, accompanied by Jesus Christ. It’s a time to grow and let to be changed by the reality and for the Lord.
It’s a vital attitude that will make us to be better persons. With Jesus Christ
Jesus invites his disciples to be conscious of God’s action in places and people that they had never imagined. He called us to love and serve God and the world in another way. His way is our way. From Him we receive the Good News in order to communicate it to the world.
In the world:
The world is our house, place of encounter with the others and with God. It is a rich and plural world, although it’s broken by inequality. In between the human suffering, God calls us to tend bridges and cooperate in his mission or reconciliation.
As a Church:
In this way, the pilgrim discovers to other mates that are doing the same work. All together, they discover the grace of being called and fell part of the Church, fraternal community and rich in diversity.
The world is our house, place of encounter with the others and with God. It is a rich and plural world, although it’s broken by inequality. In between the human suffering, God calls us to tend bridges and cooperate in his mission or reconciliation.
As a Church:
In this way, the pilgrim discovers to other mates that are doing the same work. All together, they discover the grace of being called and fell part of the Church, fraternal community and rich in diversity.
Getting ready in Loyola
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| Loyola is a magnificent place. |
From Fridays’ afternoon, thousands of young were arriving to Loyola in order to live there three intense days of meeting and reflection with other girls and boys arrived from all over the world.
There, in this privileged place, surrounded by green and tall mountains, everything was ready to receive us.
Dozens of volunteers have work for the last year to make everything ready: places to sleep, food, games, workshops, shows and places for prayer and reflection.
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| Candles to give light to our night pray |
Saturday we enjoyed the Eucharist in the peerless frame of the Basilica de Loyola, and that same night we had the Cultures Festival, in which every country delighted us with traditional music and dancing.
On Saturday we celebrated the big Eucharist, with the Father General, and the sending of the young to their experiences. There were more than 200 experiences going from culture and ecology, to History and pilgrimage.
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| Eucharist in the Basílica of Loyola |
Asilah
We are already in Asilah, a little Moroccan village, 35 kilometers away from Tanger.
In the group we have girls and boys coming from France, Ireland and Spain and, till know, everybody is getting on perfectly well. As much that if someone pass by the Catholic Mission this days will be astonished by the mix of languages, because it’s not only the three European languages, but also the Arabic, official language in Morocco and the one we are trying to learn.
Every morning, first thing, we have Arabic class with the intention of being able to, at least, know basic expressions and be able to say ‘sucran’ (thanks) and other words.
We have been here only for two days, but it looks like weeks, because it has been very intense. On Monday, we arrived really tired, after the whole night in the bus and the flight, so we decided to have some free time and go to the beach!. There, we enjoyed the white sand and the blue waters from the Atlantic Ocean. It really was what we needed in order to start the week with energy.
Yesterday, we started with our routine. In the morning, after praying and breakfast, we divide into two groups. Some of them stays at home and do the cleaning, shopping and cooking, while the other goes painting. What we do is to go to some houses in the outskirts of Asilah and help families to paint their homes and do some housework.
In the afternoon, the first day we enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Medina, what it is the historic city center. No doubt, we recommend the visit if you pass by!.
But, as you may know, Morocco is a country of big contrast, so we have also visited one of the poorest areas, trying to talk with the neighbors in order to know and understand their problems.
By now, the experience is being very interesting and everybody is talking about how much we learn in the Magis Circle every night.
But we will go on another day. By now, we let you with some pictures.
14 kilometers We are already in Asilah, a little Moroccan village, 35 kilometers away from Tanger.
In the group we have girls and boys coming from France, Ireland and Spain and, till know, everybody is getting on perfectly well. As much that if someone pass by the Catholic Mission this days will be astonished by the mix of languages, because it’s not only the three European languages, but also the Arabic, official language in Morocco and the one we are trying to learn.
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| Learning Arabic |
Every morning, first thing, we have Arabic class with the intention of being able to, at least, know basic expressions and be able to say ‘sucran’ (thanks) and other words.
We have been here only for two days, but it looks like weeks, because it has been very intense. On Monday, we arrived really tired, after the whole night in the bus and the flight, so we decided to have some free time and go to the beach!. There, we enjoyed the white sand and the blue waters from the Atlantic Ocean. It really was what we needed in order to start the week with energy.
Yesterday, we started with our routine. In the morning, after praying and breakfast, we divide into two groups. Some of them stays at home and do the cleaning, shopping and cooking, while the other goes painting. What we do is to go to some houses in the outskirts of Asilah and help families to paint their homes and do some housework.
In the afternoon, the first day we enjoyed a wonderful visit to the Medina, what it is the historic city center. No doubt, we recommend the visit if you pass by!.
But, as you may know, Morocco is a country of big contrast, so we have also visited one of the poorest areas, trying to talk with the neighbors in order to know and understand their problems.
By now, the experience is being very interesting and everybody is talking about how much we learn in the Magis Circle every night.
But we will go on another day. By now, we let you with some pictures.
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| Typical Morocaan door |
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| Playing with children |
14 kilometers is the distance between Spain and Morocco; Europe and Africa, abundance from poverty. And it’s also the title of the film we have seen today in Asilah, a village that is in the route of immigration from Sub-Saharan Africa to Europe.
A film that shows us how the person traffic is business, how an illegal immigrant is a person without rights, how Justice disappears.
And we have seen that the trip of the immigrants doesn´t start when they get the boat to Spain. Not at all. It starts thousands of kilometers away and a few months before. This means to go through the Sahara desert, Argelia, Morocco…
The film tells us the story of two brothers, but it offers speciall attention to the situation of women, who are defenceless and they can be abused by police, dealers or even other inmigrants.
Today, on our Magis Circle, we will talk about inmigration and Social Justice.
Daily live in images
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| Breakfast |
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| Dancing and singing with children. This was a constant in our experience! |
Learning about Islam
Friday is the holy day for Muslims. As we are now in Ramadam, we have done our ‘small fast’ –voluntarily- just to get closer to this culture that has welcomed as so well.
In the afternoon, we have learn something about Muslim religion, thanks to our friends Abdel and Farid, who have told us about it.
After the ‘class’, we have ‘broken Ramadam’ with a very good Harira (tipical Moroccan soup) and of course moroccan cakes and tea.
After everything we have lived today, we feel nearer to our muslim brothers because we firmly believe that the importan thing is that, despite different faith, we are able to respect and love the Other, like Jesus showed us.
