The Magdala Youth Fest 2024 Encounter began with a solemn Eucharistic celebration presided over by Monsignor Joseph Spitieri, Apostolic Nuncio in Mexico. The Archbishop of Puebla, Monsignor Víctor Sánchez Espinosa, and the Auxiliary Bishop, Monsignor Francisco Javier Martínez, also participated in the celebration. The event was inaugurated by Fr. Juan Solana, director and founder of the Magdala Center, who welcomed the attendees and highlighted the importance of this youth gathering in the Catholic faith.
Words by Fr. Juan Solana
Fr. Juan Solana began the celebration by reminding the young people of the words of Pope Francis on World Youth Day: “Make a mess.” He encouraged those present to live their faith with enthusiasm and joy. “We want to make the mess of faith, the mess of joy, the mess of sharing, the mess of walking together following the footsteps of the Lord,” said Fr. Solana. He thanked the young people for their presence and asked for divine blessing to accompany them in these days of pilgrimage to the Holy Land in Puebla.
Contest of the Magdala Youth Fest 2024 Meeting
The Magdala Youth Fest 2024 Meeting is an annual event held in preparation for the commemoration of the anniversary of the passion, death and resurrection of Christ in 2033. Due to the current conflict in the Middle East, Magdala has decided to bring an experience of the Holy Land to Mexico from July 25 to 28 of this year.
Puebla, with its deep spiritual and cultural connection to the Holy Land, is the ideal setting for this event. This state is known for the deep-rooted presence of the Congregation of the Franciscans, who have guarded the sacred sites of the Holy Land for more than 800 years. With more than 500 churches and a Catholic population of over 80%, Puebla offers an environment conducive to spirituality and faith. Elements inspired by the Land of Jesus, such as part of the Stations of the Cross and various monuments, enrich the experience of the participants.
The event brings together young people and those “young at heart” on a journey of faith and devotion to God, designed to strengthen the bond with Christian spirituality. This year, the meeting has the outstanding participation of nearly 1,000 people, including participants, volunteers and individual attendees, creating an atmosphere of community and fraternity.
Homily of Bishop Joseph Spitieri
After thanking the people for their warm welcome and apologizing for the delay due to logistical complications, Bishop Spitieri shared a profound message about patience, service and charity, inspired by the Gospels and the mission of Jesus.
He highlighted Jesus’ patience with his disciples, as narrated by the evangelists Mark, Matthew and Luke, who recount the three announcements of the passion. “Jesus announced his passion on three occasions to prepare the disciples and apostles, but they did not understand the teachings of Jesus,” explained Bishop Spitieri. He also mentioned the intervention of the mother of James and John, highlighting the importance of service and dedication in Christian life.
Bishop Spitieri emphasized human fragility, comparing it to clay vessels, and how God’s love overcomes our weaknesses. “The greatest gift of our life is the love of God. He loves us personally, by name and surname, and offers us his forgiveness and mercy,” he said. He also invited the young people to be aware of their fragility and to open their hearts to the love of God and the Holy Spirit.
The Apostolic Nuncio stressed the importance of living according to the values of the Kingdom of God: service in charity, justice, forgiveness and reconciliation. “Jesus continues to patiently explain to us the values of the Kingdom, the values of service in charity,” said Bishop Spitieri, inviting those present to keep alive the awareness of the gift received with baptism and to nourish it through meditation on the Word of God and the sacraments.
Bishop Spitieri concluded his homily by encouraging the young people to be true missionary disciples, capable of loving, serving and offering their lives in service to others. “May James, the first martyred apostle, intercede for all of you so that you may always be pilgrims of peace, missionary disciples of the risen Lord in the midst of a world torn apart by violence, discrimination and hatred,” he concluded.
Statements from the Apostolic Nuncio
At the end of the Mass, Bishop Joseph Spitieri offered a statement highlighting the importance of young people participating in events such as the Magdala Youth Fest 2024 Meeting:
“Yes, well, first of all a very cordial greeting and thanks to Father Juan Maria for this initiative and thanks to the young people and also, as I said at the end of the Mass, to the young people at heart who are participating strongly in this meeting.”
Bishop Spitieri highlighted the spiritual and cultural connection that Christians must maintain with the Holy Land:
“I think it is important to always maintain with us as Christians, our relationship with the land of Jesus, this holy land which is the land of the people chosen by God to prepare for the arrival of his Son, the land of Mary, the Land of the Lord Saint Joseph, the land of the apostles, of so many martyrs.”
Referring to the lasting impact of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, the Apostolic Nuncio mentioned:
“And surely those of us who have made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land are always marked, marked by this presence, this possibility of meeting Jesus there and of better understanding various aspects of his life and his teachings, such as when he was born in Nazareth, the Annunciation, the hidden life of Jesus on the Sea of Galilee in Tiberias.”
Bishop Spitieri also spoke about the importance of celebrating and visiting holy places:
“We can much better imagine Jesus sitting there on the boat, announcing the word of God, or on the mount of the multiplication of the loaves. And above all, obviously, being able to celebrate, being able to visit Golgotha, Calvary, the Basilica of the Death and Resurrection of the Lord.”
Finally, he called on young people to join in prayer and to make a pilgrimage, even if it is virtually:
“So I invite young people and everyone to make that effort at this moment we are called to pray, to ask strongly for peace, the gift of peace, in a particular way for the Holy Land and all the peoples who live there, but also to make this virtual pilgrimage, for the moment to make this virtual pilgrimage, may it be a spiritual moment of deeper encounter with the Lord.”
These words of Msgr. Spitieri underline the importance of maintaining a lively and meaningful connection with faith and holy places, encouraging young people to strengthen their relationship with God through prayer and reflection.
The Encounter Youth Fest Magdala 2024 continues with various activities designed to strengthen the faith, fraternity and social commitment of the participating young people, promoting a culture of peace and hope.
