Youth Gathering: A Summer Camp Full of Hope

Youth Gathering: A Summer Camp Full of Hope

This summer, 120 young people from the parishes of Placetas, Falcón, Fomento, Báez, Cabaiguán, Guayos, and Cienfuegos came together for a week-long parish camp in Camagüey, hosted at the diocesan house.
After Matanzas last year, this new edition of the Convivencia once again brought together a youth filled with energy and faith.

An Experience Lived to the Full

Despite difficult conditions — especially the power cuts, limited to just four hours of electricity per day — the young people were fully active participants in their camp.
Divided into teams mixing middle- and high-school students, they learned team spirit, mutual help, and responsibility, in an atmosphere inspired by scouting.

Three pillars guided the week:

  • Prayer: daily Mass, confessions, times of prayer and praise.

  • Play: moments of creativity, adventure, sports, and discovering everyone’s talents.

  • Fraternity: shared meals, common service, and living together in simplicity.

A Model of Holiness to Guide the Way

Throughout the camp, the young people were accompanied by the figure of Blessed Father José Olallo, a brother of the Hospitaller Order of Saint John of God.
Through his example, they discovered that it is possible to love and serve even in poverty, and that for Cuban youth, holiness can be lived out every day — in charity and faithfulness.

Alejandro, 23, a medical student, shares his testimony:

“This convivencia is one of the most important moments of the year. It’s such a joy to share hope and love, and to forget, for a few days, the difficulties we live with.”

Thank You for Your Support

None of this would have been possible without the generosity of those who support us.
Your donations made it possible to host and feed all these young people, to fund the activities, and to provide the materials needed for the liturgy, games, and community life during these six days of convivencia.

You are not only funding a camp — you are investing in Cuban youth, in their human and spiritual formation, and in a generation called to carry faith and charity throughout our country.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts!