Marisol Becerra, Youth Ministry Assistant

Friday, January 26th

The Spirit Team gathering and training began on Friday, with arrivals around 6 PM. Fr. Fabian Cardenas, the youth ministry delegate, reviewed the objective of the weekend and the preparation for SYLC. There was also a great opportunity for community building and prayer. The Spirit Team was challenged to split into groups, write down their gifts and talents on a little cloud, and share them with everyone. This was a beautiful way for everyone to get to know each other and introduce themselves. Fr. Vien Nguyen, the Vocations Coordinator, guided everyone through night prayer, and it was a deeper reflection on how God calls us to use our gifts and talents to serve others. The night ended with a Goodnight from Ms. Gina Robles, the Youth Ministry Associate, challenging the Spirit Team to reflect on their call to be youth leaders and being chosen to use their gifts to be leaders during SYLC. 

Saturday, January 27th

The gathering continued on Saturday morning with prayer and a presentation on the legacy of SYLC and the roles of each individual leading the conference. Shortly after, each SYLC committee had an opportunity to work alongside their team and plan to organize the work that needed to be completed. Each committee was also responsible for updating the rest of the spirit team. In the afternoon, there was mass, and it was a beautiful opportunity for the team to center themselves in prayer and be reminded of keeping God at the center of all our work. Towards the night, each committee was tasked to prepare a dish for dinner while maintaining a budget. It was a great way to connect with others on the spirit team and enjoy cooking and getting to know each other better. After dinner, there was a presentation on the Strenna for 2024, “The Dream that makes you dream.” A heart that transforms “wolves” into “lambs.” The spirit team then brainstormed the theme for SYLC 2024 based on the Strenna. The night concluded with a Salesian Family Game Night and prayer. 

Sunday, January 28th

On the last day, the SYLC spirit team gathered for a eucharistic celebration and send-off after a beautiful weekend. After this moment of prayer and reflection, each SYLC committee provided updates on the work that would be done before the next gathering in April. This weekend served as an excellent opportunity for the SYLC team to work together in a spirit of community and reflect on the gifts, talents, and dreams that God has bestowed on each person to lead a successful and fruitful conference in June.