A journey of spiritual encounter and relaxation in Montreal: “God, Friends and Nature”
From August 30th to September 2nd, a group of 12 young people participated in the “God, Friends and Nature” – GFN camp, an experience that took them from upstate New York to Montreal, Canada. This trip not only offered the opportunity to relax in nature, but also to deepen their spiritual life and meet with MOVEC families from Montreal.
MVC Philadelphia youth at GFN camp.
GFN trips were created with the intention of offering a true, spiritual break for people with busy lives. Unlike a traditional vacation filled with tourist activities, these camps offer an opportunity to reconnect with nature, community, and the Lord.
During each day, participants have the opportunity to attend Mass, pray the rosary and enjoy moments of silence, all while sharing food and experiences amidst God’s creation.
Days with God and nature
The first day of the trip included a visit to the Shrine of St. Isaac Jogues and the North American Martyrs, a place of great historical and spiritual significance. Located in the valleys where the Mohawk tribes used to live, this shrine venerates the first martyrs who gave their lives for the faith in North America, including St. Isaac Jogues. This site is also the birthplace of St. Kateri Tekakwitha, the first indigenous saint of the Americas.
Young people praying at the Sanctuary of Saint Kateri.
On the second day, the group camped outside Montreal and toured the city, visiting some of its most iconic churches. The third day was marked by mass at the Oratory of Saint Joseph, where many pilgrims gather to pray at the tomb of Saint Andrew Bessette, known for his deep devotion to Saint Joseph and for the numerous miracles attributed to his intercession.
A meeting of the MVPs in Montreal
Enrique Revilla, a Peruvian member of the MOVE who has lived in Canada for ten years with his family, shares his experience: “We met on Sunday at the Sanctuary of Saint Joseph (Montreal) for Mass, where Father Carlos Keen concelebrated the Eucharist. Afterwards we shared a picnic in a nearby place, on the emblematic mountain ‘Mont-Royal’, from where you can enjoy a spectacular view of the city.”
Meeting between young people from the Philippines and CLM families in Montreal (Canada).
This experience has allowed us to learn about the members of the MEM in Montreal and Enrique told us: “We are a community of families that meet to pray the rosary and participate in pilgrimages. This community helps us to keep alive the reference of the encounter with God in the midst of a complex reality for Christian families, where the experience of faith has greatly regressed.”
“Having other families who want to live the same values and educate their children in the faith is a great help. These activities motivate us to get together and do things together, even in the midst of everyday life, and this meeting has deeply renewed us”, says Enrique.
For his part, Justin Kozma, coordinator of the MVC in Philadelphia, who participated in the camp, shared: “The Church in Canada stands on the shoulders of immigrants, and it is evident that, as a spiritual family, we need to support and pray for our CLM there and for the church in general so that it can bear beautiful fruits in a place where it is not easy to spread and live our faith.”
“Meeting with the CLM members was like a family reunion. It was like we had known each other forever, because our hearts have been made part of the same spiritual family. Seeing the enthusiasm and desire of these CLM families was inspiring,” Justin said.
A sharing about the VI MVC Assembly
In a small meeting room, an emblematic place of the MVC Montreal located in the halls of the Montreal Cathedral, we prayed a rosary together with the people from Philadelphia. “We prayed together in Spanish, English and French, the languages we use in the Sunday liturgy ”, says Enrique.
“After the rosary, Fr. Carlos shared some central ideas about the recent MVC Plenary Assembly, reflecting on the challenges and where the Spirit is leading us. We talked about our reality as MVC families in Montreal and faced the challenge of preparing a strategic and apostolic plan for the future of the movement in Montreal. There was great harmony with the children from Philadelphia and they enriched us greatly by transmitting to us their joy of knowing the Lord”.