TRAINING THE YOUTH TO BE MINISTERS TO EACH OTHER

While the Missionaries were busy establishing themselves in their community as a centre of permanent mission and preaching parish missions outside, the youth congregation continued its activities. Each Thursday and Sunday these youngsters would come to spend the day in the Carmelite convent. After three years of existence, it was now divided into a section for younger and one for older members, who had finished secondary school. Whereas until the end of 1815 Eugene had been able to be fully present at all the activities, now he had to organise the youth in a way where some of them could take responsibility for certain activities.

In this extract from his notes, we see how some congregants are given the responsibility – and he calls it a ministry – of assisting in the formation of the new members of the group:

Among the notes which were taken I find the matter of nominating a certain number of congregants to serve as mentors for the newcomers. As their selection is very much to their credit, I consider it my duty to record their names here. For the senior section those named were Messrs. Tavernier, de Magallon and Mouranchon, and for the juniors Messrs. Maurin, Lantelme and Chappuis.
As the ministry they have to carry out with respect to their confreres has much in common with that exercised by the Angels, they were given their name. It can truly be said that this name fitted to perfection and could not have been applied to more suitable persons than those designated, so exemplary was their conduct and sincere their intentions […].

Diary of the Youth Congregation, 4 July 1816, O.W. XVI

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