By Paula Costa, consecrated sister of the Community
Last January, we held our festival for 14-18 year olds, Summer Camp 2026.
Nearly a hundred young people from Divinópolis and Belo Horizonte gathered to spend five days on holiday with God, with others and with themselves. The programme included teaching, worship, sharing, reconciliation, games, fellowship and lots of fun.
This year’s theme was holiness. In light of the beatification of Carlo Acutis, we wanted to show young people that holiness is possible today. Through the lives of Carlo Acutis, Guido Schäffer, Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus, Chiara Luce Badano and Giorgio Frassati, they discovered that a youth given to God is a concrete and joyful adventure.
This Summer Camp was marked by a strong ecumenical dimension. For the second time, we welcomed six missionaries from Bethel Church. In a country as polarised as Brazil, this experience of unity was a real grace. We prayed, worshipped, played, ate and shared together, living out in a concrete way the call that is dear to our community: ‘Let us do together all that we can do together.’ “
At the same time, we were able to further inculturate our way of living our faith in Brazil, where many young people also aspire to a more traditional and Marian spirituality. Thus, while enjoying beautiful ecumenical moments, we offered the prayer of the rosary together, including with our brothers and sisters from Bethel Church.
Once again, it became clear that Mary is not the cause of our divisions, but often their victim: she is the Mother who suffers to see her children separated.
This Summer Camp will remain a highlight of unity, faith and joy for the whole community.
