The San Lorenzo centre is located in the ancient Basilica of San Lorenzo in Piscibus, dedicated to the holy Roman martyr of the third century, St. Lawrence, the church is situated on Via Pfeiffer 24, just a few meters away from the Vatican.
A gift from the friend and father to the youth
St. John Paul II, a friend and father of all world’s, wanted to build this beautiful sign at the “heart of the Church” in Rome, by establishing an International Centre to the Youth and for the Youth, choosing to place there two great “treasures”: the original Cross and the Marian icon of World Youth Day. In his inauguration homily, St. John Paul II expressed that the San Lorenzo International Youth Center is a place where the Christ’s Cross, the Sign of Grace and Redemption must reign, awakening in all its visitors the “sensibility for God’s reality”. Therefore, the San Lorenzo Center is created as a “beacon” and a reference point for young people of the whole world, who as pilgrims in Rome, can listen to God’s voice and recharge their strength allowing them to embrace their true vocation and mission.
The “Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life” which is a Vatican institution directly responsible for the World Youth Day and for the San Lorenzo Center, has asked Shalom Catholic Community to assume, by October of 2018, the Centre’s administrative and animation service, in hope of advancing the special mission of this centre carries along side the youth. Born amongst the youth, for the youth and with youth, Shalom Catholic Community welcomes with joy this gift and mission, by placing its own Charisma and missionary strength in support of the Church to evangelise all people and especially the youth.
Two gifts
On one hand, the San Lorenzo Centre is a present from Pope John Paul II to the youth, and on the other hand, we can say that the Shalom Community itself is the fruit of a “present”, of a young man’s “life offering” to the Pope. When he was 20 years old, Moysés Azevedo, offered his life and his youth to God and to the Church, committing himself to the evangelisation of young people, especially those distant from the Church and from Christ. Today, the Community is made up of “people on the move”, young people, celibates, priests, families, all dedicated to the evangelisation of the youth and the people. Therefore, the Community welcomes this news with an open heart, seeing in it a great sign of God’s providence and will in its life and mission.
“This Centre depends on the best in you and can consolidate the best of you”
St. John Paul II used to say that “this Centre depends on the best in you and can consolidate the best of you (…) Your attention and your unselfish service to youth coming from various parts of the world, will inevitably bring you to speak of the reasons for your availability, to open your interior world to those with whom you converse.”
For the service required in this new reality, a group of missionaries from Shalom Catholic Community will assume day-today jobs and special events for the centre’s administration and animation sector, welcoming the pilgrims and organising evangelisation activities, liturgical and pastoral. Being also a space for ecclesial communion and a missionary environment, the Centre will house the missionaries from the Shalom Community International Office. Shalom International Assistance is responsible for the worldwide spreading of the Shalom Charisma, for establishing the missionary Community among nations, and for the Community’s relations with the Church throughout the world. Therefore, from now on these missionaries will have their new work and service headquarters in the centre.
A new missionary phase
Since the first working years of the Centre, the Communauté de l’Emmanuel (Emmanuel Community), originally from France, has assumed with great enthusiasm and evangelising spirit the day-today jobs. On Wednesday, the 27th of June, a solemn mass was celebrated by fr. Alexander Awi Mello (secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family, and Life) in the Basilica of San Lorenzo, in thanksgiving for the service that this Community has given to the Centre, as well as, entrusting the Shalom Community this new missionary phase which will be carried out there.
Shalom Catholic Community will re-open the San Lorenzo Centre and officially establish its work on the 1st of October, the Memorial day of St. Thérèse of Lisieux, who is the co-patron saint of Missions and also the intercessor with whom the Shalom Community in a special manner entrusts its apostolate with the Youth.
“Time of youth”
It is important to remember that the Church is currently living a time of graces, which in a very special manner revolves around the Youth. An important sign of this “time of youth” can be seen in the upcoming Synod of the Bishops which will be held in October this year, with the theme: “Young people, the faith, and vocational discernment”. During the month of the Synod, the Shalom Community will already have been present and active in the San Lorenzo Centre, welcoming and serving the Synod Fathers and all the Youth present in Rome.
The Community will always remember the praise of His Holiness when he said: “You have placed yourselves at service of the International Centre in a Marian-like attitude, with generosity without being able to measure the full import of this commitment. You have done it prompted by the Holy Spirit, ready to unfurl sails so that the Spirit of God may move you according to his will” (St. John Paul II, 13th of March, 1983)
Translation: Gabriela Gois