Bettina Raed, International Deputy Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, visited El Salvador, where she accompanied various formation processes, supported the strengthening of the national teams and helped to advance the mission of the Network and the Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM). The visit took place at a time of renewal for the mission in the country, with the conclusion of a three-year accompaniment process and the preparation of a new pastoral stage.
One of the central moments of the visit was the second-level formation retreat for EYM leaders, held from 31 July to 2 August, with the participation of 40 young people, together with a group of servants and collaborators who already have experience as leaders and coordinators of the movement. During the three-day retreat, participants deepened their understanding of EYM spirituality and pedagogy, particularly through the pedagogy of the Disciples of Emmaus, with moments of personal prayer, community life groups, plenary sessions, animation and activities proper to the movement. The experience also provided an opportunity to continue deepening the way in which the EYM lives The Way of the Heart through a pedagogically adapted approach.
This retreat was part of a three-year accompaniment process led by the International Office, which began in 2024. Its aim was to support the renewal of the EYM’s pedagogical approach in El Salvador. The process sought to bring together the movement’s history in the country with its current pedagogical approach, deepening its key pillars and the journey of the Disciples of Emmaus as a preparation for experiencing the spirituality of The Way of the Heart.
The young participants highlighted the fruits of this experience. Alice Hernández shared that the retreat renewed her confidence that God is guiding her journey and allowed her to appreciate the community life groups, where sharing with other young people helped her grow in empathy and recognise the different realities that each person faces. She also expressed her desire to one day serve other young people in the same way that those who accompanied the retreat served her. For Yeshuat Turcios, the experience represented a turning point in his spiritual life. He highlighted the moments of silence, interiority and prayer, as well as the experience of Emmaus, which helped him recognise Jesus’ presence in the concrete situations of everyday life. The experience also enabled him to deepen his understanding of the Eucharist and to discover the call to set out and share with others what he had experienced.
For her part, Francela Orellana, an EYM coordinator at Asunción y Salco parish, shared the experience of those who accompanied the retreat as servants. She highlighted the joy of serving and discovering that each small act can help bring God closer to the hearts of young people, renewing the conviction that serving with love is also a way of expressing faith.
As part of the visit, two national formation sessions were also held for members of the national team and EYM leaders. One focused on a culture of care and the creation of healthy and safe environments, within the framework of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network’s safeguarding policy. The second addressed pastoral leadership and the development of apostolic teams, with the aim of strengthening the capacities of those accompanying the mission in the country.
The visit also included meetings with the new National Directors, who began their service in May, and members of the national team. These meetings provided an opportunity to review the process developed over the previous three years and to advance the planning of a new stage in the mission. In this context, El Salvador is undertaking a process of unifying the leadership of the mission, which includes reorganising the national team, establishing teams according to different areas of service and developing a new pastoral plan for the coming years. The accompaniment of the International Office seeks to support this process of reflection and help to discern and plan the next steps for the mission in the country.
Bettina Raed’s visit therefore provided an opportunity to accompany different aspects of the mission in El Salvador: the formation of new EYM leaders, the care of communities, the strengthening of pastoral leadership and the reorganisation of national teams. This process continues to place the formation and accompaniment of people at the centre, so that they can serve others from the spirituality of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network and the Eucharistic Youth Movement.
