Na čo konkrétne budú peniaze z tejto kampane použité?

Prostriedkami získanými z tejto kampane, by sme chceli aspoň sčasti pokryť náklady na našu Oázu v Ríme. Jednalo by sa o bežné výdaje akými sú náklady na ubytovanie, stravovanie, dopravu či vstupné do rôznych kultúrnych pamiatok. Vaša pomoc nám teda umožní pokryť niektoré náklady, a tým ako spoločenstvu zorganizovať a prežiť duchovnú obnovu v Ríme.

Who are we?

Our community was founded in 2019 and our name is a bit unconventional, we are called SLAŽIARI. We want to be the salt and light of this world, just as Jesus tells us in Matthew's Gospel – Matthew 5:13–16.

In the early days of our community, we furnished a room together in the rectory, which became an ideal place for our regular meetings. We began to meet on Mondays for Vespers and on Fridays for conversation, prayer and time together. In the parish yard we organized various events, barbecues or summer cinema.

Later we discovered that many of us are musicians and singers, so we decided to continue the tradition of a youth choir accompanying the youth Masses in our parish. Together we participate in various smaller and larger events, such as the youth meeting in Trencin – T22, or the Pope's arrival in Slovakia in Košice. We also serve in our parish in the preparation of confirmands to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. Currently we have joint meetings on Mondays. As youth of different ages, we move to the parish after Mass, and there we have an interesting program.

We became part of the Light-Life Oasis Movement in 2021 and have been going through the New Life Oasis formation together ever since. Fellowship in the life of a young Christian is much needed. It forms us and helps us through difficult times. It also gives us a sense of acceptance and the knowledge that we are beloved children of God. We are very happy to be part of it and to develop the gifts we have received from God for the service of the Church.

Why did we set up this campaign?

Within our community we decided to deepen our relationship with God through spiritual formation, organized by the Light-Life Movement. This movement, founded by the Polish priest Francis Blachnicki, helps young people and families to mature in their faith and build a living Church through community. The name of the Light-Life Movement points to the necessary unity between knowledge (Light) and action (Life). In this unity, man becomes free if his will submits to the Light. So too we want to become mature Christians, living according to the truth and serving with our gifts in our communities.

Part and main element of the formation of the Light-Life Movement are the so-called Oases – 15 days of spiritual retreats, the aim of which is precisely to help to grow in faith. Our community has already been to the first three stages of this Oasis formation, called zero, first and second. In the summer we will have the third and final stage of this formation, which will be aimed at discovering the mystery of the Church and our place in it.

The specificity of this third degree is that it takes place in Rome. That is why we decided to organize this collection. The aim is to raise enough funds so that everyone who wants to complete their formation and thus grow in their faith can come to the Oasis in Rome.

What exactly will the money from this campaign be used for?

With the funds raised from this campaign, we would like to cover at least part of the costs of our Oasis in Rome. This would be for ordinary expenses such as accommodation, food, transport and entrance fees to the various cultural sites. Your help will therefore enable us to cover some of the costs and thus, as a community, to organize and experience a spiritual retreat in Rome.