From June 23 to 29, San Ignacio School in Medellín (Colombia) hosted “Claveriada 2026,” the national gathering of Ignatian youth that brought together more than 500 young people from different regions of the country, along with delegations from Paraguay, Brazil, and Mexico, under the theme “Pilgrims of Reconciliation and Hope.” We, the Daughters of Jesus, were represented by Sister Ma. Dolores (Loly) Fernández FI, who for the past two years has been collaborating with the Ignatian Youth Network (RJI) of Colombia—an organization created, led, and coordinated by the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). On this occasion, in addition to serving on the event staff, she provided spiritual guidance to the young people as they participated in an in-depth Spiritual Exercises experience. She herself shares her testimony of these days spent with the Ignatian family.
Three moments stood out in the game
The first step was to recognize ourselves as an Ignatian family. The young participants come from programs linked to the educational, social, and pastoral works of the Society of Jesus and women’s congregations of Ignatian spirituality. Through this diversity, we experienced the richness and fellowship of being a family.
During the second phase, called “Out to Sea,” 19 experiences took place over three days. These included spiritual retreats, pilgrimages, discernment regarding religious life, the Taizé style of prayer, art and culture, Ignatian political advocacy, integral ecology, and service. These were opportunities to listen to God through their stories, to embrace a hope born of the wounds and sorrows experienced in these regions, and to experience a deep joy in knowing that we are accompanied by one another.
The third moment led us to a sense of “we.” It was a time of discernment and spiritual conversation, as we asked ourselves what it means to build hope in Colombia today and how we can foster reconciliation in the places where we live.
A meeting that came about gradually
Since the second half of last year, the RJI Team has been organizing this gathering through various working committees. These were intense times of prayer, reflection, dialogue, and working on logistics, the day-to-day schedule, and putting together the booklet. This teamwork helped us grow and made the event possible.
We, the Daughters of Jesus, were there, represented by Sister Ma. Dolores (Loly) Fernández, FI, who has been working with the RJI in Colombia for two years now.
At the Claveriada, Loly not only served on the event staff but also provided spiritual guidance during the EE deepening experience. Twenty young people participated in this experience, accompanied by five religious (three Jesuits, one Apostoline, and one Daughter of Jesus).
Loly shares with us in her own words what this has meant to her:
“Being part of this experience has been an enormous gift from God! These days spent with young people continue to confirm to me that ‘they are God’s present,’ that walking with them and accompanying them enables us to venture out into the deep in our own realities and to offer concrete acts of reconciliation and hope. Let’s exchange our fears for dreams, as Pope Francis said.”
Dreaming up Claveriada, preparing it, carrying it out, and celebrating it together confirms to me that this journey is not one we take alone, but alongside others. There are many of us who share this commitment to young people. Let’s keep sowing seeds, opening up spaces, and creating opportunities. Young people are right there, walking alongside us.
“In the EE, as a spiritual companion, I have witnessed how much God gives of Himself to us freely and lovingly; and how much good comes to us from these spaces of inhabited interiority where we can come to know ourselves and strengthen our Principle and Foundation.”
If you’d like to learn more about the experience, you can listen to the Hymn to Saint Peter Claver— the saint who inspired this gathering—or follow the @rjicolombia Instagram account to learn more about this experience.
We continue walking alongside young people
Loly’s testimony is a reminder that mission work with young people is built in community, step by step, by creating spaces for listening and hope wherever young people go. We, the Daughters of Jesus, continue to accompany these processes of discernment through Ignatian spirituality, and we will continue to share experiences like this one that reflect our commitment to the younger generations.
