Friday, 24 May 2019 – the Feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians – is claimed as the 15th anniversary of the Juventutem idea. While Julien Bodereau, Fabien Vieillefosse, and Fr. Armand de Malleray had already been working for months on the idea of an international collaboration of young adults attached to the Traditional Latin Mass – and, in particular, for a manifestation of such a group at World Youth Cologne (pdf report) – 24 May 2004 was the first date in which the name “Juventutem” was emailed between the founders as a name under which the apostolate might be carried out.
In 2006, when the Juventutem idea was formalized into the Juventutem movement in the Fœderatio Internationalis Juventutem, the Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians was named in the Juventutem Charter (pdf) as the day each year when each involved Catholic young adult is asked to consider the Six Commitments of Juventutem and to confirm whether he or she will undertake those commitments for the next 12 months. For a Juventutem chapter to continue to be accredited in any particular locale, it must continue to have at least three members who undertake the commitments (link to application form). The more-or-less up-to-date list of Chapters is here.
At least three chapters around the world are gathering this day to corporately observe our anniversary: If you know any young adult within a short ride or drive of these locations, please send him or her an encouragement to be involved.
London: Fr. Armand de Malleray, International Ecclesiastical Assistant of the FIJ will celebrate Mass for Juventutem London and for the intention of all members, friends, and patrons of the Juventutem movement at St. Mary Moorfields at 7:30 p.m., with social to follow – Facebook
Austria: Juventutem Kärnten will gather for a Traditional Latin Mass on Friday morning.
Ireland: weather-permitting, Juventutem Corcaigh will gather for Holy Mass at Kilcrea Friary at 7:30 p.m. – Facebook
Minnesota: Juventutem Twin Cities – Holy Hour at the Cathedral – Facebook
Wherever you are, please keep Juventutem in mind and say a prayer for the sanctification of young adults through its efforts.
(the image above, of Our Lady, Help of Christians, is borrowed from Vultus Christi, the blog of the Traditional Benedictine community now installed at Silverstream Priory in County Meath, Ireland. The blog made use of that image on the eponymous feast day in 2008, which Pope Benedict XVI had inaugurated as a day of universal prayer for the Church in China.)