Church – Francis – Movements Category

Before a crowd of hundreds of thousands of young people at the vigil of the World Youth Day in Krakow, Pope Francis gave an emotive and extensive talk in which he encouraged the youth to be signs of mercy, protagonists of history and to leave their mark on the world. Complete text of the Holy Father’s speech: Dear Young Friends, good evening! It is good to be here with you at this Prayer Vigil! At the end of her powerful and moving witness, Rand asked something of us.  She said:Read More
WYD2016, by Maria Fischer • More than a million young people braved the rain to welcome the Pope at Jordan Park in Blonia, at the first meeting between Pope Francis and the youth at this year’s World Youth Day.  “So far, I haven’t seen a single Schoenstatt flag in the live transmission,” commented an Argentinian collaborator for schoenstatt.org.  This was in part due to the programme of activities: a large group of the Schoenstatt Boys Youth in South America had been scheduled to visit the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, and becauseRead More
FRANCIS AT WYD2016 IN POLOND, by Maria Fischer • “God saves us, then by making himself little, near and real.” These were the three words in Pope Francis’ homily at the Shrine of Our Lady of Jasna Gora.  When Pope Francis visits a Marian shrine, he is at home.  She is his mother, as he admitted to Fr. Alexandre Awi in a long interview about his encounters with Mary.  But his love for Mary is always organic, it comes from God and leads to Him, comes from people and leadsRead More
COVENANT SOLIDARITY by AICA and editors • In his words, after leading the Angelus on Sunday, the Holy Father reiterated his condemnation of the “deplorable acts of terrorism and violence” that have taken place in the last few days. Francis said he was “once again shaken by the sad news of the deplorable acts of terrorism and violence” in which “many innocent people lost their lives.” He expressed his closeness to the families of the victims and the injured, and invited them to unite themselves in his prayer, because thisRead More
FRANCIS AT WYD2016, by Maria Fischer • Pope Francis’ first message in Poland was clear and was the topic in all of the European media on Wednesday, 27 July 2016: Also needed is a spirit of readiness to welcome those fleeing from wars and hunger, and solidarity with those deprived of their fundamental rights, including the right to profess one’s faith in freedom and safety…This means doing everything possible to alleviate the suffering while tirelessly working with wisdom and constancy for justice and peace, bearing witness in practice to humanRead More
WYD2016/SPAIN, by ligafamilias.schoenstatt.es and M. Fischer • A large group of Schoenstatt Boys’ Youth from Spain, Portugal and several Latin American countries participating in World Youth Day with Pope Francis and other youths from around the world, has already departed after meeting in Madrid – the site of the Boys’ Youth’s unforgettable “Unanimiter” [Unanimously] gathering on the eve of WYD 2011. On 18 July, approximately 150 boys departed from Serrano Shrine on the way to Krakow; they also went on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt’s Original Shrine (Germany). Around eighty-five from theRead More
ARGENTINA/SYRIA/IRAQ, by Cristina White • Sr. María Guadalupe, from Argentina and missionary of the Incarnate Word has carried out her apostolate in the city of Aleppo, Syria for five years. During the past few months, she has been in Argentina in different areas giving her testimony. It is very difficult to hear the heartbreaking reality of the war, from the protagonist role at the service of the sorrow, and the atrocities that she defines as genocide. To hear her provokes a tremendous inner quivering, and one cannot be indifferent toRead More
by Ary Waldir Ramos Díaz, aleteia.org • Pope Francis, in the midst of reforming the curia and the structures of the Holy See, was seen this Wednesday morning, 13 July, inside a pearl-coloured Toyota Yaris on his way (after a dental appointment) to the fourth floor in Conciliacion 1 road.  This is where, among other offices, the Pontifical Commission for Latin America (CAL) is located.  Surprise, the Pope is at the door! The CAL staff and their supervisors couldn’t believe it. “Incredible.” Pope Francis decided to “pop in” to theRead More
ROME/VATICAN, by Maria Fischer • “I never imagined being here,” said Mercedes MacDonough. “I still can’t believe I’m here at the Holy Father’s Mass in St. Peters on the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul.” With love and emotion, she raises her pilgrim mother and a small cross of the Lord of the Miracles of Salta, Argentina, which she would later take to Room 101 at the Fr. Kentenich House in Belmonte, the “Argentina” room. It is 29 June, a Wednesday, but her dream to attend Pope Francis’ general audienceRead More
TOGETHER FOR EUROPE by Fr. Hans-Martin Samietz • We were surprised.  Eighty collaborators of the Schoenstatt Movement gathered on Sunday to celebrate a Mass of thanksgiving at the Munich Schoenstatt Center.  Throughout the weekend, Christians kept the city of Munich in suspense with the congress and the “Together for Europe” rally. And Schoenstatt was in the middle of it Eighty-nine Schoenstatters had registered for the congress. Schoenstatt held the third place, according to the number of participants.  Moreover, it was estimated that there would be up to 120 Schoenstatters involvedRead More