ARGENTINA, Lilita and Carlos Ricciardi, Maria Fischer •
Accompanied by prayers and capital of grace of many people from La Plata and elsewhere made the Family Missions this year special with this touch of jubilee since it was the twentieth time that families and youths from La Plata went on mission. When Luis and Lorena Folonier with their three children now participating in their first mission as parents (although nineteen years ago they did it as an engaged couple) took the offering up during the Mass, it was an impressive moment summarizing those twenty years of Family Missions. There were other people that always or almost always participated in these Family Missions, such as Eduardo and Alicia Monguillot, Juli Gabriela and Gastón Zurita, and Fr. Javier Arteaga, among others.
Unforgettable moments
The Family Missions were carried out for the second time in Ranchos, a province of Buenos Aires. Fr. Santos welcomed the mission at the Ranchos church, and he sent them forth on mission in the town, that town whose streets they already knew and whose people were already waiting for them. Thus they went on mission in pairs, like Jesus’ disciples, with mate, Mary in hand, and Jesus’ fire in their hearts.
The First Communion of Celina Gimeno, age 86, was one of the greatest and most touching moments. Fr. Stelman, who accompanied the missionaries as their priest, traveled to homes; years ago he participated as a young missionary. Franco was baptized during the Missions in Maipú in 2001, and this year he was present as a missionary in Ranchos.
With Magnificat attitude
On the last day, many missionaries from previous years and Lilita and Carlos Ricciardi, the engines of prayer for the Family Missions, joined the group. They presented the missionaries with a collection of the prayer chains, testimonies, chronicles, and different activities of the Family Missions during these past twenty years. Of course, Maria Fischer and the entire schoenstatt.org team that have been protagonists in helping spread the prayer of solidarity for the Family Missions for many years, were included.
Lastly the final and the biggest expression of gratitude is for all those who welcomed the Family Missions from La Plata throughout these twenty years of mission:
1999 – General Belgrano, province of Buenos Aires
2000 – General Belgrano, province of Buenos Aires
2001 – Maipú, province of Buenos Aires
2002 – Maipú, province Buenos Aires
2003 – Diamante, province of Entre Ríos
2004 – Diamante, province of Entre Ríos
2005 – Oliveros, Province of Santa Fe y Bovril, province of Entre Ríos
2006 – Oliveros, Province of Santa Fe y Bovril, province of Entre Ríos
2007 – Sauce de Luna y Alcaraz, province of Entre Ríos
2008 – Sauce de Luna y Alcaraz, province of Entre Ríos
2009 – Lobería, province of Buenos Aires y Caseros, province of Entre Ríos
2010 – Lobería, province of Buenos Aires y Caseros, province of Entre Ríos
2011 – Coronel Dorrego, province of Buenos Aires
2012 – Coronel Dorrego, province of Buenos Aires
2013 – Coronel Pringles, province of Buenos Aires
2014 – Coronel Pringles, province of Buenos Aires
2015 – Magdalena, province of Buenos Aires
2016 – Magdalena, province of Buenos Aires
2017 – Ranchos, province of Buenos Aires
2018 – Ranchos, province of Buenos Aires
Original: Spanish. 1 February 2018. Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA. Edited: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, Elgin, TX USA