Baptism Tag

SYNOD 2021 – 2024 • The General Secretariat of the Synod published on Thursday, October 27, the document for the new continental stage (January to March 2023) of the synodal process of the universal Church initiated by the Pope in 2021. — The text is the result of the summaries of the consultation of the People of God in the first stage of the synodal process and will be the basis of the work and “frame of reference” for “the period of listening, dialogue and discernment of the continental synodalRead More
sacramentos
PARAGUAY, Casa Madre de Tupãrenda (CMT), Alicia Gómez and Minerva Leguizamón • On 9 June 2021, two boys who were part of the Casa Madre de Tupãrenda program, Fabián and Braian, received the sacraments of baptism, first communion and confirmation. They chose Lourdes (Skills teacher) and Rosi (Baking teacher) as their godmothers. — There is no perfect time to join and be part of God’s flock. Baptism is a person’s new beginning. Fabián and Braian made the decision to take this step to change their lives by also sealing theirRead More
PARAGUAY, Cristi Santa Cruz • I met Juanito when he first arrived at La Esperanza Educational Center (Youth Prison). He had just turned 15 and in between conversations he told me that he was not baptized. Talking a little more with him, I convinced him to begin the catechism classes for his baptism.  — With a very basic schooling, we started the catechesis, putting all the intelligence and the few pedagogical tools acquired, more by experience and intuition than by instruction, and we were learning who is God, his SonRead More
SPAIN, Henar de Santiago. • At the end of last year, we were lucky enough to be able to accompany the mothers and babies of the house of Maria Ayuda in Pozuelo de Alarcon, Madrid. —   The ceremony was cozy and familial. The members of the board of trustees, Father Borja, the educator and volunteers who are giving their services, love and help in a totally selfless way, were there to support these mothers. The godmothers and godfathers are usually people from the board or volunteers. It must beRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • “You are my beloved Son, and that love of God can move anyone to change many things”.  Pedro Kühlcke began his homily on the day when seven participants of CMT (Casa Madre de Tuparenda) received the sacraments. Josías received baptism; Emanuel and Angel received First Communion; and Rodolfo, Christian, Alci and Luis received Confirmation. As every year, thanks to catechists Oscar Sugastti, Ceferino Orué and Miguel Arrúa, the participants were able to get to know God better and they freely decided to receive the sacraments ofRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • On July 30, the afternoon was sunny yet cool. Some youths were seen close to the wayside shrine, each one with his guitar in hand. They were playing and singing, amid embarrassment, nerves, laughter that was more or less contained, before beginning to make a serious effort to rehearse some songs… It looked a Boys’ Youth camp or an enjoyable moment from the Missions… But we were looking at some youths who until a few months ago had been in jail and livedRead More
Maria Fischer • His nose just about reached the rim of the baptismal font if he stretched hard enough. It didn’t satisfy him, so he hopped and jumped again and again while his eyes shone with irrepressible joy and impatience. During the Litany of the Saints we would have loved to pour over him a whole bath of baptismal water and soak him in a completely unorthodox way. … The sight of this young catechumen, and the thought of the bath of baptismal water, gave rise to so much joyRead More
PARAGUAY, Maria Fischer • On the 21 March 2017, Mother of Tupãrenda House was festively decorated for the celebration of the Baptism, First Communion, and Confirmation of seven participants from the CMT Project that through their own volition enthusiastically prepared for months with Cristina Santa Cruz, who generously accompanied them. CMT is a center for work training and human development of youths released from the juvenile detention center; it is located in the shadow of Tupãrenda’s Schoenstatt Shrine, and it is a permanent fruit of the Year of Mercy. SevenRead More
PARAGUAY, Melissa N. Torres A. • At Fr. Martín Gómez’ request the Professional Women’s Branch took on the apostolate at Good Shepherd prison in Asunción. Since May 2015, every Sunday from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m., Branch volunteers travel through every unit of the prison accompanied by the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign’s Pilgrim Mother. They teach the inmates to pray; they share the Gospel and pray the rosary.  On one of these visits, the mothers from the Amanecer unit expressed their desire to have their children baptized, and incredibly, they alsoRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • “Paying for the wrong we have done is one thing, but another thing entirely is the “breath” of hope, which cannot be stifled by anyone or anything. Our heart always yearns for goodness. We are in debt to the mercy that God constantly shows us, for he never abandons us (cf. Augustine, Sermon 254:1)… hypocrisy leads us to overlook the possibility that people can change their lives; we put little trust in rehabilitation, rehabilitation into society. Thus we forget that we are all sinners, and oftenRead More