Located in the province of Mendoza, Argentina, God the Father Educational Center –since 1992 – offers quality education and the transmission of values to more than 530 students from 230 families at all levels. It especially has as basis for its ideology the stars of Father Kentenich’s pedagogy, characterized by a marked work with attachments.
The Charism
Through devoted commitment, it seeks to educate children in Father Kentenich’s pedagogy – at Mary’s hand – to be free men, free personalities, anchored in God the Father…..responsible persons and happy to make their own decisions guided by their life ideals. In order to achieve this objective, they present to the students an image of God who is a Father and who is Love.
Some of the Manifestations of Father Kentenich’s pedagogy:
KENTENICH CONFERENCES
Every year, special time is dedicated to getting to know and thus get closer to Father Kentenich. It is a special time for reflection and an opportunity for everyone to express their sentiments to Father. The Kentenich Conference is centered on a special topic according to the year’s direction. An olympiad takes place with races and questions based on material that has been worked through and developed on ideas of a certain topic. The Conference takes place on or around September 15th (the day Father Kentenich went Home to the Father). The races are in the areas of literature, plastics, music, and multimedia. In all areas, the person of Father Kentenich is highlighted.
SPONSORSHIP PROJECT
Since the symbol of the institution is seen through the organism of attachments, in the life of the School, it is essential: to strengthen attachments and interpersonal relationships. It is about setting firm roots in the divine life. They are made aware that through natural and good attachments, it is possible to be closer to God. To be sponsors is to be involved with the person in your charge in order to know the person and to fulfill a small function of a parent, to be aware of their needs, and to give them joy and acceptance. It is about being a small ray of the Divine Paternity, to be bridges so that the Father God can act.
These projects are:
Institutional attachment: It is the attachment among the entire teaching staff and not as a teacher of the school.
Sponsorship among students: Whose main objective is to foster fraternal love, awakening in the older ones a paternal spirit of leaders for their followers.
Sponsorship for the students who are about to leave (3rd many-styled level) on behalf of a teacher and non-teacher group. Their mission is to make them feel that God is always with them and is interested in each detail that occurs.
PERSONNEL MEETINGS
The teachers gather weekly for their pedagogical formation. The priority for these weekly meeting is to be formed as an educational community in the pedagogy which sustains the establishment. They grow in depth by means of pedagogical files on the motto that illuminates the year as a workshop…conversing on the concrete application of the pedagogical proposal…speaking about the legal impediment in their personal life and in the life of the students.
PASTORAL CARE OF THE FAMILY AND PREPARATION FOR FIRST HOLY COMMUNION
Father’s pedagogy offers many tools for helping to motivate the families as basic cells of society. During this time,the parents’ and the student bonds are strengthened by motivating them to take another step towards their surrender to Christ. The main objective during this stage of formation is to evangelize the family by seeking a personal encounter with Christ and his mission, by renewing the awareness of church-community, and by strengthening the small domestic community through marriage topics (sacramentality of marriage).
The students in the fourth and fifth years of EGB2, are prepared to receive the sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Eucharist. This preparation takes place through Family Catechesis in monthly meetings, where they are able to discuss the topics that the children are working through in catechism classes. Other families lead these meetings for the families. The preparation takes place with the supervision of the pastor (chaplain) who also assists them with everything in the special celebrations. The first Holy Communions take place in the María Auxiliadora de Lor Corralitos Parish.
WEEKLY MASSES BY COURSE AND MONTHLY FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL
Once a week during the morning, the school’s chaplain visits to assist one or another of the courses. Beginning from the fourth year of EGB2 to the third (Polimodal), by rotating, they have the opportunity to have a deeper encounter with Christ as a course through confession and sacramental communion. Likewise, on the 18th of each month or around that date, the entire educational community gathers to celebrate Holy Mass. A group of students (sponsors and godchildren) with their teachers, in rotation take care of the preparation. These are some of the projects The God the Father Educational Center handles.
Information/contact
www.diospadre.org.ar
info@diospadre.org.ar
Los Corralitos – Guaymallen – Argentina
The School, a gift from God for the Diocese
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 01202012
