PARAGUAY, Ciudad del Este, by Hugo Romañach •
Monday, September 28, 2015, will be remembered for its uniqueness. We were visited by Bishop Francisco Pistilli, Bishop of Encarnación, who celebrated the Eucharist for the 15th anniversary (Crystal anniversary) of the blessing of the Schoenstatt Shrine of Ciudad del Este. He was the adviser of the Schoenstatt Diocesan Family and the Boys’ Youth of Ciudad del Este for many years. He and Fr. Marian Wyrzyckowsky, who was the adviser of the Family Branch and the Mothers’ Branch until 1998, participated in the symbolic groundbreaking that began the construction of the Terruño Shrine on August 15, 1999.
Fr. Tommy Nin Mitchell, the new National Director of the Apostolic Schoenstatt Movement in Paraguay and Assistant of the Apostolic Federation of Families of the Boys’ Youth along with Fr. Jorge Silguero, Pastor of Santa Rita from Colonia Tavapy, who was visiting the Shrine to conclude the Catholic Youths’ Missions from this area accompanied our beloved Bishop Pistilli at 8:00 p.m. for the con-celebration of the Eucharist.
A night of joy and gratitude
The entire Schoenstatt Diocesan Family with the support of the pastor of Holy Spirit of Area 4 filled the place where the Mass was celebrated with exceptional joy.
It was an unforgettable night of rejoicing and of recalling the joint effort of the large Family that carried out the construction of the Shrine, which was ardently desired and which is a gift from God and the Blessed Mother. Our efforts were nothing more than a demonstration of God’s power and infinite kindness in the strength of the Covenant of Love, of the “Nothing without You, nothing without us.” As the Gospel of Luke (9:48) reminds us: “…Whoever receives this child in my name receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me; for he who is least among you all is the one who is great.”
For vocations
In his homily, Bishop Pistilli asked an unexpected question about the number of religious vocations that have emerged from this Shrine.
Some cases of apparent religious vocations that failed to develop over time were quickly remembered. Therefore the question remained as a task that is pending for everyone: to pray, to make many contributions to the capital of grace so that the Holy Spirit will inspire the souls of the youths, encouraging holiness and awakening hearts for religious service to our Lord.
On a splendid night in which even heaven was elegantly dressed, what a gift of God to celebrate the Lord with the familiar saying, luna roja [red moon or blood moon]!
Thank you Bishop Pistilli, thank you Fr. Tommy, thank you Fr. Jorge, thank you to everyone who made this Terruño celebration possible!
Let us praise and glorify God our Lord with our Father and Founder Joseph Kentenich:
“Glory be joyfully given to the Father
Through Christ with Mary, highly praised,
In the Holy Spirit full of splendor
From the universe now and in all eternity. Amen” (Heavenwards, p. 48)
