works of mercy Category

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, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • 12 February was the first anniversary of the blessing of Mother of Tupãrendá House’s (CMT) cornerstone, a center for the social re-insertion of teens, who have had a run-in with the law in Paraguay. The house was built in just six months, and the doors were immediately opened to welcome the participants; currently there are nineteen. Six months have passed where day to day we can witness the “small, great miracles” in the lives of each one of them, six months of importantRead More
PARAGUAY, Ismelda Verónica Vázquez Gonzales and Agustín Saldívar Orrego • “Fr. Pedro Kühlcke celebrated at a Sunday Mass in Tupãrendá. After Mass, Fr. Pedro told us a little about the Prison Ministry at C.E. I. (Itauguá Educational Center), the juvenile detention center, and he invited us to participate, as only he can do it. I felt the message was for me and that it was an opportunity to serve, which could be, above all, a great apostolate, that I was having difficulty finding. I called Fr. Kühlcke and since thatRead More
ITALY/EUROPEAN UNION, by Álvaro Real, vía Aleteia.org • 700 people have been taken in during the last year, thanks to the humanitarian corridor made possible by the San Egidio Community.  This is a record number if we take into account the statistics of refugees being taken into European Union countries. This initiative has made it possible to take in more refugees in 2016 than those taken in by the 15 countries of the European Union. This project has had unprecedented success after just one year in existence, and allows refugeesRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • What remains from the Year of Mercy? Pope Francis answered this question in part in his Letter “Misericordia et Misera.”  Several moments that made it easier to find God’s forgiveness, remain – Amoris Laetitia remains, which is only understood by reading it in terms of mercy, and the creativity in responding to the sorrows and needs of the human being in the works of mercy remains. What remains from the Year of Mercy? A lot. Works of mercy, which remain forever. Scores ofRead More
CUBA, Fr. Alberto,  Maisí’s pastor • Catastrophes have a very brief “shelf life” in the media. Not only in the media, but also in donations of solidarity, prayers, and memory.  There are simply so many, that even those that have a personal attachment touching the soul’s deepest parts, fade away…Hurricane Matthew?  The parish of Maisí in the Diocese of Guantánamo, the parish where one of the Schoenstatt Fathers from Cuba worked until July 2016? It was in October, and because Cuba only suffered material damage, the world’s media did notRead More
BRAZIL, via www.jumasbrasil.com.br  • Christmas. For JUMAS [Boys’ Youth] from Amoreira, it seems that the most worthwhile way to experience this moment is by showing solidarity. The Toy Campaign is carried out every year at this time, and it only seeks to bring joy to children who live in the less favorable neighborhoods of San Sebastián de Amoreira. Many times these houses are lacking everything, but at least once a year, there is a feeling of joy expressed in the little ones’ smiles. The project counts on help from the entireRead 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, by Laura Ruiz Díaz • On 24 December, Christmas Eve, the prison ministry along with Fr. Pedro Kühlcke went to the juvenile detention center, “Centro Educativo Itauguá” (CEI) [Itauguá Educational Center] to share Christmas snacks with the youths. The experience allowed me to live the true meaning of Christmas through every smiling face that graciously expressed gratitude for our presence, or in the tear-filled eyes of some, who, no matter how they tried to control a feeling of sadness, could not hide it. Thus the hugs were longer andRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • “Thank you, Fr. Pedro Kühlcke, for being the Blessed Mother’s best instrument of bringing us close to those who need us the most.  Undoubtedly it was one of my best Christmas Eve’s in the company of the Prison Ministry volunteers,” commented Cristy, who spent Christmas Eve afternoon at the detention center with the ministry team and other volunteers. They gave food, time, interest, hugs and affection to more than 200 youths, who were spending Christmas in jail instead of with their families. Mary’sRead More