PARAGUAY, Ricardo M. Acosta, Schoenstatt Brother of Mary, Diocese of San Lorenzo • “Schoenstatt for the Church” apostolic work has extended out to different spheres; the missions are one of great transcendence for the Church reaching out. Tupãrenda’s 2016 missions (the second edition in the city of Itá) gathered more than 100 people during the second week of the New Year; five days of very intensive mission work in a city that is located approximately 15 kilometers from Tupãrenda’s National Shrine. The ecclesial and missionary paradigm of reaching out has
Read More ARGENTINA, by Carlos and Lilita Ricciardi • The Argentinean Marian Family Missions of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement will be carried out during the Year of Mercy from 24-31 January 2016, in Magdalena, Province of Buenos Aires, which is called the City of Mercy. Magdalena– City of Mercy The first “Divine Mercy City” is located in the Magdalena area. St. John Paul II (The mercy and family Pope) declared the world’s first one, thanks to the efforts of Bishop Ángel Diamante DÂuro, the pastor, at that time, of St. Mary Magdalene
Read More PARAGUAY, Fr. Oscar Saldívar and Maria Fischer • The Tupãrenda Schoenstatt Youths’ missions began on 6 January. Approximately 120 missionaries will be in Itá for five days taking God and the Blessed Mother to many homes. They began with a marathon, carrying a lighted torch from the Tupãrenda Shrine to Itá. The novel idea (possibly inspired by Fackellauf– the torch carrying relay race during the Jubilee) was to take the fire that was born at the Tupãrenda Shrine to Itá. They lit the torch at the Shrine with the goal
Read More CUBA, by Juan Vicente and Juan Manuel, missionaries at Cuba • Mission Cuba is the Chilean Boys’ Youth project. At Fr. Bladimir of the Schoenstatt Federation of Cuban Diocesan Priests’ invitation, the Schoenstatt youths’ second team is at Santa Cruz at the parish where Fr. Bladimir is working with Schoenstatt groups. They will stay in Cuba for a few months at the service of Schoenstatt. Schoenstatt began at Cuba with the first generation of Misión Cuba [Mission Cuba] approximately 10 – 15 years ago. Two missionaries from Mission Cuba’s current
Read More URUGUAY, by Fernando Olmedo, vía Schoenstatt.org.uy • Sometimes the encounter with Jesus is a “stormy sea.” A stormy sea of worries or daily routines, of hostility or the dryness and emptiness of the world, of sorrows and sadness from the past that are difficult to let go, or of the frustration of this or that project that did not turn out well. So sometimes it is necessary to take a daring leap or to step out like Peter took to go out to meet that tangible God made man, who
Read More PARAGUAY, Testimonies about the Family Missions, at Mbocayaty • For me, to talk about the missions is to talk about allowing oneself to be surprised by God’s Providence, thinking about his immense generosity, that generosity that is given to: the people of the mission town, to the missionaries, the life and mission families, the children, the priests and the consecrated, who accompany us, those who come from a distance, but above all those brave ones who are challenged to give their fiat to abandon themselves and their comfort zones going
Read More PARAGUAY, Testimonies of Family Missions2015, María Emilia Vidal de Zaván • As a member of the editorial staff at Tupãrenda Magazine, and knowing that I am a part of the family missions, I was asked to take charge of an article on this subject. My first reaction was– of course! That’s easy!! But when I sat down to write, a thousand images and sensations passed through my mind and heart…and the task was not as easy as I had previously thought…there was so much to say! There was so much
Read More PARAGUAY, Testimonies about the Family Missions 2015, Alexandra Garcete de Sánchez • This is our second year to go on mission in Melgarejo, a city in the Department del Guaira. Last year we chose Borja…but the Blessed Mother had chosen other people. She closed some doors, and she opened others until we realized where she wanted us to go. And this year the creative result allowed us to verify that it was Melgarejo! The welcome, openness and warmth that we received from all Melgarejo’s residents were impressive. This year when
Read More PARAGUAY, testimonies of the Schoenstatt Family Missions 2015, Oscar Aguilera • Tuesday night, I was overwhelmed with anxiety. I did not know what was going to happen in the next few hours in what was going to be “my MFS village” [misiones Familiares de Schoenstatt, Schoenstatt Family Missions] 2015. My first experience. Ñumi, a new village. Everything was new like the heart I now have after this great experience. The great day finally arrived. The day I met the missionaries, since I did not know most of them, but now
Read More PARAGUAY, Rolando José Benítez Velázquez • I lost my mother two years ago; it was a very powerful experience for me as I greatly depended upon her. I believe it is something that I will never overcome. I distanced myself from religion, I distanced myself from God, and I felt empty until a very special person in my life showed me a road that I never thought I would take: she invited me to the missions. With many doubts and not much desire, I accepted that invitation without knowing what
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