PARAGUAY, Juan Vicente Ramírez • Starting this year, the Chamber of Commerce and Services of Ciudad del Este – Paraguay, implemented a new program called Distinction to Solidarity Companies, which consists of recognizing and highlighting the community and social work developed by the associated companies. — The outstanding companies would receive plaques of recognition that express the distinction of solidarity company of the current year, in this program the presence of the hands of our Blessed Mother of Schoenstatt is perceived, who uses us, members of the CIEES community (International
Read More ARGENTINA, Maria Fischer • A month has already passed since the last “Pilgrimage of Towns and Villages”, the great pilgrimage that for 40 years has connected the wayside shrine of Hasenkamp and all the small towns and villages along the approximately 90-kilometer route to the Schoenstatt Shrine of La Loma in Paraná on the eve of Argentina’s Mother’s Day and shortly before October 18th. The longest pilgrimage on the continent. Thousands of pilgrims. Songs, prayers, torches, flags, emotions, testimonies, press, live coverage in the local media, confessions, transformations… We know
Read More CHILE, interview to Fr. Francisco Pereira, by Álvaro Valenzuela P. • The Community of Schoenstatt Fathers and the Schoenstatt Movement in Chile in general, received with surprise during the beginning of October the great decision made by Father Francisco “Pancho” Pereira. After twenty years as Pastoral Director of the Maria Ayuda Corporation, he decided to step aside and take on new challenges. He says he is very happy with what he has done in these two decades and very hopeful with the challenges that this important institution has to face,
Read More GERMANY, Maria Fischer • With a reception as colorful and diverse as life on the Kreuzberg in Bonn, the new Managing Director of Kreuzberg Bonn e.V., Roberto M. González, who took over this position on October 1st, was introduced to the people connected with the Kreuzberg on the evening of October 24th. “I still have lots of new ideas, but I want to keep it a surprise!” he said. This evening already offered a whole series of surprises. — “From the corridors of the Supreme Court in Asunción and the
Read More ARGENTINA, Gabriela Sarquis • On Thursday, October 5, the fourth edition of the event “We are one with others” took place, an event to raise funds and get to know more about the benefited institutions. This night of solidarity invited all of us to support the Casa del Niño P. José Kentenich, the NGO Dale tu mano, the Schoenstatt Fathers and the Confidentia Shrine. It is possible thanks to the generous collaboration of many people and companies committed to these projects. — The event took place at the Espacio Darwin
Read More URUGUAY, Providencia Educational Center • On Saturday, August 5, at the Providencia Educational Center in Montevideo, we held a new Maintenance Day, an instance of encounter, enjoyment and exchange with our entire educational community, educators, families, and children. — One of the main axes of the day has to do with the improvement and care of the center’s campus. For this, the Family Commissions of Providencia, together with the educators, are responsible for the logistics and organization of this Day, “we all put our small contributions together to see what
Read More ARGENTINA, Teresa Fiorucci • On Saturday, August 26th, Children’s Day was celebrated at the City Bell Wayside Shrine, a wayside shrine in the middle of the city, which, with all its grounds, its rooms and especially its Schoenstatt Family is at the service of the neighborhood. — It was a heavenly day. The Lord gave us the gift of a spring day. More than 200 children and 80 adults visited us. There were games, sausages, ice cream, popcorn and many delicious things. We received, in advance, many toys that we
Read More HONDURAS, Carlos Alfaro • With the founding of the first Madrugadores community in Honduras on Saturday, August 26, 2023, all Central American countries have at least one Community. — On August 26, the founding community of Madrugadores in Honduras met for the first time in the Parish of Cristo Resucitado, in the city of Tegucigalpa. Accompanied by their pastor, Fr. Javier Martinez, eleven men came to live for the first time this experience that puts them in contact, in this stream of life, with all the communities in 19 countries
Read More GUATEMALA, Edgar Leonel Tórtola • It is incredible how time passes so fast; it seems that the week no longer has 7 days, nor the day 24 hours, so without realizing it we have reached our first year of Madrugadores in Guatemala. It has been a very gratifying experience and to see how our Mother continues to attract us and continues to do her work with each one of us. — We started with one rosary a month, then this year we decided to do two and lately we have
Read More CHILE, Verónica Morandé • During the long summer vacations, the migrant families of the Yevide migrant camp continue to work while their children are on school vacation; they are forced to leave their children alone, without an entertaining activity. To help them, we organized a “mosaic workshop” for them. — We obtained materials from the hardware store of the sons of one of our directors and faced the new challenge. In this workshop worked Ignacio, our director; Eliana, social worker of our community “Maria en el Camino”, who contributed with
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