Something to think about Category

Ingeborg and Richard Sickinger,  Austria • “What moves us, is: What does Schoenstatt have to give to the church?”, asks Ingeborg and Richard Sickinger. Their answer: Free, strong, catholic families – and not as an idea or a theory, but with a master plan of how this can be implemented. This is a message that the couple share repeatedly, most recently at the World Meeting of Families in Ireland in the context of a talk entitled: Who is doing the dishes? – Pope Francis on the little things that matterRead More
ENCOUNTER WITH FR KENTENICH, Fr José María García Sepúlveda • “Where is my potato?” A somewhat surprising question put by Fr Joseph Kentenich, Schoenstatt’s founder, when he looked at a photo of seminary students of the Schoenstatt Fathers. “My potato” was Fr Kentenich’s nickname for one of them. I was told this story recently by Juan Fernandez, who is a sculptor today, and whom Fr Kentenich called “his potato”. A nickname or a symbol, which he passed on with great joy as we prepare for the fiftieth anniversary of FrRead More
ARGENTINA, Interview with Carlos Barrio y Lipperheide by Maria Fischer from schoenstatt.org • Married to Maria José, a father of five, a lawyer, coach, the author of several books, a member of the Apostolic Schoenstatt Movement and the International Community of Schoenstatt Businessmen and Executives (CIEES), Carlos Barrio y Lipperheide, is no stranger to schoenstatt.org readers. Work and daily life — the “two environments where we spend the largest part of our life” (Fr. José Maria García in the prologue of the book “El Rosario de trabajo y de laRead More
By Verónica Gutiérrez • Responsibility for the truth I’ve been a journalist for two years but I’ve been attracted to this field for a long time. I don’t have a very long career, but if I add my studies, it’s been six years. If we add to this, the time that I’ve been paying attention to the media, then we’re talking about many more. Today I want to comment on what Pope Francis told the media that touches me personally. Pope Francis, in his message for the 52nd World CommunicationsRead More
Carlos Barrio and Lipperheide, Argentina, author of “La alegría en el trabajo” [Joy in work] • Comments on Pope Francis’ prayer for the 52nd World Communications Day (2018)  — Lord, make us instruments of your peace. Help us to recognize the evil latent in a communication that does not build communion. Help us to remove the venom from our judgements. Help us to speak about others as our brothers and sisters. You are faithful and trustworthy; may our words be seeds of goodness for the world: where there is shouting,Read More
Focolare Movement • On the 10th anniversary (2008-2018) of the death of Focolare’s founder, the Movement is highlighting the contribution made by the charism of unity in the field of social responsibility. Let us make our own the saying: “to love in action.” (1 John 3:18) . Jesus wants action; he wants charity towards our neighbour in concrete service. He himself showed us this with the washing of the feet for example. To love through action. We know we can do this … all day long: concrete actions helping oneRead More
POPE FRANCIS’ MESSAGE FOR WORLD COMMUNICATION DAY, by the editorial team • The feast of St. Francis de Sales, the patron saint of journalists, celebrated on 24 January, was also the day Pope Francis published his message for the 52nd World Communications Day. In his message, Francis spoke about “fake news” and “journalism for peace.” From the editorial team of schoenstatt.org, as part of its commitment to professional communication that is in solidarity with and at the service of a covenant culture, we not only want to share this message,Read More
PARAGUAY, Bishop Claudio Giménez Our youths are truly marvelous.  They were there steadfast, working, serving in different places on the 18th with great responsibility and awareness of the task they assumed for that Covenant Day. They worked alongside the adults as Mary’s allies.  As a matter of fact, the Church in Paraguay has for sometime wanted to reward our youths for that spirit of service in the dioceses, in the parishes, in the Movements, and in religious communities. A struggling and joyful Church But the culminating event that sped upRead More
Fr. Guillermo Carmona • Every year on 18 October, we celebrate the patronal feast of our Shrine. The date reminds us of its importance and gives us the opportunity to reflect: how important is this place for me? What do I find here? Why do I keep coming back? Here, in this place where we belong, we give homage to our Patroness and express our gratitude and joy. The Shrine is our spiritual home, it belongs to us, it is possibly the most beautiful and visible thing we have andRead More
Fr. Hugo Tagle M., Chile • A few months ago, a feature in the New York Times enumerated a series of encouraging signs on the state of the world, contradicting the extended pessimistic sensation that sometimes places an embargo on the Western world.  “It is a better place to live although it is difficult to believe,” it tells us.  In fact, we live what analysts call the “society of more.”  More people in the world are more and better educated, more available goods, more sources of information.  Chile is aRead More