Bárbara de Franceschi, Spain • This morning, looking at you, Mary, I gave thanks for every woman. For all that you are, for your delicate purity, your capacity to love each and everyone, your gentle gaze and your arms holding the Child and in Him each one of us. — Today, surely, all women: the women of that time, wrapped in that long garment, who at home made their bread every day, waiting for their children who brought fresh fish that they themselves caught with their nets, who taught them
Read More ABUSE IN THE CHURCH, Roberto M. González • At the beginning of March, Pope Francis presents us with a new video with this month’s prayer intention; he calls on the universal Church and each individual Christian to pray for victims of abuse. — What specifically is the Pope asking of us? He asks us not to be silent when abuse happens, in whatever form. Let us remember that there is not only sexual abuse, but also abuse of conscience, which is the beginning and symptom of other forms of abuse.
Read More María Fischer • “Suffering In Silence“ is the name of the aid organization CARE’s annual report on the forgotten catastrophes of humanity. Not because the victims suffer in silence, but because the media conceal, ignore and forget their suffering. For the sixth time, the media analysis lists ten crises that have affected at least one million people and have been mentioned the least in international online media. And what doesn’t appear in the media is only noticed by people who are very mindful and take great initiative in observing. People
Read More By Dr. Eduardo Jurado Bejar, Ecuador • As we watch what is happening in Venezuela, Haiti, Afghanistan, sub-Saharan Africa and I wonder if it moves us. — If something moves us, it means that it bothers us, worries us, changes us. It moves us toward someone or something; it means that it hits us at an emotional level. Erich Fromm pointed out that love and solidarity — if genuine — are universal. He said that if someone loves a human being, he or she also loves humanity. Solidarity is a
Read More BRAZIL, Luciana Rosas • Letter to the Institute of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. — Dear community of the Institute of Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary: Today, on International Women’s Day (08.03), it seems important to me to write this letter, not only in the context and meaning of today, but also after the announcement of the press office of the Diocese of Trier, according to which Bishop Ackermann, who is responsible for carrying out the process of beatification of Fr. Joseph Kentenich, has decided to create a commission of experts
Read More CUBA, 465 priests, consecrated persons and laity • “So that you can know more about what we are going through in Cuba,” wrote Fr. Jose Gabriel Bastian, from the first course of the Schoenstatt Priests Federation in Cuba. “Two of the signatories are from my Federation course. If you like, you can share this so that the world can know what my people are going through.” There were 465 people who signed an important document, published below in support of the 465 people who bravely spoke out on 24 January
Read More María de los Ángeles Miranda Bustamante, Chile, journalist • Cecilia Sturla, a Schoenstatt specialist in feminism and the Church: “I am not a feminist despite being Catholic. I am a feminist because I am Catholic”. This Argentinean academic, member of the Schoenstatt Institute of Families, offers conferences and writes articles on women’s rights in society and, particularly, in the Church, where women, today more than ever, should have “voice and vote”. Today we share part of the interview that she gave to the program “Arreglando al Mundo” (Fixing the World),
Read More Interview with Ignacio Suazo Zepeda on “Our Table: Dialogues for Chile” (NM) • In the context of the Chilean social crisis, resulting from the social explosion of October 18, and close to initiating a process of approval or rejection of a new constitution for the country, the Catholic University of Chile and the Catholic Voices Foundation have called 60 personalities to talk about the great challenges of these times. This dialogue will take place during three months around nine thematic tables: “the city, poverty and segregation”, “economic and working life”,
Read More CHILE, Patricio Young • We live in the midst of an individualistic world where my wishes and will take precedence over those of the rest of society, where rights are privileged over duties. Where hedonism, greed and power for power’s sake are the maxims that move us. There is no consequence of life, between what I think, say and do, but justification of conduct. ” “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with
Read More CHILE, Rafael Mascayano • Soon in our country, Chile, we will be faced with stating our opinion in making a decision as to whether or not to assume the task of constructing a new Constitution. And here is where – as laity and with the thinking of Father Kentenich – it is convenient to visualize our decision to assume, not to debate the pros and cons of each position – a situation which would also help greatly – but to mainly stop, think, discern and act with criteria and not
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