Posted On 2009-08-28 In Covenant Life

To Build Family Is to Build Heaven

Tu familia vale - un domingo en familia  - Fotos: Marcelo LuzardiPARAGUAY, Fr. Antonio Cosp. “Tupãrenda is a paradise,” said Nadia, the four-year-old daughter of a family who traveled more than 300 kilometers in order to participate in our first event: “Your Family Is Worth It.” It is a good reflection of what happened throughout Sunday, August 23rd, in Tuparenda. We feel as if we are in Heaven. Since our main objective at this time in the Movement is to provide a home, we wanted to promote a strong and moving event which would impact the entire country. The Nation of God comes forth according to the measure in which the homes are paradise-like. As our ancient Paraguayan hymn states: “May God live in our hearts, May God live in each home.”


Tupãrenda: 7000 people participatedUntil now, our only great annual event was the 18th of October in which 40,000 persons attended. This new initiative came forth from the Families Branch and the organization estimated that some 2,000 persons would attend. Upon experiencing the interested echo from the press, we had to prepare for more.

The families set up their stands

Some 7,000 persons participated throughout the day. Approximately 10 movements and 15 social organizations who deal with families prepared to receive people at three different intervals and had a very well prepared workshop for them. Not lacking was the Sponsor Program for Engaged and Married Persons from Tuparenda and the Hope Program for the Separated and Divorced who entered a new relationship. I really liked “A Roof for Our Nation,” an ONG where young people explained their shared task with landowners who facilitate means to families in order that they be able to build their homes there. Naturally, all branches of the Movement had their “location” and their workshops with the most diverse family topics.

The Federation of Families at their stand“I enjoyed very much seeing, listening, feeling, experiencing and getting emotional with this multitude of young people, sick persons, handicapped persons, persons in wheel chairs, mothers with very young children and especially the contagious joy of the children as they planted trees and enjoyed a lively and enthusiastic clown”…..this was the comment of one of the pilgrims who came to Tuparenda on this very special day.

Image of the Holy Trinity in its diversity and unity

At the concluding Mass at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, the greeting from His Holiness Benedict XVI was read. In this message, he “wholeheartedly united himself to the Golden Jubilee of Schoenstatt in Paraguay.” He greeted the families who were participating in this conference as a family.

Workshop“Conscious that the family in the image of the Holy Trinity in its diversity and unity is the foundation of society,” since “in the family, authentic human and Christian values are formed which allow mankind to live fully his/her image of God.” During Mass, we crowned Blessed Mother….. Queen of the Families. The day ended in a pilgrimage to the Shrine. In union with the coronation prayer, balloons were released which took our contributions of the day to the Treasury of Grace in Heaven.

Second great milestone of this jubilee year

This Sunday, August 23rd, became our second great milestone of this jubilee year since the 31st of May was the internal celebration of the Family. For this occasion, we were visited by Fr. José Manuel López Herrero from Chile. Fifty years ago, in the month of July, he had been present along with the then-seminarians, Hernán Alessandri and Esteban Uriburu. The irrigation by these three apostles left the one initial May seed. In her workshop, one of the participants said: “The words of Father López touched the most intimate fibers of our being.” Our week-long meetings with Fr. José Manuel renewed our mission awareness upon rediscovering that the Blessed Mother has favorably chosen our Country to place her dwelling place, her home.

The fruitfulness of being able to offer a home has made it possible that “today we were able to see many radiant eyes, many hearts and many paths were opened upon feeling like beloved children of God…” This was the feeling expressed by many.

Even today, it is possible to live as a family!

Procession to the Shrine

Fr  Antonio Cosp is Director of the Schoenstatt Movement of Paraguay

Translation: Carlos Cantú Schoenstatt Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA 082709

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