ARGENTINA, Tita Ríos. Last weekend – March 18th to 20th – the National Mothers’ Branch Leaders Retreat was held at New Schoenstatt, close to the Schoenstatt National Shrine.
A large poster welcomed approximately eighty mothers, who arrived loaded with bags and suitcases, from different provinces around the country. A team of mothers from Buenos Aires had worked ardently along with Sister María Bárbara, National Advisor, and other Sisters, who are branch advisors in the different Argentinean dioceses. Everything was in its place when the conference hall was opened to begin the Retreat.
Father’s candies for his daughters!
In the year of the Father Current on the pilgrimage road to Jubilee 2014, they worked with extraordinary enthusiasm on the material presented by the team. It was lovely to see a little booklet designed for the event with the program, prayers, workshops, and questionnaires that introduced the mothers to experience the person of Father and his charism, as well as the many testimonies that were prepared for this. The experience of following Father’s footsteps in New Schoenstatt at night dissipated the drowsiness and weariness of the mothers who had traveled long distances; some of them traveled more than 1,000 kilometers (621mi.) like the ones from Salta, Chubut, Tucumán, etc.
The organizers, the Sisters and mothers, received much applause for making Father so close (to us)! To the point that the mothers who followed the footsteps received candies near the Father Oratory window -the window of the room where he stayed in 1952 when he blessed the Shrine – as an outward gesture of his tenderness for his daughters, just as he did during his life…
Seeking allies for his mission…
The path he took and the narration of the simple place, where this “small giant” stayed who did not demand anything, and was always at the service of other, making him grow in presence and nobility, was touching.
While songs resounded in the darkness, they traveled to different places until they reached the Father Shrine, blessed by him on January 20, 1952. Everything spoke of him and of his work of seeking allies!
The mothers did not miss a minute. They did not want to miss anything; they wanted to take note of everything and to buy all the material possible for their diocesan Branches.
The mission should go through the heart of every Schoenstatter
Father Alberto Eronti, the Mothers’ Branch priest advisor, offered a beautiful conference talk: Our Father and Founder and his prophetic charism; the many texts enriched the subject of discovering his person.
Among other things, he said: “Our Branch should walk holding Father’s hand: going on pilgrimage, walking religiously, we need a guide that will take us by the hand and help us.” Why is it important? Because we want to fulfill his mission, therefore each generation should itself anew. The mission should pass through the heart of every Schoenstatter!
We entered the depth of Father’s heart taking it to many in this time of crisis, where we see evil, and the remedy for this illness: Mary and the Covenant is the medicine.
As missionaries of this century
There are many tools; the Schoenstatt Mothers have the great mission of being collaborators at this time with their hands and hearts. They just have to be strongly united to their Founder and reflect the charisma in the atmosphere of their family, in the great adventure of saving their children, and united to their spouse.
The great challenge was manifested, and the responsibility of the assumed commitment is looking toward 2014 by taking the fire of love for the Blessed Mother and her Son throughout the length and breadth of the country. Thus extending the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement by Father’s hand and with his guidance: sowing a Covenant Culture in the world, as missionaries of this century.
“Under the protection of Mary we want to learn to educate ourselves to become firm, free, priestly personalities”. (Pre-founding Document, in English N° 2)
The Retreat lasted three days and much work was accomplished, experienced, and offered. This is only a breath of thanksgiving to everyone who made such a beautiful experience possible.
“Eagerly we pray: FATHER, lead us toward a Covenant culture!!”
