COSTA RICA, Lourdes Rosabal •
Last May, the International Congress of the Schoenstatt Family Work (CIOF) was held in Asunción, Paraguay, with the participation of more than 150 couples from the three Schoenstatt Family communities, as well as about 25 consecrated persons, including Schoenstatt Fathers, Sisters, and members of the Institute Our Ladz of Schoenstatt. The event was a success as the couples came from a total of 17 countries in the Americas, the Caribbean and Spain. There was also a special participation from Hungary and Germany/Poland with the presence of Fr. Arkadiuz Sosna, who is currently the international coordinator of the Movement. —
The Congress was convened by the continental coordinators Fr. José Luis Correa (Chile) from Costa Rica and Sr. Ma. Auxiliadora Bohórquez from Ecuador, who supported the organization under the responsibility of the Paraguayan Family. The organization was successful and has been in operation since 2017, the end of CIOF 2017 in Guayaquil, Ecuador, with a pandemic in the meantime.
Where there is a Schoenstatter, there is a family
For me, the opportunity to participate in this event left me with the feeling of having learned two things above all (apart from all that we learned and received in educational exchange):
- That Schoenstatt is a large family, which on this occasion was welcomed by the Paraguayan Schoenstatt Family with great affection and dedication. We are always happy to see and get to know each other, even though we come from different countries. We all felt like children, brothers and sisters of Father Kentenich’s pedagogy, which unites and strengthens us as a Christian family. We worked as a family: for each other, with each other, and in each other…We shared valuable testimonies and work projects with couples that were successful in other countries, with the objective of repeating them in other places so that Schoenstatt can be a means of change and improvement for families.
Here in Costa Rica, many years ago, there was an international visitor that left a phrase that continues to resonate in the hearts of Costa Ricans for a long time: “Where there is a Costa Rican, there is freedom.” Similarly, after that experience, it immediately occurred to me to be able to say something similar with pride: “Where there is a Schoenstatter, there is a family.”
- The joy of having experienced the synodal work between lay people and consecrated persons, on the same level, together, side by side…with the same objective: the renewal of the family and how to achieve it, thinking and learning together so that we can respond to the challenges that affect the family and the new generations that are coming and that we want to take care of.
Meeting of the advisers of the Schoenstatt Family League
What happened after the CIOF in Asunción?
The continental coordinators, Father José Luis and Sister Mª Auxiliadora, took advantage of the presence at the CIOF of the advisors of the Family League from the different countries, both religious and lay, and convened a follow-up conference that was held on May 8 and 9 at the Father Kentenich Retreat House in Tuparendá.
The conference for the Family League advisers was attended by 64 people: 19 Fathers (Movement Directors and advisers), 20 Sisters (advisers and coordinators of the so-called Dynamic Assistances), 3 members of the Institute Our Lady of Schoenstatt (Family League advisers), 7 couples who are Family League advisers, 3 couples as special guests, and my husband and I as collaborating couples of the Continental Coordination.
Earlier, at the same Congress, it was announced that Costa Rica (my country) was selected as the new host for CIOF 2027. With this in mind, and looking at the outcome of this meeting from the host country’s point of view, I think it is very good and necessary, since the work for Costa Rica in organizing CIOF 2027 began on the same day that CIOF Paraguay ended.
Meeting of the advisors of the Family League
Possible solutions to new future needs
The meeting took place in a fraternal, sincere and open atmosphere of exchange between lay people and religious who advise the Family League in each country. It was possible to objectively evaluate the experience of each country and of all those who participated in the weekend, both in terms of what was valuable and what can be improved for the next Congress, and even to contribute new ideas and possible solutions to new future needs. This is true, for example, in the field of technology, which has become very demanding over the years, both in terms of the quality and simplicity of the presentations and the speed of delivery of materials.
The possibility of carrying out this exchange of 64 perceptions, 64 experiences and 64 proposals immediately after the event is a real enrichment, not only for the synodal and complementary work, but also so that the objective of the CIOF can be realised in the fruitfulness of the experiences and initiatives presented during the event. Also so that they can be discussed in a more comprehensive and collaborative way by all the advisers of the Family League, as an option that can be implemented according to the needs of the different countries or areas, if so desired. On the other hand, it ensures the follow-up of the CIOF and prevents it from remaining a simple exchange between countries. Moreover, it is very valuable to have the “fresh” events and ideas together with the emotions of what has been experienced, in order to take into account all the details that can improve the accompaniment of the Schoenstatt families of today and tomorrow.
Lay advisers
In Guayaquil in 2017, there was also a “post-CIOF” conference for the Family League advisors. In this CIOF 2023, there were more lay counselors present, which confirms to us with great joy that more and more couples can take care of the counseling and accompaniment of married couples.
Some of the new developments in the Family Work presented at the Family League Counselors meeting are:
- Lay Counselors, presented by Carlos and Marta Gabetta, the current National Lay Counselors of the Family League for Argentina. They shared the history of lay counselors in their country and offered reflections on why and for what and who should and can be lay counselors. They added where and how they do their work and the importance of receiving special training for them. Currently, there are more than 20 couples working as counselors for the League in this country.
- GEL: Lay People as Spiritual Directors (Paraguay): Presented by Jaime and Lourdes Ortiz (National Advisors of the Family League of Paraguay) and Ramón and Marité Marini (members of the Family Federation of Paraguay). The GEL, in short, is a project that involves Schoenstatt lay people who have been in the Movement for a long time, are committed and fulfill the special qualities needed to spiritually accompany other members of the Family Work. This project, they shared, has a very good creative result and is a response to the current lack of priests and consecrated persons who can spiritually accompany them. It is also the result of the valuable addition that the laity can bring.
- Year 0… Newly Married Couples. Presented by David and Karolina Ramírez from Costa Rica. The project was born in response to the increasing number of divorces in marriages that have lasted less than two or three years, and in response to Pope Francis’ reflections in his encyclical Amoris Laetitia (No. 223): “The first years of marriage are an important and delicate time, when spouses become aware of the challenges and the importance of marriage. Therefore, pastoral accompaniment is necessary, which continues even after the celebration of the sacrament…”. Thus, a special formation material was created for newly married couples entitled “Year Zero,” which deals with topics that correspond to their stage of life so that they can be strengthened from the beginning, accompanied by other couples who have the same concerns and who find in Schoenstatt a pedagogy that helps them to grow in their vocation from Year Zero.
- Others such as: the programs and formation material of the League in the different countries; the sharing of the faith; the offering of virtual workshops (Ecuador), etc., etc.
League Advisors Day
The contribution of Bishop Francisco Pistilli
Fr. Francisco Pistilli, Bishop of Encarnación, spoke about the 2021-2024 Synod in its continental phase, “The Church of the third millennium must be a synodal Church,” recalling the joy of meeting, listening, working and praying together. It is a wonderful experience to sit together and talk! he said.
He explained in broad strokes that the Synod was no longer local but continental, that it was beginning to promote the mission of the Church, which, by the way, was in line with the Magisterium of Pope Francis and had three main characteristics: missionary, merciful and synodal. And then it goes a little further.
All of these instruments and meetings are very valuable for the development and growth of the Family Work, in an organic way and according to the needs and voices of the times.
Part of the Costa Rican delegation
Lourdes Rosabal and her husband are collaborators of the Continental Coordination
Original: Spanish. Translation: Maria Fischer @schoenstatt.org
