COSTA RICA, María Fischer •
Following tradition, on Friday, November 24, a group of diocesan priests from the Movement gathered at the Schoenstatt Shrine Familia de Esperanza in San José, Costa Rica. —
At the noon Mass in the Shrine, some of the participants concelebrated and then the others joined in sharing lunch, an occasion to say goodbye to Father José Luis Correa.
Manuel Peña, Nacho Gamboa, Gerardo Leon, Episcopal Vicar for the clergy, Father Minor, Father Erik Longan and a couple of others, as well as Father Ricardo Acosta, from the Opus Dei Prelature. Together with the Archbishop there was also Mons. Ángel SanCasimiro, OSAR, Bishop Emeritus of Alajuela, who is very close to Father José Luis and many Schoenstatters.
At the end of lunch (Chilean empanadas and Spanish wine and Chilean mille-feuille cake), Father José Luis thanked the priests for their presence, introduced his brothers in the community who form the branch of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Costa Rica and introduced them to the priests of the Josephine clergy.
Time to thank Fr. José Luis Correa for his work
Father Manuel Peña, who sealed his covenant of love with the Blessed Mother in the Milwaukee Shrine many years ago and is a faithful propagator of the Schoenstatt charism in the area where he currently exercises his priestly ministry, as priest in San Pablo de Heredia, where the picture of the Blessed Mother was enthroned in October 2022, or in the Metropolitan Cathedral as a member of the chapter and now with his new task in charge of the Pontifical Missionary Works at the national level, took the podium. He thanked Father José Luis for all he did not only for the Movement, but in particular for the clergy and the Archdiocesan Church.
Then the Archbishop Quirós stood up and said some very beautiful words along the same lines as those previously expressed by Father Manuel. A very generous laudatio from the pastor, who blessed the Shrine six and a half years ago. He acknowledged the growth of Schoenstatt in Costa Rica, thanking for the presence of the charism especially in the family and youth ministry. Along with thanking Father José Luis, with whom it is evident that there is friendship and appreciation, he greeted and welcomed the three Schoenstatt Fathers who will now continue and project what was started before.
A fraternal atmosphere
It is evident how happy the priests feel in such a beautiful, spontaneous and profound fraternal atmosphere.
The meeting ended with a photo taken in front of the Shrine and consecrating ourselves to the Blessed Mother inside the Shrine.
Original: Spanish. Translation: Marcela Fernandez, Toronto, Canada
