PARAGUAY, P. Antonio Cosp. On December 17th, the Mass “toward 2014” will be celebrated in covenant with Paraguay. It comes at a moment when the Schoenstatt Movement from Paraguay looks with gratitude at a year of great creativity in all spheres and in all the dioceses. The motto – Family in covenant – for a new Paraguay – announces the goal for 2011-2012: to present a covenant culture.
The strong task of this year became concrete in the pastoral program: “Know how to Love.” All sectors of the Family will work on sexuality as a gift and a challenge: To live sexuality in a divine manner, to overcome the challenge of the ideology of gender, abortion, gay marriage…In this respect, Schoenstatt has occupied seats in the National Congress, in demonstrations, public audiences, and letters to newspapers. Books were produced at the Covenant Foundation and its wing, the Kentenich Pedagogical Center that trains educators. We are aware of carrying forth a project that will overcome the anthropological heresies and that will place the family in the center. The objective for the next leader’s conference is “Love forever”, in marriage, as a motive for a paternity that is carried out well.
Schoenstatt Youth grows…
The Schoenstatt Youth – both young men and young women – are experiencing an exceptional moment in all aspects. The Boys’ Youth acquired a house in front of the Youth Shrine forty meters from the Shrine. Then three postulants made the decision for a religious vocation. The vocation miracle began in 2002, and it had a very special ending with the priestly ordination of Pedro Miravlalles and Alfredo Perira on June 18th, after 14 years; it was a moment of grace and of family unity. The house of the Women’s Branches is taking in a vibrant Girls’ Youth, and it is becoming an outstanding center for evangelization of women. They are working to enlarge it.
Contribution to the bicentennial
The country is experiencing its important bicentennial with many events. The Schoenstatt Family, above all, the youth took the initiative, and they coordinated a large celebration in the national stadium along with other movements, the archdiocesan youth pastoral, and many parish councils. The stadium was filled to share a closing Mass for the month of May where the Papal Nuncio presided.
The country’s three Shrines and their mission
The three shrines attract many pilgrims, and they have a pastoral council. Each one of them has its role and its transcendence. Tupãrenda is outstanding for its weekend services. Saint Mary’s Church of the Trinity is finishing its 7th stage of construction, it is totally roofed, and it has a floor, sacristy, and Eucharistic celebrations. The blessing for it is planned for 2014. The pastoral council carries out a great task with approximately 250 people who are committed to it. A Boys’ Group from TR was started with forty boys and then a Girls’ Youth started. On October 18th, approximately 35,000 people arrived. Throughout the month, a growth of 10 to 20% was noted. The 2,600 determined missionaries came with their Pilgrim MTAs and with those whom receive the Blessed Mother.
The Youth Shrine has many Masses and confessions. Its bible classes, the catechetical training, and the open talks offered to the occasional pilgrims and collaborators of the League are very valuable. It is the heart of the Family.
The Homeland Shrine of Cuidad Este is outstanding for the beauty of the place and its laity’s leading role. Its pastoral is growing. The construction of the Pastoral Center is to be noted.
The Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign
The Rosary Campaign spreads the graces of the shrines throughout the country. It has gained the ability to prepare missionaries. Almost one thousand missionaries including those who receive the Pilgrim MTA sealed their covenant of love, and they were well prepared. The current objective for the Rosary Campaign is for one thousand homes to become home shrines. A pastoral program unites the Rosary Campaign with some Branches in order to provide missionaries so that they will enrich the Branches.
Returning to the source
The institutions that were born of Schoenstatt, such as Dequeni, Covenant Foundation, Cavevi (post-First Communion catechesis), deepened in the Schoenstatt mystery. We continue to work strongly with the Nivakle indigenous peoples and other initiatives. We are trying to improve the coordination between family missions and university missions, their steadiness and dsposition to spread the graces of the shrine.
The Kentenich Pedagogical Center
The Kentenich Pedagogical Center has presented workshops to more than one thousand educators working more on the educator’s being than on their work. We also have retreats for educators that began twenty years ago in Tupãrenda and now they are offered in several cities. HPC, a course in communication skills has notable success. It also promotes Kentenich training for our sociologists with the idea of having specific post-graduate courses. It supports pedagogical courses for the members of the Family, and it is concern about moving the pedagogical faculty forward.
Growth
The Movement’s growth is steady. The Youth maintain their numbers but they are rejuvenated. Each year 200 couples join, the majority are young. We support the National Seminary with families “friend of the seminary”, which is consolidating. We hope to offer the seminarians and priests a family. Relations with the hierarchy are harmonious.
The Movement Headquarters, the axis of Asunción-Tupãrenda-Caacupe, is extremely useful. It provides training for a group of first class laity with the Kentenich mentality, people who are well read and reflect. The Branches’ retreats are concentrated in Tuparenda. It also supports the autonomous development of other dioceses that have a model with many resources for support. The advisers do not need to travel frequently. The laity found and support. There is Family Diocesan Council in six of the twelve dioceses.
Prayer for the December 17th Mass
Beloved Blessed Mother,
You chose Paraguay as your land. Your missionaries take you as a standard bearer to win the indigenous people. You chose Caacupe as a privileged place of national pilgrimage and Tuparenda as the workshop of the new man in the new community to build the country as a nation of God. On this very special eve of December 18th, in the National Shrine, we give you our love of children and our willingness to be instruments for a new Paraguay. Queen of Tuparenda, my mother, you ask for my heart. You need it to build a new Paraguay! Yes, I will give it to you. May it not be mine, but rather, yours. May it belong to my family, my Church, my Nation. May it belong to you and may it be like the holy heart of Roque González de Santa Cruz. Mary, whirlwind of the Father’s, the Son’s, and the Holy Spirit’s love, take my consecrated heart to the heart of the Triune God, so that Christ will be born again in all Paraguayans. Mary of the Trinity pray for us, we give our hearts. Amen.
Mother, nothing without you nothing without us.
Father Antonio Cosp and all your Paraguayan Family
