ARGENTINA, Susana Llorente. On Sunday, the 3rd of August, the 80th birthday of Father Benjamín Pereira, a Chilean Schoenstatt Father, who has worked in Argentina for many years, was celebrated with great joy.
The celebration began with the Holy Mass of thanksgiving in Saint Joseph Church, close to the Shrine of Belén de Escobar (a province of Buenos Aires), Father Benjamín Pereira celebrated and Father Francisco Pistilli – Regional Superior – Father Javier Arteaga, Father Antonio Cosp, Father Juan Pablo Catoggio, Father Guillermo Cassone, Father Guillermo Carmona, Father Marcelo Gallardo, in addition to other Schoenstatt Fathers, who work in Rome, Paraguay and Nigeria, who were participating in the regional chapter of Father’s Region con-celebrated. The bishop of the Diocese of Zárate-Campana, Bishop Oscar D. Sarlinga sent a special blessing to Father Benjamín; he was unable to participate in the celebration due to an error in his agenda.
Selfless giving
In his homily, Father Cosp referred to the Gospel about feeding of the 5,000 in which the Lord invites the disciples to be the ones who distribute the bread to the multitude, instructing them and thus preparing them for their future apostolic mission. Just as Jesus was compassionate with the multitude, Father Cosp remembered Father Benjamín’s selfless and compassionate giving as spiritual director for the Pallottine Seminary of Santa María, Brazil, around 1963.
A priestly life in closeness to the Founder
At the end of the Holy Mass, after Father Benjamín’s warm and heartfelt gratitude, the Schoenstatt Ladies touched everyone with a beautiful video presentation that summarized Father Benjamín’s fruitful life and his close relationship with the Founder and Father.
Some relevant biographical information of Father Benjamin Pereira’s priestly life was gathered in the video:
At the age of 18, he entered the Pallottine Seminary of Fribourg, Switzerland. He was ordained a priest in 1960. He remained in Fribourg until he obtained his doctorate in theology.
In 1965, Father Benjamín moved to Münster, Germany, along with the first generation of young students from Paraguay and Argentina.
In July, Father Joseph Kentenich (who was still in exile in Milwaukee until October of that year) founded the Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers. Father Benjamín Pereira then served as spiritual director of the young seminarians.
From 1973 to 1984, he was rector of the Major Pontifical Seminary of Santiago, Chile.
Eventually he arrived in Argentina in 1984. In 1986, he was designated as National Director of the Movement in Argentina, a position he held for six years.
Since the year 2000 until the present, he has been in Belén de Escobar where in addition to his service in different areas of apostolate he had the mission to build the Shrine in 2002 and Saint Joseph Church in 2008. Moreover, he is the priestly adviser of the Movement in the Diocese of Azul.
“Thank you Father Benjamín for your loyalty”
Then everyone went in procession to the Shrine, where they renewed the Covenant of Love with the MTA and then Father Benjamín imparted a blessing to those present.
The celebration continued with a fraternal lunch. Approximately two hundred Schoenstatters from different areas participated: from Buenos Aires, the locals, and from Pilar, etc.
As a highlight at the end of the celebration, María Soledad Valcarce, a member of the Institute of Our Lady of Schoenstatt, gave everyone who participated a photo of Father Benjamín with Father Joseph Kentenich.
Father Francisco Pistilli’s words were the best summary of the experience: “Thank you Father Benjamín for your loyalty!”
Original: Spanish – Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
