SPAIN, Juan Zaforas/mda. For the first time in Spain, an experience originating in Portugal gave its first fruits in Andalucia, the south of Spain. Country Mission was “created by a group of Catholic university youths who aim to put their service toward needy people” as the web of the Cordoba diocese stated. “We did not know how to bring Country Mission to Spain, we had no idea how many would sign up, nor to which town were we going, we had no idea on how things would work out,” commented the head of Country Mission, Beatriz Cornejo Mazzuchelli, from Madrid. “God did it all, He knew it all. My conclusion is that God is reaching out to the Spanish young, He wants to fill us up with happiness. The arrival of Country Mission was and is a great success! It is a project thought up and laid out by Him.”
It is an apostolic project formed by university students and is inspired by a similar kind that is already functioning in countries like Chile and Portugal. Just in Lisbon, there are about 1,000 university students participating from about thirty different departments,” as could be read, days before this Country Mission Spain 2014 began. In Portugal, Country Mission started about eleven years ago. And it is the mission work that has grown most, prominent because of its strength and allowing Schoenstatt to comply with its mission to be apostolic leaven for the Church.
Between the 12th and 17th of February, twenty-two young Madrid university students were at Villanueva del Duque in Andalucia, doing double work: on one end, doing social work by visiting the elderly and the sick; and on the other hand, sharing their own faith through apostolic and evangelizing tasks, with the motto: “Go and do the same!”
It seems that the Blessed Mother wanted to stir up action in Cordoba
“It seems that the Mater wanted to stir up action in Cordoba” – was the comment shared around the news on Cordoba Diocese’s webpage, referring to Country Mission. “During these days, the locals went out of their way to support the group of some twenty young university students from Madrid who came to share their evangelic experiences with the town. They worked so unselfishly in the Sacred Family Nursing Home and in the renovation of the installations of the Wayside shrine of Our Virgin of Guía. They visited the sick as well, and at the same time, organized a missionary festival where they acted out the parable of the Good Samaritan, adjusted to our times,” wrote the news section of the diocese. The same event was also broadcast on radio COPE.
Their only wish is to transform Spain
Beatriz Cornejo Mazzuchelli (head of the Missions in the Country Spain 2014), relates the experience of the first Missions.
Country Mission is a great project, a dream, and crazy idea that was made reality in Chile and in Portugal. We, the Schoenstatt Youth in Spain, felt called to give, to bring Jesus to the university, to transmit the great joy of our faith, to change Spain, to give a profound answer to the needs and longing of many, of so many of our friends who have nothing for which to bet on, who feel lost in their quest for happiness.
Because when God fills up your heart, that is when you feel the need to give, to transmit, and to love.
Little by little, our idealism materialized and we began to condense things to lead what is Country Mission, Spain 2014. We searched for a town where to go, workshops and activities were developed in the town; and with the help of the Portuguese youths, we thought of simple missions open to people at the universities.
Last February 12th, twenty-two young people left expectantly towards Villanueva del Duque, a small Cordoban town about four hours from Madrid.
Days full of God
From the people of Villanueva, their Mayor, and the parish priest from St. Matthew’s, Father Ignacio Mora, we were amazed at their warm welcome. These were days filled with God, full of special moments, which started with diverse evangelizing activities from the very first morning (visits to a nursing home, to a school, songs along the streets and visits to the town’s businesses, a visit at City Hall, at the Guardia Civil headquarters, an interview by the local radio – Radio Guía, remodeling of the wayside shrine of the patroness, Our Lady of Guía, etc.) Afternoons, we divided into missionary pairs and visited each town bringing the Pilgrim Mother of Schoenstatt (“door to door”). The two musical bands for Holy Week, who accompany the processions of the different fraternities in the town, also welcomed us. We watched their rehearsals and were impressed with what we heard. At 20h, we went together for the Eucharist at the parish church and bolstered it with our songs.
Country Mission had reached Villanueva del Duque and Villanueva del Duque transformed us all
We arrived at Villanueva del Duque full of joy and excitement, but the offering of each one, just as the warmth of each person that we met in the town, contributed to make these missions an indescribable experience that has more than surpassed our expectations. Country Mission has reached Villanueva del Duque and Villanueva del Duque has transformed us all. Among us missionaries, a small family is formed; a family of youths surprised with what God can do through us if we offer ourselves to Him.
+GO AND DO LIKEWISE+
With Country Mission, we aim to invite young Spanish university people to use one week a year to improve the country, to talk about God to others, to deepen themselves, to stop and look at one’s own life, to give to others, and to go meet Jesus. We did not know how to bring Country Mission to Spain, we had no idea how many would sign up, nor to which town were we going, and we had no idea on how things would work out. God did it all, He knew. My conclusion is that God is reaching out to the Spanish young people; He wants to fill us up with happiness. The arrival of Country Mission was and is a great success! It is project thought up and laid out by Him.”
+GO AND DO LIKEWISE+
Original: Spanish – Translation: Kohnie Valderrama
