GUATEMALA, Cori Verdugo •
“Two friends that had never heard of Schoenstatt came to Father José Luis Correa’s talk and at the end commented to me: ‘I loved it, I loved it!’ And they are going to participate in my group!” On Thursday, 25 July, 2019, the Schoenstatt Ladies’ Branch (Mothers) of Guatemala City held a conference for women, in San Martin de Porres’ parish, with the topic “Harmonizing head, heart, and will” and a large group of women participated, some of whom already knew Schoenstatt and participate in the Ladies’ Branch groups along with others that experienced their first contact with Schoenstatt. —
In Esquipulas, Guatemala, Schoenstatt has existed for several years. Many years ago, Odette Vallendor, from Villa Ballester, Argentina, told us about the “Ciudad Nueva” School near Guatemala City, where her daughter applied Fr. Kentenich’s pedagogy.
In Guatemala City, the capital, the Couples` Branch began in 2016, and since last year there are now two groups of the Mothers’ Branch.
“Schoenstatt is a Marian, Catholic, and apostolic Movement, where the Blessed Mother is venerated, and its main mission is to have the Blessed Mother as a spiritual educator and example of a woman with these distinguishing qualities: clear intelligence, a firm will and warm heart. The Schoenstatt Movement helps and guides us through prayer and reading, and promotes sharing common purposes with friends, which will help us to be missionaries of the Blessed Mother to our families, friendships, and work.” Joanna de Castañeda, one of the ladies that participated and belongs to one of the Mothers’ Branches, wrote.
The essentials of Schoenstatt in one sentence
“Today I spoke with a lady who attended the talk but does not belong to the Movement; She very much liked the respect for individuality that Schoenstatt manifests,” commented one of the Schoenstatters.
Another participant shared her personal summary of Father José Luis’ talk:
“The importance of harmonizing, having a balance between:
– Intelligence: thinking, knowing, reason
– Heart: loving, feeling, emotions, affection
– Will: to move to do something, you have to exercise it
– Thinking about what you do
– Feeling what you think
– Do what you think and what you feel.”
“COVENANT with the Blessed Mother = she accompanies me, she’s by my side. Love unites me and resembles Mary” – wrote another lady.
Some of the participants took their Pilgrim Mothers that sat at the front of the room where the talk was given. Schoenstatt is growing in Guatemala, and those who are now in charge seek to communicate with Schoenstatters that for many years have been in this part of Guatemala waiting for the Movement’s beginning. The time has come!
Contact: guatemala@schoenstatt.org
Original: Spanish. 31 July 2019. Translated: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, USA
