PARAGUAY, José Aníbal Argüello Rojas/red. The Receiving of the Tunic of Zion will be held on Saturday, July 19th, in Tuparenda. Eleven young men of different nationalities, all children of the same father, and welcomed in one family, will receive their “alb”, the armor that will accompany their vocational life. They will be dressed by Mary and will be transformed into “new Christs”.
It is interesting to see it from this maternal point of view. Mary is the one who dresses them with the tunic of Zion, she takes their hand and like a good Mother, she prepares and accompanies them to face the heroic road toward priesthood.
A touching video
On Tuesday, July 8th, Father Kentenich’s priestly anniversary, the Vocational Circle of Zion released a video in which the novices summarized everything they wanted to say, to their relatives, friends and the large Schoenstatt Family, a few days before receiving the tunic. They said what Pope Francis said on that night of March 13, 2013 and which he repeats in every encounter: Pray for me. Pray for us.
The Vocational Circle also known as the Circle of Zion supports the sustenance of the novices and seminarians spiritually as well as economically. On the 1st to the 7th of every month a “vocational week” is held, and they pray especially for them during all the Masses of that week at the Youth Shrine. They send a touching invitation through this video and via schoenstatt.org.
Recen por nosotros – Invitación a la toma de túnica el 19 de julio de 2014 from schoenstatt org on Vimeo.
http://vimeo.com/schoenstatt/schoenstatt-toma-de-tunica
It is important, above all, that as members of this large family, we measure this heroic giving of self. We well know that “The harvest is abundant, but the laborers are few”. (Matt.9:37)
It has been Christ’s command that we pray to God for more laborers for the harvest. The novices are the fruit of that prayer, they have taken the first step and they have responded generously to God and the Blessed Mother’s call.But we cannot remain there; we should continue to pray for them and for all vocations. To pray for the apostolic sensitivity and the enthusiasm of evangelization that they should conquer and, above all, so they may encounter Mary in their vocational refuge. They know very well what their ideal is and where they want to go. Like Pope Francis, they know that the road they must travel will be easier through the grace they receive from the hand of prayer. In a gesture of Covenant Solidarity, we commit ourselves to pray for them, and for all those consecrated to the Schoenstatt Kingdom.
By name and sur name
The novices are:
Juan Facundo Martínez Orbelli
Nationality: Argentinean
Territory: Región del Padre
Lucas Chiappe
Nationality: Argentinean
Territory: Región del Padre
Agustín Ozcoidi
Nationality: Argentinean
Territory: Región del Padre
Santiago Abella
Nationality: Mexican
Territory: Pentecostés
Alejandro Lomelí Viramontes
Nationality: Mexican
Territory: Pentecostés
Santiago Anza Cortés
Nationality: Mexican
Territory: Pentecostés
Luis Miguel Polit Estrella
Nationality: Ecuatorian
Territory: Pentecostés
Jonathan Alexandro de Oliveira
Nationality: Brasiliean
Territory: Región de Cristo
Maike Nonicio de Andrade
Nationality: Brasiliean
Territory: Región de Cristo
Fernando José Chuecas Jofré
Nationality: Chilean
Territory: Pentecostés
Joaquín Ignacio Puertas Casasempere
Nationality: Chilean
Territory: Pentecostés
It is expected that 500 people, among whom will be the novices’ families and friends, the Schoenstatt Family from the different regions and the Paraguayuan Family, will be attending the receiving of the tunic.
Original Spanish: Translation Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
