100 Houses in Solidarity Built – “Now Is the Fruitfulness of That Covenant in Solidarity Made into Homes of Solidarity”

100 HOUSES IN SOLIDARITY, mda. “What great news and what a joy for all of us having contributed to making a reality this marvelous dream,” comments Rodolfo Monedero from Madrid. The news was made known on July 8, 2014. “What a wonderful gift to Pope Francis in the Jubilee Year. Congratulations, schoenstatt.org, for this beautiful endeavor.” This beautiful endeavor, which on the past July 8^th, anniversary of Father Kentenich’s ordination to the priesthood, reached its goal with the donation of the 100^th house in solidarity. It was donated from a Home Shrine in Recife, Brazil. Only remaining was the taking place of the transference of funds and the end to the torrential rains in Paraguay so that the team of builders could go out and build without sinking. In the meantime, something was taking place in Australia.

Due to the rain, the houses needed to reach the goal of 100, were built during the last weekends of August – the houses dedicated from or in the names of the Shrines of the Adoration Sisters in Germany, from the Shrine in Issum (Oermter Berg)/ Germany and Waldstetten/Germany. In addition, houses which demonstrate that true life currents always break the plans – since not only Home Shrines (this time in Paraguay, Peru, Brazil, Germany), but also businesses (with Business Shrine), life groups (from the Mothers’ Federation in Germany) and projects (María Ayuda[Mary Helps], Spain) wanted to have a house in solidarity.

And once again manifested was the Breath of the Holy Spirit and the tender hand of Mary. The house in solidarity from the Home Shrine “Miracle of Love” in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay was built on August 24^th, precisely three days before this greatly desired miracle of love finalized, fruitfulness of hundreds of letters in confidence and surrender sent to the Blessed Mother in the Original Shrine and from a network of the Covenant of Love in solidarity.

Mission accomplished. Great.

One year earlier, barely 4 houses and not much of an echo. Now, 100, between “builders in solidarity” from Spain, Switzerland, Austria, Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Germany, Italy, England, USA, Chile.

Much gratitude, much happiness and a bit of sadness upon ending something so beautiful.

Let us not put up limits or barriers on the Holy Spirit

Many weeks before, in May, a family from Australia had asked for details on the houses in solidarity and on the methods for the transference of funds: “We, in Australia, are thinking about how we can donate for a house – could you, please, let us know the cost of a house and how we could make the donation on behalf of Australia?” Having received the response and the latest article, precisely having been translated into English the day before (with the comment to the translator: until now there has been no response from an English-speaking country, but nevertheless, we continue translating it once anew…..), Pat Pate answered: “I have read about the houses in solidarity from the article attached and your email address and I thought it would be outstanding if Australia could also be represented. I will take all of the information which you have sent me to a meeting we will have today. Then I will have to approach our Schoenstatt families to see if I can raise funds for the project – it will take time to get organized. I will contact you as soon as I have more information. I hope we are successful! I believe the houses in solidarity are a marvelous project.” Afterward, there was no more communication, until July 10^th, the anniversary of Father Kentenich’s first Mass. An email from Australia. They let us know in a simple and joyful way that now they can send the accumulated funds for the houses in solidarity in Paraguay. Houses. In calculating the amount in Australian dollars, it is for 18 houses between the initiatives undertaken in the Eastern and Western parts of Australia. 18.

What to do now? “The symbolic value of the 100 years, 100 Home Shrines, was reached. Now it is the fruitfulness of that Covenant in solidarity made into homes in solidarity…..and 18 is a beautiful sign for them and for all of us…..I would continue forward with no problems…..it is FRUITFULNESS IN LOVE IN SOLIDARITY…..and this cannot be cut by a plan, valid, but still a plan…..let us not place limits or barriers on the Holy Spirit……”

“The response has been overwhelming”

“The response has been overwhelming,” continues Sr. Georgina, for whom it is very clear: “I believe we should go beyond the 100 houses!!!!! We can build another 100 in the next 100 years of Schoenstatt. What can deter us? The availability of land? Or that there is an end to poverty? Only today, after the meeting of a Mothers’ Group, a lady gave me an envelope with $300.00 While I write this email, I have been given a check for $100.00 for Paraguay…..”

Thus, soon, there will be 18 Home Shrines in Paraguay in the name of the National Shrine of Mulgoa, the Shrine in Perth, the Wayside Shrine in Queensland and the Shrine in Kew, Melbourne…..

And not only these 18 in Australia. In the meantime, donations for houses in solidarity arrived from the Shrines in Weiskirchen, Germany, from a Home Shrine in Dinslaken, and from the “shrine” of a family on the occasion of their golden wedding anniversary. The one who began the initiative in Prayerrally for Pope Francis, Karin Schmitz, wanted to thank the editorial team of schoenstatt.org for the support in making known her project. She decided to donate five houses in solidarity, “to thank God the Father, God the Son, the Holy Spirit, John Paul II and the angels.”

The garden

One of the photos sent during the last week of construction shows rows of lettuce and green vegetables, neatly cultivated. It is like touching the fruitfulness of love in solidarity, it is like touching grace with the hand. From the security of a roof which protects them, a family has begun to cultivate a garden to produce vegetables for sale. A family who has a home and will have a future.

Sometimes grace takes the form of a head of lettuce.

100 families – 100 houses in solidarity

The initiative to build 100 houses in solidarity emerged from a small group of Schoenstatters committed to schoenstatt.org in the search for expressing in deeds – along with prayer and offering in love in solidarity all their endeavors and tasks – their covenant in solidarity with Holy Father Francis sealed on May 31, 2013. The private initiative of one of them and in the context of the Jubilee Year, of building in the heart of Paraguay the basic infrastructure for houses which could continue being built for their beneficiaries, led them to the decision that the gift they could give to Holy Father Francis for this covenant in solidarity and with the support of friends and acquaintances, is to give 100 basic homes to 100 families who live in extreme poverty. They will be the living remembrance of this Covenant of Love with Pope Francis and something which remains of the 100^th Jubilee of the Covenant of Love. The houses in solidarity carry the names of Daughter Shrines, Home Shrines and Heart Shrines as an expression of the “Jubilee step” which leads from the shrines to the peripheries to “shrine-ize” (Pope Francis) the world.

Original Spanish: Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 09112014

Our Shrine participates:

For giro payment within the SEPA zone (Europe)

A. Souberlich/M. Fischer

IBAN DE08400602650062268615
BIC GENODEM1DKM
Reason for payment: Protective Roof

Ask here for Information for money transfer via Moneygram

Address for more information or other ways to transfer money: donar@schoenstatt.org

This project is a jubilee project of the “schoenstatt.org dreamteam”, friends and visitors of schoenstatt.org and our jubilee gift to Pope Francis.

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