COSTA RICA, Mary Cruz Coto • August 2nd is the feast day of Our Lady of the Angels, the patron saint of Costa Rica. The devotion to the “Negrita”, the Black Madonna, is marked by the pilgrimage to the Shrine in the Basilica of the Angels in Cartago. For this reason, the Schoenstatt Movement in Costa Rica has prepared itself spiritually to walk this path of love for our Mother. — Beginning on July 1st and every day of the month, under the title “Our Lady of the Angels”, we
Read More COSTA RICA, Ricardo Barrantes • On Sunday, June 11, the third edition of the MTA Cup, a tennis tournament in which the Schoenstatt Family gathers for a Sunday of sports and to promote bonds between the different branches, was held in the east of the capital San José. — Tennis players from the Family Federation, the Family Branch, the Boys’ Youth and the Ministry of Engaged Couples were present. In this edition, we were joined by a tennis player from the Family Branch of Guanacaste and a tennis player from
Read More COSTA RICA, Lourdes Rosabal • Last May, the International Congress of the Schoenstatt Family Work (CIOF) was held in Asunción, Paraguay, with the participation of more than 150 couples from the three Schoenstatt Family communities, as well as about 25 consecrated persons, including Schoenstatt Fathers, Sisters, and members of the Institute Our Ladz of Schoenstatt. The event was a success as the couples came from a total of 17 countries in the Americas, the Caribbean and Spain. There was also a special participation from Hungary and Germany/Poland with the presence
Read More COSTA RICA Ma. Amparo Ruiz • God the Father invites, calls and gathers. “I am a thought of God” was the theme of the retreat for young professionals held March 11 and 12 in San José, Costa Rica. — We began early Saturday morning at the convent of the Sisters of the Cross. A group of 27 young professionals accepted the invitation to break the hectic pace and enter into dialogue and communion with the Father. We were joined by two young Central American women from Guatemala and Panama. To
Read More COSTA RICA, Flora Rojas • During an intensive weekend, the Blessed Mother glorified herself in the diocese of Ciudad Quesada. — With the participation of five couples, the first leadership conference was held in the area. Elementary topics such as the Good Shepherd, the pedagogical goal of Schoenstatt, the laws of organic growth, the laws of organic leadership, the pedagogical style, the practical faith in Divine Providence, the role of the leaders and the guides, and the guidelines for the encounter were discussed. The day began with the celebration of
Read More NICARAGUA, Maria Fischer, with material from AICA.org.ar • The Nicaraguan government, which is pursuing a policy of general repression in the Central American country, released 222 of the country’s 245 political prisoners on Thursday, February 9th, without first notifying their families. They were immediately flown out of the country on a plane that landed in Washington. Among them are several priests, opposition leaders, and some student leaders, as well as the mother of A.L. (name known to the editor) of the Schoenstatt Family Movement in Managua, Nicaragua, Cristiana Chamorro, a
Read More SHRINES, editorial team • During the National Schoenstatt Meeting in Panama, Fr. José Luis Correa encouraged the Schoenstatters of this country to visit Schoenstatt shrines on their trips to other countries, and then share their shrine experiences. He inspired them to google if and where there are – but no need for this effort. The exact locations of all Schoenstatt shrines (and many wayside shrines) can be found, thanks to the efforts of Norbert Jehle from Germany and Matías Fortuño from Chile, on a map available to everyone. — The
Read More COSTA RICA, Carlos Alfaro • The Madrugadores stream of life, which arrived in Costa Rica in 2007, in union with the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, reached three new dioceses last year: Ciudad Quesada, Puntarenas and Limón, which are added to the Archdiocese of San José and the dioceses of Liberia-Tilarán, Alajuela and Cartago. — In June of last year, the first visit was made to the diocese of Perez Zeledon, the last diocese in the country to be conquered by our beloved Blessed Mother, with the objective of creating new communities
Read More COSTA RICA, Fr. José Luis Correa • Father Juan Luis, recently ordained priest last December, Parochial Vicar of the Parish of Santa Ana, came to celebrate his first Mass in the Shrine and to consecrate his priesthood to the Blessed Mother, to Mary of the Covenant. — Father José Agustín Santori and I concelebrated. Then we shared lunch. The newly ordained priest studied chemistry for three years before entering the National Seminary of Costa Rica. He had already come to the shrine a couple of weeks ago. Original: Spanish, 29.01.2023.
Read More COSTA RICA, Lorena Montoya • We have started 2023 with 25 new groups of couples (12 adult couples, 9 young couples and three groups of the “Pastoral of Hope” – Remarried couples), for a total of 170 couples. — The young couples are couples from different areas of the country who have been married for less than five years, with an average age of 32. Some of them have received formation in parish family ministries or other movements. This generation is characterized by the fact that a good part of
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