Francis Tag

COVENANT SOLIDARITY WITH FRANCIS, Maria Fischer • The Vatican published its latest video with Pope Francis’ prayer intentions for 2019, in which he calls for us to pray for the “protection of the seas and oceans” during September. — “Creation is a project of love given by God to humanity,” the Holy Father reminds us in his monthly message, which this time urges us to pray that “politicians, scientists, and economists work together to protect the world’s seas and oceans”. Along these lines, Francisco highlights the importance of caring forRead More
CHRISTUS VIVIT, Maria Fischer This time from St. Peter’s in Rome with Fr. Alexandre Awi. On 22 June, the day of the audience with Pope Francis, the crowning jewel of the International Youth Forum, the Schoenstatt participants sent their third and final video message to the International Schoenstatt Family in four languages and only one message: Christ is alive. Christ is alive, the Pope’s message, the message of the Youth synod, the message of this post-synodal journey, is a message for the whole of Schoenstatt, for this apostolic movement foundedRead More
FRANCE, via www.aica.org • The funeral of Jean Vanier, the founder of L’Arche who died on May 7, was held in the small community of Trosly-Breuil, north of Paris on the afternoon of Thursday, 16 May. The mass, celebrated with great simplicity, was presided over by the Archbishop of Rennes, Pierre d’Ornellas. — The Pope encouraged the L’Arche communities to continue in the footsteps of Jean Vanier. Pope Francis sent a message in which he encouraged the L’Arche communities to “continue to be places of celebration and forgiveness, compassion andRead More
GERMANY/ROME, Dr. Peter Wolf • Dr. Peter Wolf, Rector of the Schoenstatt Center Oberkirch, Germany, was with Father Schaefer and Sister M. Elena on a trip to Rome in Belmonte from May 13 to 18. It was the first group to visit Belmonte after receiving the long-awaited “Agibilitá”, the state building approval and the associated permission to live there. — Turin – Don Bosco While last year we drove via Milan to Rome to get to know Saint Carlo Borromeo, this year we chose the route over the snow-covered SwissRead More
CHRIST IS ALIVE. The Pope’s letter to youth, editorial team • “Christ is alive. He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world. Everything he touches becomes young, new, full of life. Christ is alive and he wants you to be alive!” Thus begins the post-synodal apostolic exhortation “Christus Vivit” (Christ is a live), signed by Pope Francis in Loreto, in the Marian shrine of the Holy House on 25 March, and published by the Vatican on 2 April.— The exhortation follows from theRead More
MEXICO, Brenda Rocamontes • After months of preparation, the day finally arrived to begin the mission. Youth from Querétaro, San Luis Potosí, Guadalajara, Chuihuahua, Monterrey, and Iguala responded to the Blessed Mother’s call to live Holy Week in “Mexico: Mary’s Light” Missions. More than 500 young people gathered at St. Michael the Archangel parish in Tancanhuitz de Santos, San Luis Potosí and thus began the National Day.—   In this encounter, where as Schoenstatt Youth from Mexico, we lived and experienced workshops, activities, and we celebrated the Eucharist together. ItRead More
CHILE, Fr. Juan Pablo Rovegno, National Director • Perhaps now more than ever, Schoenstatt is suffering – within the Universal Church, with her and like her – from one of its deepest crises in the face of sexual abuse and the abuse of power and conscience. The Church and the Movement in Chile are the most affected, with senior representatives having been condemned by Pope Francis and the justice authorities. We publish a text by the Movement director that calls for deep interpretation and conversion. —   “As a family,Read More
SPAIN, Juan Zaforas • It was November of 2014, shortly after the Schoenstatt Movement celebrated its Jubilee, when a group of Schoenstatters from Spain decided to seal a Covenant with Pope Francis, a Covenant we had been preparing for months. — Some were able to travel to Rome in October 2014, and read the prayer we had prepared at St. Peter’s.  Afterwards on November 1st of that same year, we celebrated the Covenant with the Pope at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Madrid.  Altogether we wrote a letter to Francis explainingRead More
DILEXIT ECCLESIAM, Editorial board (jz.pjmg.mf) • We ask for forgiveness. We ask for forgiveness for the abuse of power, the abuse of conscience and sexual abuse committed by the Church. We are the Church. A prayer for forgiveness spoken by Pope Francis during the penitential act at the closing Mass of the World Meeting of Families. Our hearts break when we hear this good shepherd asking for forgiveness, not just in general terms, but precisely where it hurts, concretely and painfully, mentioning each form of abuse by name. We askRead More
POPE FRANCIS – MESSAGES AND GESTURES • “I believe, based on several messages, that some Christians are uncertain whether or not it is ethical, good or bad, to rescue the immigrants who are in obvious danger of being shipwrecked and dying. I find it positive that the Holy Father has resolved this uncertainty for them,” commented José Antonio Cerezuela on Twitter. He is from Barcelona and describes himself as “one more among 8 billion. Trying to post a positive tweet every day.” Either way, this is a positive tweet, togetherRead More