SPAIN, Laura Tovar • It was Jesus himself who told his disciples not to worry about what they were going to say or how they were going to say it when they were asked about the announcement of the Kingdom. He would send them the Holy Spirit who would inspire them with the right words. — Today, we also implore the Holy Spirit to inspire us with the right way and the right words to announce the Kingdom in the present times. But, honoring the “nothing without You, nothing without
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY 2021 – 2023 • With a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis will inaugurate the Synod on Synodality on October 10. — Pope Francis will officially open the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican with the Celebration of the Eucharist in St. Peter’s Basilica (Sunday, 10 October), preceded by a Moment of Reflection in the Synod’s New Hall (Saturday, 9 October). We all will be able to follow the proceedings in plenary session from 9.00 to 11.00 a.m. in live streaming with tele-radio commentary on Vatican
Read More GERMANY, Sr. M. Louise Schulz via schoenstatt.de • In January 1967, the founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich (1885-1968), visited the Schoenstatt Family from Fulda and gave them important impulses. Today, the Schoenstatt diocese of Fulda also meets each January for mutual exchange and common orientation, this time with Bishop Dr. Michael Gerber. The communities of the Schoenstatt Movement presented their current projects – which was not only informative for Bishop Gerber, but also for the many Schoenstatters in the hall itself. — “Dietershausen – a Schoenstatt Center with vitality!” “Dietershausen –
Read More Sermon at the Pontifical High Mass on 18.08.2019 in Schoenstatt, Bishop Dr Michael Gerber, Fulda • “We live in serious times, and the people are often unable to remain strong through this process of purification that is taking place now. They fall into complaining against God and the good, they lose their faith in the good and in mankind.”[1] — Dear Sisters and Brothers, This quotation seems to come from a current commentary on events in our times. “We live in serious times …” We think of
Read More HOERDE – WHAT NOW? Maria Fischer • After the celebration of the covenant of love at the Original Shrine, and shortly after 10 p.m. on 18 August 2019, while the fire in which the many slips of paper with contributions to the capital of grace was still burning, I saw Dr Michael Gerber, Bishop of Fulda, standing a little distance away. I greeted him and thanked him for his sermon a few hours before during the Mass when everyone was sent out from the International Conference. So many passages reminded
Read More CHILE, Bárbara Brain • So much excitement! Everything was so beautiful! What an impressive testimony! What joy! Thank you, thank you! … These are some of the comments from the people who gathered for the Pentecost vigil on 8 June at Paseo Bulnes, in downtown Santiago.— Perhaps it was not a crowd in the literal sense of the word, but there is no doubt that the fire of the Holy Spirit touched each of the more than 3,000 souls that gathered in the streets to express their hope in the
Read More VATICAN, Pamela Fabiano • Peace be with you: the Holy Father’s trips on the road to peace in the world. Where do we, as Schoenstatters, begin to foster a culture of peace? — Pope Francis’ 28th international trip on Saturday and Sunday, March 30 and 31, is to Morocco. This papal trip to Africa is “in continuity” with the one Pope Francis took to the United Arab Emirates in February, a few months after the adoption in Marrakesh of the United Nations Global Compact for Migration, to meet with the
Read More Pentecost 2018, Pope Francis • On the solemn celebration of Pentecost, Pope Francis, accompanied by the cardinals, bishops, and priests of the Roman Curia celebrated Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. With the echoes of the announcement of the upcoming canonisation in Rome of Paul VI and Oscar Romero. Francis spoke of the Holy Spirit as the divine force that changes the world, beginning with hearts. The Holy Spirit that takes us, our communities, and the whole church out of its comfort zone, from “peace and quiet” and sends us to
Read More ROMA BELMONTE, Brigitte Krompass, Schoenstatt Women’s Federation • The Holy Spirit symbol, which had been given in advance, was not installed during the blessing of the Belmonte Shrine – a Holy Spirit current was missing. At first the Holy Spirit remained very peaceful. The symbol was in a small Belmonte community, which took care of the shrine and its mission; it was like in the time of the early Church where the believers were gathered around Mary, who already had her throne in the shrine, the Belmonte community looked to
Read More Maria Fischer • His nose just about reached the rim of the baptismal font if he stretched hard enough. It didn’t satisfy him, so he hopped and jumped again and again while his eyes shone with irrepressible joy and impatience. During the Litany of the Saints we would have loved to pour over him a whole bath of baptismal water and soak him in a completely unorthodox way. … The sight of this young catechumen, and the thought of the bath of baptismal water, gave rise to so much joy
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