Holy Year of Mercy Tag

GERMANY, Maria Fischer • The most moving moment is very quiet and almost as surprising as the moment fifty years ago when Fr Kentenich proclaimed and entered into the covenant of love with God the Father. It happened after the solemn Holy Mass when the organisers were already standing in front of the shrine, and were busy assembling the procession to the shrine. One of them asked, “Where is the Father Symbol?” It was in the hands of Fr Juan Pablo Catoggio, who was carrying it out of the “Elendskirche”.Read More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • Every year on 18 October, there is an unprecedented celebration in Tupãrenda; it is the largest pilgrimage to a Schoenstatt Shrine in the world. Year after year, more than 40,000 people go on pilgrimage to the Tupãrendá Shrine to greet the Schoenstatt’s Mother Thrice Admirable. They bring their Pilgrim Mothers adorned with flowers; these traveling shrines visit them in their homes year after year. Year after year, hundreds of Schoenstatters place themselves at the pilgrims’ service. Year after year, bishops from the area along with twoRead More
ITALY / ARGENTINA, Pamela Fabiano • The secret to being happy, ten meditations on the Gospel is a new book by Fr. Cruz Viale, a Schoenstatt Father, who lives and teaches in Cordoba (Argentina) and for some years has lived in Rome, where he earned a doctorate in moral theology at the prestigious Pontifical Gregorian University. The book, published by Editions Patris Argentina, is a collection of ten meditations on the meaning of mercy, as revealed by Jesus in the Gospels. Following St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Augustine – through modernRead More
ITALY, WYD 2016,  Gianfrancesco Romano • Gianfrancesco, a Schoenstatter, the first historic leader of the Schoenstatt Boys’ Youth from Italy, relates his experience of World Youth Day as a leader of his parish group. A personal experience of 3 World Youth Days From Cologne to Krakow, passing through Madrid, no, this was not because of some flight plan; it was not even the unfortunate acquisition of improbable routes to save some Euros on the flight. It is my very own personal experience of three (!) different World Youth Days. OnRead More
ROME/THE VATICAN, by Fr. Rolando Gilbert Montes de Oca Valero, member of the Federation of Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests in Cuba, studying in Rome • The morning of 4 September 2016, in Rome, dawned differently.  There was a great movement of pilgrims towards St. Peter’s; they had come from all over the world.  Joyfully, I was able to recognize the Archbishop of Bujumbura, Burundi and many other Africans.  Flags from Australia and many European countries were waving.  I met Latin Americans from many nationalities that I was able to share with,Read More
BRAZIL, via Jumasbrasil.com.br • Schoenstatt reaching out, doors of mercy: this was the motto that gave ninety-three missionaries from the Schoenstatt Youth the motivation to give up a week of vacation, work and the cares of the world, to dedicate themselves entirely to taking the Word of God, his love and his mercy to the people of Braganca Paulista, San Pablo. The Tabor Youth Missions 2016 took place 16-23 July in the neighborhoods of Aguas Claras, Vem Viver and Enedina Cortez. The youths divided into three missionary communities, and theyRead More
PARAGUAY, Maria Fischer with Ani Souberlich and Mirta Etchegaray • “Our HOUSE was inaugurated on the Feast of Mary’s Queenship! The Blessed Mother gave us a beautiful, sunny day filled with joy, and most of all, hope for many youths!  The boys are very happy and proud to say that they are at the House!” Mirta Etchegaray proudly and ecstatically commented on the night of the 22 August. Something touched her even more deeply: “To hear those who are still in jail say that they already want to come here,Read More
From Msgr. Peter Wolf, DD • It will be a highpoint of the Year of Mercy when Pope Francis canonises Mother Teresa of Calcutta on 4 September. Even while she was alive many people saw her as a saint, and when they met her they felt that they were meeting more than a committed person, or a well-known personality. At any rate I will never forget my encounter with her. It was during the Katholikentag in Freiburg in 1978. A small group of people responsible for the vocations pastorate hadRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME – HOLY YEAR OF MERCY • The Jubilee Audience on Saturday 14 May took place under a deluge of rain, but this did not stop thousands of pilgrims from crowding St. Peters’ Square to listen to Pope Francis’ catechesis, this time on piety. Pope Francis at St. Peter`s. Photo: Alexey Gotovsky / ACI Prensa Text of Pope Francis’ catechesis, 14.05.2016 Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning! It is not a very nice day, but you are brave and you came have come despite the rain. Thank you!Read More
FRANCIS IN ROME — HOLY YEAR OF MERCY • Many Catholics and pilgrims from various countries again gathered in St. Peter’s Square on the third Wednesday of April to attend Pope Francis’ general audience, where he continued his catechetical series on Mercy in the New Testament.   Complete text of the Holy Father’s catechesis on 20 April 2016 Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning! Today we would like to stop and wonder at an aspect of mercy which is well presented in the passage we heard from the Gospel ofRead More