Bárbara de Franceschi, Spain • This morning, looking at you, Mary, I gave thanks for every woman. For all that you are, for your delicate purity, your capacity to love each and everyone, your gentle gaze and your arms holding the Child and in Him each one of us. — Today, surely, all women: the women of that time, wrapped in that long garment, who at home made their bread every day, waiting for their children who brought fresh fish that they themselves caught with their nets, who taught them
Read More GERMANY, Renate Siebenkäs • On the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1, 2023, solemn sending forth services took place in St. Martin’s and Transfiguration of Christ. A total of four Pilgrim MTAs were sent out in the two parishes of Forchheim. — How did it happen? On October 1st, 2022, a great jubilee was celebrated in Schoenstatt: 25 years of the “Project Pilgrim Shrine” (in Germany, this is the official name of the worldwide Campaign of the Pilgrim MTA initiated in Brazil in 1950) in Germany. For
Read More SPAIN, Paz Leiva • Saturday morning and to the cinema. An unusual plan, but the movie “Madre, ven” is being shown in the center of Madrid and we bought tickets. We are looking forward to it. Some people saw it at the premiere and agree that it is worth it. — We walk from home and arrive in time in front of the Paz Cinema. It’s a sunny but cold day. So, we take our seats, row 6, in the aisle, “right in the middle,” as my mother used to
Read More SPAIN, Pere Pares • The Camino de Guadalupe is one of those great treasures of the Spanish tradition that, because it is not so popular, ends up being forgotten, at least for young people. However, great personalities, such as Isabella the Catholic or Miguel de Cervantes, have lived this pilgrimage and their lives are proof that it is a place of grace. — It has been something totally providential that the youth ended up walking the Camino Real. Originally the pilgrimage was going to be to Javier, but when they
Read More GERMANY, Sr. M. Elinor Grimm • Royal wedding at the start the day before – a young man from the Schoenstatt Youth (SMJ) married his Kathi – at the end, right on time after the coronation celebration on May 1st: raindrops! This framed the coronation celebration at the Parallele Shrine in Koesching near Ingolstadt. — In other years there were always around 2,000 pilgrims on May 1, but the pandemic crossed that out! Only 200 were allowed outside around the Shrine. Numbers and texts were not enough. “Fence-sitters” were still
Read More ARGENTINA, Claudia Echenique • “What work did you just do, and what did Jesus say to you? He found you at your table, with your nets, in your things. To your surprise and the surprise of many, his voice resounded in your soul: “Pancho, follow me; and here you are,” said Bishop Francisco Pistilli of Encarnación in the homily for the ordination of Francisco Maria Bosch on Saturday, November 23, 2019 in Nuevo Schoenstatt, Florencio Varela. — The Church of God the Father in Nuevo Schoenstatt was filled to the
Read More ITALY, Federico Bauml • This past June 17th, in a crowded Shrine of Cor Ecclesiae, four young people sealed their Covenant of Love with Mary. — Anna, Caterina, Giovanni and Giuseppe (these are the names of the four new allies) have spent time preparing themselves, accompanied by a leader and the testimony of others who already knew the fascination of this special consecration typical of the Schoenstatt charism, and who have chosen to dedicate themselves to this project. Moreover for the great day, they wanted the most beloved people along
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