PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • For a long time, we have wished that more people in Paraguay would get to know our house and come into contact with the young people who participate in our program and tell us about their daily lives. This exchange, this meeting of hearts, through which many more people can share and support this great work of mercy, because it is very different to only hear about something than to actually be there, and as our Father Joseph Kentenich said, “You only love what you know.”
Read More GERMANY, Sr. M. Elinor Grimm/mfi • There are only a few days left until World Youth Day in Lisbon; many of the young people who are on their way there are already at the diocesan days, on pilgrimage to Fatima, or visiting shrines and historic places in Europe. For a good 450 of the young pilgrims from the Schoenstatt Movement, a side trip will lead them to Schoenstatt during these days, and some would also like to get to know the Dachau concentration camp memorial. — On Sunday and Monday
Read More PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • At the beginning of this year, we have seen great changes in the immediate environment of Casa Madre de Tupãrenda (CMT): the departure of Father Pedro Kühlcke and his departure to Germany, the dismissal of several staff members for economic reasons…. But despite all these obstacles, we have seen rays of hope for the program, which in the six years of its existence has already produced fifty-four graduates, joined today by four others who, with many sacrifices, have reached the goal. — Each graduation is a
Read More PARAGUAY, Martín Ávila • In the first meeting of the Leadership Team, the presentation of the Mission of the Youth Ministry of the Rosary Campaign took place. They spoke about the personal encounter with Christ, an encounter that for the Christian is substantially given in the Eucharist and in the strength of that Sacrament when seeing Christ in others, as Jesus himself says in St. Matthew Chapter 25. In the specific case of the SSI Mission (Mission in the Central Hospital of the SSI – Social Security Institute): “I was
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 PARAGUAY/ SPAIN, Laura Toves • A few months ago we were surprised with totally unexpected news. We were offered to go to Asunción, Paraguay, for an international congress of the Schoenstatt Family Movement (CIOF). We were amazed, because we really did not expect something like this. Moreover, we imagined that perhaps the Family Federation wanted to send another couple. The truth is that we thought very little about it. This is one of those opportunities that should not be missed. — When the Paraguayan organization included us in a WhatsApp
Read More PUERTO RICO, PARAGUAY, GERMANY, Edgardo L. Rivera • During the weekend of April 28th to May 1st, the missionary motorcyclists from Germany, Paraguay and Puerto Rico went on pilgrimage with the Blessed Mother through the highways of their countries. It seems that they planned it, but no, it was all the work of the Holy Spirit who, through the Heart of Mary, moved them to carry out the mission. — The third grace received in the Schoenstatt Shrines, the apostolic sending forth, leads us to go out of our comfort
Read More PARAGUAY, HOUSE MOTHER OF TUPARENDA, Ani Souberlich • This Holy Week, as a team of House Mother of Tupãrenda, we made a visit to the Educational Center of Itauguá to invite the teenagers deprived of their freedom to participate in the program once they are released. — In this visit we told them everything they can learn in our house, to later have a job and thus achieve a better quality of life for them and their families. As always, they received us with joy and above all with a
Read More PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • Does anyone have information about Casa Madre de Tupãrenda? How is Casa Madre de Tupãrenda doing? How are the staff and the youth? Nothing has appeared on schoenstatt.org this year. The institutional website has not been updated for years, what is going on? Such questions and concerns were expressed again and again. The honest answer: we closed the year 2022 with great difficulties. — “We reorganized ourselves even before Father Pedro left, and we continue to work despite all the difficulties, even though the state withdrew
Read More PARAGUAY, II Congress of the Latin American Centre for the Protection of Minors, press release • “I am among you, because the first step of this penitential pilgrimage is to renew my plea for forgiveness and to tell you from the bottom of my heart that I am deeply hurt. I feel called to take responsibility for all the evil that some priests, many of them, have done. Because of the sexual abuse of children, and in the face of this outrageous evil, the Church kneels before God and begs
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