Pope Francis Tag

Pope Francis’ message for the World Day of the Poor; schoenstatt.org editorial team • Let’s always remember that our faith is concrete: the Word became flesh, not an idea!  — This tweet by Pope Francis posted a few days ago is a good summary of one of his key concerns, a concern that he shares with Fr. Kentenich and with many of his spiritual sons and daughters. From the Cross, Jesus did not say to us: “Here are your books,” but rather said: “Here is your mother.” Real life. TheRead More
ROME BELMONTE, Bettina Betzner and Maria Fischer • On the feast of Pentecost, Schoentatt also celebrated the golden jubilee of the Shrine belonging the Apostolic Women’s Federation. This shrine was blessed by Fr. Joseph Kentenich on the feast of Pentecost 50 years ago. The plaque with the Father-Holy Spirit symbol from the wayside shrine at Belmonte was present at the celebration. This is the same symbol that can still be found today at the entrance to the property at Belmonte and is a reminder of the simple wayside shrine blessedRead More
LET US PRAY WITH POPE FRANCIS – IN JUNE • “May the Spirit grant peace to the whole world. May He heal the wounds of war and of terrorism, which even this [Saturday] night, in London, struck innocent civilians: let us pray for the victims and their families.” With these words, Pope Francis asked the universal Church to unite their prayers for peace and for the victims of the attacks in London on the eve of Pentecost. Another #prayforLondon hashtag? As we remember Manchester, Paris, and Berlin, we run theRead More
POPE FRANCIS • Tension is rooted in human nature: unity or diversity. The temptation of uniformity to the point of dictatorship at the cost of freedom. The temptation of polarisation to the point of creating walls, once again, at the cost of freedom. Pope Francis, just like so many of the Church’s saints, like Fr. Kentenich, encourages the audacity of freedom, the audacity of unity in diversity; of diversity in unity. In our Schoenstatt language, this is covenant culture. The condition and fruit of a new people, a new heartRead More
Interview of Fr. Alfredo Pereira, Schoenstatt Father from Paraguay • After working for several years in Italy, exactly in a Roman parish that was entrusted to the Schoenstatt Fathers, and in the university ministry, Fr. Alfredo “Pope” Pereira, Schoenstatt Father from Paraguay, returned to his country in March 2017. – How was your experience in the “Santi Patroni” Parish of Rome? I arrived at Santi Patroni Parish in November 2010 as a deacon. During those first months, I learned Italian and grew part of parish life in a gradual andRead More
VATICAN/PERU • This Saturday, 27 May, while Pope Francis was in Genoa on a pastoral visit, the Vatican Press Office announced the appointment of Fr. Reinaldo Nann, who belongs to the Schoenstatt Institute of Diocesan Priests, as the new prelate of the territorial prelature of Caraveli, Peru. Only some weeks ago, Fr. Reinaldo Nann had begun his work in his new parish in Peru’s Amazon region.  A native of Freiburg, Germany, he is 56 years old. As a priest fidei donum that is, he belongs to a group of diocesanRead More
ITALY, Emanuela Turani • For the boys of the “After Confirmation” group from Saints Patrons of Italy Parish and for the members of the Schoenstatt Youth, it was an extraordinary Palm Sunday. To tell us about it is Emanuela, 17, who personally took part in the organization of the day. Speaking to the faithful in his Lenten message, Pope Francis was perhaps implicitly pushing us all to act, during a period of reflection and meditation, yes, but also to bear witness to our faith, a faith that, following the exampleRead More
By Maria Fischer and Ani Souberlich • “Thirty more stars were blessed on Friday, 12 May for the carpet of stars located at the north entrance of the Cologne Cathedral. The twenty-five small and the five large stars were donated this spring,” this was Cologne’s Domradio radio message. Among them, there was also a star from 1. FC Köln soccer team, the ‘Kölner Dom’ cultural foundation related. With the star of 1. FC Köln, two of Cologne’s passions grow closer: the cathedral and soccer,” commented Fr. Gerd Bachner, Provost ofRead More
VATICAN, Fr. Alexandre Awi, ISch, Brazilian Boys’ Youth Director, via jumasbrasil.com.br• Dear young people and Schoenstatt Youth leaders! “From Krakow to Panama: The Synod journeying with the young” This was the motto for the meeting that brought together 350 participants from 102 countries on 5-9 April in Rome. Each ecclesial movement (more than 40 were present) and each Bishops’ Conference sent two representatives, a young person and an adult. Lucia Reinsperger from the Austrian Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth and myself, Fr. Alexandre Awi, the director of the Boys Youth in Brazil (JUMAS),Read More
POPE FRANCIS’ INTENTIONS FOR CURRENT NEEDS • On Sunday 7 May, Pope Francis asked thousands of people gathered in St. Peter’s Square to pray the Rosary for peace during the month of May. After praying the Regina Coeli for the first Sunday of May, Pope Francis said: “In this month of May we pray the Rosary particularly for peace. Please, let us pray the Rosary for peace, as asked by the Virgin of Fatima where, in a few days, I will be making a pilgrimage for the occasion of theRead More