Pope Francis Tag

PARAGUAY, by María Fischer • “The private initiative of a member of our Family, in the context of the Jubilee Year – to build in the heart of Paraguay the basic infrastructures for homes which can continue being built by their beneficiaries – led us to the decision that the gift we can give to His Holiness through Covenant solidarity and with the support of friends and acquaintances, is to give 100 basic homes to 100 families who live in extreme poverty. They will be the living remembrance of ourRead More
MESSAGE OF THE GENERAL PRESIDIUM OF SCHOENSTATT – FR JUAN PABLO CATOGGIO • The General Presidium gathered for its annual week-long meeting. The place and time were special: They met in Rome, at Belmonte, exactly fifty years after Fr Kentenich’s return from exile and his stay in Rome. During the meeting, the General Presidium drafted a message to the Schoenstatt Family to mark the 50th anniversary of the fourth milestone in the history of Schoenstatt, and the opening of the Year of Mercy. At the request of the President ofRead More
IN COVENANT SOLIDARITY WITH FRANCIS, ACIprensa and schoenstatt.org • Cardinal Fernando Filoni, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of the Peoples, affirmed that those who protected the Holy Father in the Central African Republic, were “a human chain” of very poor people, who constantly ran around the Popemobile and never left the Pope alone, and he was defended by any possible danger”. This is what the Cardinal said after the papal visit to Kenya, Uganda and the Central African Republic, which ended 30 November. He made the statement toRead More
PARAGUAY, Testimonies about the Family Missions, at Mbocayaty • For me, to talk about the missions is to talk about allowing oneself to be surprised by God’s Providence, thinking about his immense generosity, that generosity that is given to: the people of the mission town, to the missionaries, the life and mission families, the children, the priests and the consecrated, who accompany us, those who come from a distance, but above all those brave ones who are challenged to give their fiat to abandon themselves and their comfort zones goingRead More
ARGENTINA, Paraná, APF Digital and Schoenstatt.org editorial team • The first pilgrims began arriving at La Loma Shrine around 7:14 p.m., south of the city, in the Paracao neighborhood, the final point in the 33rd edition of the Villages’ Pilgrimage that began 5: 00 p.m. on Friday from one of Hasenkamp’s access roads. They arrived exhausted, some were crying, using canes, or leaning on another person’s shoulder, others sang, with arms raised. The conclusion of a laudable demonstration of faith that gathered more than 25,000 people – the majority youngRead More
POPE FRANCIS AT THE FAMILY SYNOD • The approval of the final document concluded the Synod of Bishops on the vocation and mission of the family in the Vatican at 18.46 on 24 October 2015. The final document was approved. All 94 paragraphs received 2/3 of the votes. These propositions will enable the Pope to write the post-synod Exhortation on the vocation and mission of the family in the contemporary Church and world. The final document produced and voted by the bishops will be published shortly, with the respective votesRead More
GERMANY, from Melanie and Ulrich Grauert, Maria Fischer • Respectful listening, courageous talking, docility to the Holy Spirit – these were the three attitudes Pope Francis encouraged the members of the extraordinary and Ordinary Synod on the Family to practice during their discussions. He wanted them to be absolutely open, and he encouraged an honest dialogue on critical subjects even when upholding diametrically opposed opinions. Unity, Francis said, is guaranteed by the presence of the Pope – not an advance compromise for the sake of peace so that all getRead More
By Rafael Mota and Otávio Cesarini Ávila, JUMAS Brazil, www.jumasbrasil.com.br • The number of refugees leaving the northern part of Africa and Syria, fleeing situations which violate human rights like misery and war, has appealed to the attention and sensitivity of the world during these last days. The expectation of setting foot on European soil, sometimes interrupted and frustrated dramatically: the 71 immigrants dead and abandoned in a bus in Austria; the dead child on the Turkish shore. We Schoenstatters and part of JUMAS (Male Schoenstatt Youth), how do weRead More
By Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa, member of Schoenstatt.org`s editorial board • There is not a lot of good news these days. Turn on the television and you hear about Syrian refugees being denied entry to Europe, civil strife in Palestine, Burundi, and Burkina Faso, families torn apart by gang and drug violence in Mexico and South Africa, extremist terrorist groups laying waste to parts of the Middle East and Africa, human rights abuses in Myanmar, Paraguay, and Angola. How do you find hope and joy? The question that the SchoenstattRead More
POPE FRANCIS TO THE MISSIONARIES • Pope Francis surprised more than 3,000 young people and adults who were taking part in the Fourth National Meeting of Missionary Groups in Santiago de Estero by giving them a message. He encouraged them to “continue building a Church that reaches out, solidarity groups that work to transmit this joy that the Lord has placed in our hearts.” Francis reminded the participants gathered at the Quimsa club “to be missionary, before announcing, communicating, it is necessary to see. See this Jesus who made himselfRead More