prison ministry Tag

PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • What remains from the Year of Mercy? Pope Francis answered this question in part in his Letter “Misericordia et Misera.”  Several moments that made it easier to find God’s forgiveness, remain – Amoris Laetitia remains, which is only understood by reading it in terms of mercy, and the creativity in responding to the sorrows and needs of the human being in the works of mercy remains. What remains from the Year of Mercy? A lot. Works of mercy, which remain forever. Scores ofRead More
PARAGUAY, by Laura Ruiz Díaz • On 24 December, Christmas Eve, the prison ministry along with Fr. Pedro Kühlcke went to the juvenile detention center, “Centro Educativo Itauguá” (CEI) [Itauguá Educational Center] to share Christmas snacks with the youths. The experience allowed me to live the true meaning of Christmas through every smiling face that graciously expressed gratitude for our presence, or in the tear-filled eyes of some, who, no matter how they tried to control a feeling of sadness, could not hide it. Thus the hugs were longer andRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich and Maria Fischer • “Thank you, Fr. Pedro Kühlcke, for being the Blessed Mother’s best instrument of bringing us close to those who need us the most.  Undoubtedly it was one of my best Christmas Eve’s in the company of the Prison Ministry volunteers,” commented Cristy, who spent Christmas Eve afternoon at the detention center with the ministry team and other volunteers. They gave food, time, interest, hugs and affection to more than 200 youths, who were spending Christmas in jail instead of with their families. Mary’sRead More
POPE FRANCIS’ MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD DAY OF PEACE – 01.01.2017 • “The Jubilee of Mercy that ended in November encouraged each one of us to look deeply within and to allow God’s mercy to enter there. The Jubilee taught us to realize how many and diverse are the individuals and social groups treated with indifference and subjected to injustice and violence. They too are part of our “family”; they too are our brothers and sisters. The politics of nonviolence have to begin in the home and then spread toRead More
PARAGUAY, Maria Fischer with Ani Souberlich • “They told me, and I forgot it, I saw it, and I understood it; I did it, and I learned it.” This how it is every day in what the youths do at Mother of Tupãrendá House. Today we learned to make buns for hot dogs, bread for pork loin and our invention: big bread– “The size of the hunger that we always have, and it has no end just like that of anyone our age. The truth is that it is deliciousRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • “Paying for the wrong we have done is one thing, but another thing entirely is the “breath” of hope, which cannot be stifled by anyone or anything. Our heart always yearns for goodness. We are in debt to the mercy that God constantly shows us, for he never abandons us (cf. Augustine, Sermon 254:1)… hypocrisy leads us to overlook the possibility that people can change their lives; we put little trust in rehabilitation, rehabilitation into society. Thus we forget that we are all sinners, and oftenRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME, AICA and editorial • At the Mass he celebrated in the house chapel of Santa Marta on the feast of Our Lady of Sorrows, Pope Francis highlighted that the Virgin Mary cares for us because she is the mother of all Christians and “the devil cannot enter” under her mantle. The Holy Father recalled that the early Russian mystics counselled seeking refuge under Mary’s mantle because “she is mother and protects like a mother.” “The West later took this counsel and the first Marian antiphon “Sub tuumRead More
PARAGUAY, Mother of Tupãrenda House, Ana María Acha • In the photos of the blessing of Mother of Tupãrenda House, Ana María Acha, president of FundaProva (Foundation of the promotion of values and the prevention of violence) is shown with one of the cabbages from the organic garden in her hands. “It seems that you had to touch it to believe that what you experienced on 22 August was real,” I told her – and as a response she sent this testimony of the “prelude” to the blessing, an unforgettableRead More
PARAGUAY, Fr Pedro Kühlcke, Ani Souberlich  and María Fischer • The invitations were sent. On Monday, 22 August, the Feast of Mary’s Queenship, Bishop Claudio Giménez, Bishop of Caáupe and a Schoenstatt Father celebrated the blessing of the “Mother of Tuparenda” House, built near the Tuparenda Shrine; it is a training center for work and human development. In addition it is oriented for the social reintegration of teens who at some time where in conflict with the law, and it is the logical, efficient and merciful consequence of “Mary’s Visit”Read More
PARAGUAY, by Susana Stanley • The phone rang.  My sister-in-law told me that my nephew had been assaulted two blocks from his house!  I asked the usual questions:  Is he okay? Was he hurt?  He was not hurt, and then she told me about the assault.  Two boys, one about age 12 and the other 17 stopped him, and at gunpoint, they demanded his cell phone and wallet.  He gave these to them and ran home where he called his mother.  They went to the police station to report theRead More