ITALY, Eugenio Minici and Vanda Rebuffat • On the afternoon of the 19th of May, the Café for Couples took place in the Parish of the Patron Saints in Rome, under the direction of the Schoenstatt Fathers. It is an offer of an afternoon of rest and deepening of unity as a couple, of walking together and of original freshness. — The day began with the “couples’ game”, questions for the couples to get to know each other better in the group of couples present. After the game, some themes
Read More PERU/VATICAN, Manuel Huapaya • Every four years the General Assembly of Caritas Internationalis takes place in Rome. The 162 countries that are members of the Caritas confederation around the world meet to review the path they have taken, the experiences they have had and to renew their mission or, in some cases, to amend their paths. At this assembly, a new secretary general and president of Caritas Internationalis are elected. — Since before the pandemic, this is the first time that all the Caritas of the world have gathered again
Read More SHRINES, editorial team • During the National Schoenstatt Meeting in Panama, Fr. José Luis Correa encouraged the Schoenstatters of this country to visit Schoenstatt shrines on their trips to other countries, and then share their shrine experiences. He inspired them to google if and where there are – but no need for this effort. The exact locations of all Schoenstatt shrines (and many wayside shrines) can be found, thanks to the efforts of Norbert Jehle from Germany and Matías Fortuño from Chile, on a map available to everyone. — The
Read More ITALY, Federico Bauml • It was a few days ago that Father Alexandre Awi Mello was elected to the position of Superior General of the Schoenstatt Fathers. And on Sept. 1, after meeting with the Holy Father, he celebrated Mass in his Roman parish. — 51 years old, a Brazilian from Rio de Janeiro, Father Alexandre Awi Mello has lived in Rome since 2017, where – in addition to holding the position of Secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, which he will continue to hold for
Read More POPE FRANCIS – MEETING WITH THE SCHOENSTATT FATHERS • On Thursday, September 1, Pope Francis received the participants of the General Chapter of the Schoenstatt Fathers. The Pope emphasized that the mystery of the redemption that Our Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished for all humanity and the whole world has the characteristic note of the Hebrew word berith, covenant, covenant. The blood of Jesus shed on the Cross and offered as a sacrifice of love for all of us (cf. Mk 14:24; 1 Cor 11:25) constituted an irrevocable relationship between
Read More ITALY, Patricia Manson • For fifteen years now, week after week, a small group of Schoenstattian faithful have been unfailingly meeting every Wednesday at the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine in Rome to pray the Rosary. As long as it was possible, and I could find a ride since I do not drive, I too most willingly would join them to participate in a prayer gathering of a rather new type for me, who grew up in a Protestant environment. — I must admit that at first I met with difficulty in
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY• The Ordinary Council of the Synod of Bishops has decided to extend until August 15, 2022 the deadline for the presentation to the General Secretariat of the Bishops of the summaries of the consultations by the Episcopal Conferences, the Oriental Catholic Churches sui iuris and other ecclesial bodies. — In a press release issued earlier this week, we read: The numerous communications we have received in these first weeks of the synodal process from the Episcopal Conferences, dioceses and eparchies are truly an encouraging confirmation of those
Read More ITALY, Marie- Christine Jeannenot and Pamela Fabiano • On Saturday, October 16, and Sunday, October 17, the XVII National Meeting of the Schoenstatt Movement in Italy took place in the International Schoenstatt Center of Belmonte: a moment rich in events and fellowship based on the theme of the family, in this special year dedicated to the family by the Pope. — On Saturday the 16th eve, participants arrived from several Regions of Italy, but alas not all owing to pandemic restrictions. In the evening, in an atmosphere of joy and
Read More SYNOD ON SYNODALITY 2021 – 2023 • With a Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis will inaugurate the Synod on Synodality on October 10. — Pope Francis will officially open the Synod on Synodality at the Vatican with the Celebration of the Eucharist in St. Peter’s Basilica (Sunday, 10 October), preceded by a Moment of Reflection in the Synod’s New Hall (Saturday, 9 October). We all will be able to follow the proceedings in plenary session from 9.00 to 11.00 a.m. in live streaming with tele-radio commentary on Vatican
Read More ITALY, Gian Francesco Romano • Sunday, May 30, on the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity, a small group of young families who were accompanied by the Schoenstatt Movement in Rome finally sealed the Covenant of Love with Mary. After approximately two years of preparation, between education, pandemic, reflections and new beginnings, six couples decided to entrust their family journey to Mary, the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt. — The road… troubled The proposal to seal the Covenant of Love with Mary came about in the fall
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