sacraments Tag

CEI - los bautizados
PARAGUAY, Fr. Pedro Kühlcke • Pepito was preparing in prison to make his First Communion. A few days before he was to receive it, he told me that he had a hearing at the court. He left full of hope of getting out and going home, but unfortunately he was told that he was not going to be released….  —  ─ First I was sad, pa’i! But right away I realized that I was not ready to leave, because I needed Jesus in my heart before going back to myRead More
Zukunft
M. B. Oelschner, Germany • I want everything / I do not want to be a spectator / I want to do something myself / And always know why / I will not give in / I want everything. This old song by Gitte (album: Ungeschminkt, 1982) comes to mind as I reflect on the voting results of the German “Synodal Way” on women’s priesthood issues: In their final document of the “Synodal Way,” about 81 percent – both lay and bishops – voted in favor of women’s priesthood, andRead More
Casa Madre de Tuparenda
Fr. Pedro Kühlcke, Paraguay • A few days ago I received a letter in Italian, supposedly from some Trappist nuns in the United States, offering me financial help for social projects at the service of the poorest, and wanting to know what we do in this field. — I answered them in English, since I don’t know enough Italian, and told them about our prison ministry “Visitation of Mary”, and our post-prison program “House Mother of Tupãrenda”. I also wrote that we need support specifically to pay for the scholarshipsRead More
PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • “You are my beloved Son, and that love of God can move anyone to change many things”.  Pedro Kühlcke began his homily on the day when seven participants of CMT (Casa Madre de Tuparenda) received the sacraments. Josías received baptism; Emanuel and Angel received First Communion; and Rodolfo, Christian, Alci and Luis received Confirmation. As every year, thanks to catechists Oscar Sugastti, Ceferino Orué and Miguel Arrúa, the participants were able to get to know God better and they freely decided to receive the sacraments ofRead More
PARAGUAY, Ricardo Acosta and Maria Fischer • “I baptize you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,” said Fr. Pedro as he poured the water over the head of one of the participants of the youth social reintegration program at CMT (Casa Madre de Tupãrenda), who received the sacrament of baptism, a sign of the new life and the mercy of the Triune God. — His name is Antonio*. His godmother Magdalena is the sewing instructor. Far away, in Europe, he has other sponsors, whoRead More
ARGENTINA, by María Fischer • “Today I am 40 years old,” joyfully said a woman who seemed much younger. Her two little children were on her lap. And before everyone could sing “Happy Birthday,” she surprised everyone with her announcement: “We are going to get married…” From the stairs outdoors, where most of the men stayed, a faint, distant voice could be heard echoing her statement: “Yes, it is true, we are going to get married”. There was spontaneous and sincere applause. “You should know he was an alcoholic,” CristinaRead More
FRANCIS IN ROME • At noon in Rome, Pope Francis appeared in the window of the studio in the Apostolic Palace – as he does every Sunday – to pray the Angelus, which he dedicated to the gospel reading about the Wedding Feast of Cana, taken from the liturgy of the day May the Mother of Jesus help us to “rediscover with faith the beauty and richness” of the Eucharist and the other sacraments that “render present God’s faithful love for us,” Pope Francis prayed at the start of theRead More
GERMANY, Schoenstatt Center, Würzburg Marienhöhe, Wolfgang Fella • This year, another retreat was held for families with children preparing for First Communion at Marienhöhe , Würzburg with the motto: “Jesus loves you!” Right from the start upon arriving in Würzburg, the participants’ places of origin in the diocese were made known by the many signs posted with the names of their cities. Families arrived from everywhere with their children to take the opportunity to prepare for the next celebration in a pleasant atmosphere. Straight from the heart First, they hadRead More
PARAGUAY, ABCcolor • Father Pedro Kühlcke imparted the Sacrament of Baptism, First Communion and Confirmation to approximately sixty juveniles in the chapel of the Educational Center of Itauguá (detention center for minors). Parents, sponsors, and others close to the young offenders participated in the religious rite, where emotional reactions were prevalent. Father Pedro and his work team have been working with these inmates for a while, and every Saturday, they teach the Catechism to the them. The courses for First Communion and Confirmation are now concluded. The newly baptized inRead More