POPE FRANCES, cycle of catechesis dedicated to the “passion for evangelization” • The Pope speaks about Schoenstatt! How many times it has been the reason for thousands of messages on social networks and great enthusiasm to hear the Holy Father say the word “Schoenstatt”, “Kentenich”, “covenant” … Meanwhile, Pope Francis has also spoken several times to Schoenstatt, the milestone being what he said at the Jubilee audience in 2014. And now he has done it again. He speaks about Schoenstatt and will speak for several weeks about Schoenstatt, that is,
Read More Fr. Jaime Vivancos, Spain • I have been a Schoenstatter since I was 22 years old. At that time, I moved with my family from Valladolid, the city where I was born, to Madrid. Shortly after arriving in Madrid, I joined the student youth who met at the Schoenstatt Center on Calle Serrano, where there was no Shrine at that time. — Since then, I have had an experience that I can describe without hesitation as wonderful and that has helped me renew my faith to the point of considering
Read More Guillermo Parra, Chile • Allow me to comment on the many exchanges of ideas that have taken place between us regarding the mission and our founder. I would like to do so in the light of a phrase of the Christian philosopher Soren Kierkegaard that seems to me very accurate: “Although life can be understood looking backwards, it must be lived looking forward”. I believe that in this phrase there is a key to understand much of our present situation as Schoenstatt and also of our relationship with the founding
Read More Brazil, Fr. Matheus da Silva Bernardes • The text published by the Schoenstatt General Presidium on the official schoenstatt.com website on 10 March 2021 is in keeping with the tone of previous texts, that is, the absence of constructive self-criticism and the complete inability to emphathize with victims of abuse. – Just when we thought that all of the issues around Fr. Joseph Kentenich, the founder of the International Schoenstatt Movement, were beginning to calm down, the emergence of new situations show that the matter is far from closed. This
Read More Original Shrine, Maria Fischer • There were some snowflakes that gently fell on the Original Shrine, in the first minute of the New Year 2021. Inside the Shrine, few people, on this New Year’s Eve 2020 without fireworks and celebrations. Father Alejandro Blanco, General Secretary of the Schoenstatt Priests’ Federation, was there, and he spontaneously decided to expose the Blessed Sacrament, and after a few minutes of silent adoration, he imparted the sacramental blessing to those present and to all of Schoenstatt.— The bells of the Original Shrine rang to
Read More GERMANY, Maria Fischer • “What impresses me is Fr Kentenich’s far-sightedness. Much is so exciting and topical”, Petra Stegemann remarked. Since the foundation of the Friends Association of Fr Kentenich’s birthplace in 2005 she has been an active member, and also on this 16 November 2019 she was present when the Friends Association, parish and Schoenstatt Movement celebrated the birthday of “the greatest son of Gymnich” (Ludwig Schlömer, member of the Friends Association). — “More have come than were announced”, Fr Pikos, the parish priest, said as more chairs and
Read More WYD PANAMA 2019, Paulina Soto and Maria Fischer • Father Rómulo Aguilar, pastor of San Francisco de la Caleta in Panama City, a parish with its wayside shrine that was “home” for Schoenstatt Youths during World Youth Day, received the keys to the city from Panama’s mayor for his work as a WYD organizer. Visibly moved, Father Romulo, the first Schoenstatt Diocesan Priest in Panama, received the distinction.— Fr. Rómulo D. Aguilar received the “Key to the City” award from Mayor José Blandón Figueroa in recognition for his valuable
Read More