POLAND/UKRAINE/SPAIN, Benjamin Arizu • Concrete Solidarity: Benjamin (34 years old, 4 children) and Juan (22 years old) Arizu, sons of Ambrosio Arizu, from the Spanish Family Federation and initiator of “Madre, ven”, went together to Poland, rented two vans and traveled to the Ukrainian border to look for people and take them wherever they needed. — Benjamin has been married for eight years, has four children and is with his wife in the Madrid Family League. Juan is finishing university and recently came back from his missionary work in Asturias,
Read More PARAGUAY, Ani Souberlich • Many of you already know us through Schoenstatt.org, our institutional page and first-hand accounts, and have closely followed the birth of Casa Madre de Tupãrenda, first as a dream and then as a dream that came true in 2016, thanks to help of so many Paraguayans, as well the Ministry of Justice and the many generous people on the other side of the ocean. Today as the Director of Casa Madre de Tupãrenda, I want to reach each of you with an urgent appeal for help, or better
Read More Interview with Matthias Gross, Germany, Volunteer at Casa del Niño in Villa Ballester • Matthias Gross volunteered at Casa del Niño in Gran Buenos Aires from August 2016 to August 2017. The Casa is located near the Schoenstatt Daughter Shrine in the Villa Ballester district and is a Schoenstatt Family project, the Family Federation and the Campaign of the Pilgrim Mother are the primary sponsors. Father Kentenich visited Villa Ballester several times, because many German immigrants found housing there after the Second World War. This is the place, where the
Read More By José Carlos Mendoza Dillon, Cali, Mexico • I belong to the Schoenstatt Professionals in Monterrey (Mexico). I participated as a volunteer at World Youth Day in Krakow. How does one experience World Youth Day? We know that World Youth Days are massive gatherings of youths celebrated every three years. There are cultural events, youth concerts, catechesis with bishops of different nationalities, pilgrimages to important sites, a vocational fair, and it ends with an encounter with the Pope. This gathering and the previous one surpassed 3,000,000 pilgrims. It is common
Read More ARGENTINA, by Maria Fischer • “One has to know how many are at the table, so everyone gets their meal.” My small friend looked at me with her great big eyes and irresistible smile, while she places a bowl on the table that I share with her and three more children. “There is enough for everyone,” she explained. “Because we always have to think about everyone.” Before going down to the dining room, she takes the task she assumed of introducing the “new one, this lady from Germany, who along
Read More PARAGUAY, Dequení • Marion, a young 24 year old German woman, returned home after volunteering for a year at the Casa de Acogida de la Fundación Dequení [Safe House of the Dequení Foundation] to pursue a career in social work and share this experience with her friends. Marion was one of Dequení’s international volunteers: she arrived from Munich to share, help and transmit her knowledge to the children in the main house of Fernando de la Mora at Dequení. She relates that her stay at Dequení was filled with beautiful,
Read More PARAGUAY, Dequeni Jubilee Magazine • Dequení is 30 years old, and throughout its history, four presidents have led its board of directors: Alberto Sallustro, Alberto Gross Brown, Fernando Talavera, and Beltrán Macchi. This is a special time; Dequení invited them to a meeting with the children at the Casa de Acogida [The House of Welcome], and they shared their feelings and experiences. They are businessmen, but at Dequení, they are first and foremost volunteers. Alberto Sallustro is the president of Sallustro y Cia. “I have five children, ten grandchildren, and
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