Schönstatt - Begegnungen

The Presence of the Father - Answer to the Current Crisis in Argentina

Annual Leaders' Convention of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign of the Pilgrim Mother in Argentina

Momento de Alianza: los misioneros han descubierto en la Alianza con el la respuesta a la crisis actual de Argentina y fuente de esperanza. Una foto de la bandera Argentina en la tumba del Padre, fue esa noche el símbolo perfecto de la Alianza,
Covenant moment: the missionaries discovered in the covenant with Father Kentenich the answer to the crisis of Argentina and source of hope. A photo of the Argentine flag in the Founder Chapel became the answer to this covenant.
Momentaufnahme Bündnis: Die Missionare haben im Bündnis mit Pater Kentenich die Antwort auf die augenblickliche Krise Argentiniens und eine Quelle der Hoffnung entdeckt. Ein Foto der argentinischen Fahne in der Gründerkapelle war an diesem Abend die Antwort auf dieses Bündnis.
Compromiso con la Patria: Como símbolo de surgió la idea de colocarle a todas las Peregrinas de Argentina la cinta celeste y blanca
Commitment to the country: as a symbol, a white and blue ribbon is to be attached to all Pilgrim Mother pictures of Argentina
Einsatz für das Vaterland: als Zeichen dafür werden an allen Bildern der Pilgernden Gottesmutter in Argentinien Bänder in den Landesfarben weiß und blau angebracht.
Tita y Héctor Ríos, oración de mañana, ofrenda de una corona de rosas
Tita and Hector Ríos, offering a crown of roses during morning prayer
Tita und Héctor Ríos mit der Rosenkrone beim Morgengebet
"Venimos a tu Santuario con esta corona de flores, para aclamarte ˇReina y Madre de nuestra Argentina!"
"We come to your Shrine with this crown of rose to proclaim you Queen and Mother of izr Argentina!"
"Wir kommen zu dir mit dieser Rosenkrone, Mutter und Königin unseres Argentinien!"
Oración de mañana en el Santuario del Padre
Morning prayer in the Father Shrine
Morgengebet im Vaterheiligtum
Cartelera con innumerables noticias y fotos de la Campaña en schoenstatt.de
Display with countless notes and photos of the Campaign on schoenstatt.de
Tafel mit unzähligen Berichten und Fotos der Kampagne auf schoenstatt.de
Charla: P. Guillermo Carmona
Talk: Fr. Guillermo Carmona
Vortrag: P. Guillermo Carmona
Taller
Workshop
Arbeitsgruppe
Intercambio entre los misioneros
Missionaries sharing their experiences
Austausch untereinander
Jornada de Representantes de la Campaña del Rosario de la Virgen Peregrina de Schoenstatt en Nuevo Schoenstatt, Argentina: 115 participantes...
Leaders' Convention of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Argentina, April 20/21, with 115 participants...
Jahrestagung der Kampagne der Pilgernden Gottesmutter in Argentinien: 115 Teilnehmer...
... de 31 diócesis
... from 31 dioceses
... aus 31 Diözesen
La vida se enciende en la vida!
Life incites life!
Leben entzündet sich am Leben!
Testimonios: ella obrará milagros!
Testimonies: She will work miracles!
Zeugnisse: Sie wird Wunder wirken!
Aliados del Padre como Don Joao!
Allies of the Father like John Pozzobon!
Verbündete des Vaters wie Don João Pozzobon
Junto a su estatua, rodeada de una gran cantidad de Auxiliares, los dirigentes de la Campaña argentina expresaron: Si, Padre, vamos contigo!
By his statue, surrounded by many Auxiliaries, the leaders of the Campaign in Argentina said: "Yes, Father, we go with you!"
Bei seiner Statue, umgeben von zahlreichen Auxiliares, sagten die Verantwortlichen der Kampagne in Argentinien: Ja,Vater, wir gehen mit dir!
El Padre le entregó a cada uno un regalo que todos se acercaron a recoger de una canasta que sostenía en sus manos: una foto de la bandera argentina en su tumba.
The Father gave to each one a gift that all received from his hands: a photo of the Argentine flag by his tomb
Ein Geschenk des Vaters für jeden, das alle sich aus seinen Händen nehmen konnten: ein Foto der argentinischen Fahne in der Gründerkapelle
Misioneros jovenes
Young missionaries
Jugendliche Missionare
Ofrenda de las cintas
Offering of the ribbons
Die Bänder in den Landesfarben werden geschenkt
Encuentro con el Padre
Encounter with the Father
Begegnung mit dem Vater und Gründer
Testimonio de misioneras jovenes: compromiso social
Testimony of young missionaries' social commitment
Zeugnis jugendlicher Missionare über ihren sozialen Einsatz
El coro de los jovenes
The youth formed a choir
Spontan gebildeter Jugendchor
Santuario del Padre
Father Shrine
Vaterheiligtum
Fotos: Badano, Seger © 2002

ARGENTINA, Sr. Arntrudis Seger, mb. To be a missionary in time of crisis, the Campaign and the poor, the response of the Campaign to the Argentina of today: the representatives' National Convention of the Campaign in Argentina was marked by the crisis of Argentina in the light of the social commitment assumed by the missionaries, John Pozzobon's legacy: the Campaign was one of the first groups of the Schoenstatt Movement of Argentina to become aware of the social need, and that translated, today more than never, this awareness in concrete works in favor of the poorest and neediest. In a climate of active participation on a high level of responsibility, marked by a very testimonial character, the Covenant with Father Kentenich sealed by all 115 participants, to the day three months after the Covenant of the entire Movement on January 20, was the climax of the day.

April 20, 2002: Closing of the dollar the day before at $ 3.30, bank holiday for an indefinite time, rumors of a resignation of the current President, protests, strikes... In New Schoenstatt, three months after the Golden jubilee of the Shrine of the Father, in the dusk, the Father - nobody says 'the statue ' - is surrounded by more than 100 missionaries of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign of the Pilgrim Mother who sealed theirCovenant with him. The happiness of all is tremendously "obvious", "visible" in the eyes, the faces, the hands that respectfully hold a photo, personal response of the Father to the delivery of the missionaries who have discovered in the Covenant with him, or even more, they have discovered him as the response to the current crisis of Argentina and source of hope. A photo of the Argentine flag in the tomb of the Father, was this night the perfect symbol of the Covenant, the clearest gesture of acceptance by the Father! It seemed that the Father " in person " was sending a gift " from where he is ". It was a moment of special concentration, of a deep climate that never broke. By this time, the day already had taken a very clear and definite face orientated towards the Father. The Covenant with the Father was the central element of this meeting for those who, like John Pozzobon, want to be pupils and "Cyrenes", co-worker of the Father in their mission to take the Pilgrim Mother to the ends of their country in order that She can show all her power and save Argentina, as the Founder prophesied it: Argentina will not succumb, because it is a land of Mary.

"We come to your Shrine with this crown, to acclaim you Queen and Mother of our Argentina! "

April 20 dawned with a radiant Sun that painted New Schoenstatt with all the colors of the rainbow to receive the representatives of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign who came from all the points of the country. The meeting began with the morning prayer in the Shrine, lead by Iris and Coco Ricciardi, persons in charge of the Campaign in Mendoza, and the offering of a crwon of beautiful roses, symbolizing the many "crowns of roses", the rosaries as Father Kentenich called them in Villa Ballester, devoted to the Queen during the jubilee year. " Being your children of Schoenstatt, and being part of this society, today depressed and without light, conscious that the solutions are very over the human capacities, we come to your Shrine with this crown, to acclaim yourself Queen and Mother of our Argentina! We ask you that you should make yourself present in our history, that you transform realities and hearts ".

The text of the prayer had a map of Argentina to fill it with Capital of grace. Iris Ricciardi spontaneously, towards the end of the prayer, announced the presence of the Sister Ursula in the Shrine - " like having the Father here with us "! – and asked her for a few words. Sister Ursula commented that during the prayer she had remembered the first times of the Shrine, where only there was a handful of people, and that she was very thrilled of seeing the Shrine today filled with missionaries and Pilgrim Mother pictures. She encouraged them to continue with their so big and important mission, which would make the Father immensely happy, promising her prayer from the Shrine for a fruitful convention. Thank you, Sister Ursula, for giving us the presence of the Father in our way!Afterwards, the meeting began with the welcome to all the dioceses and localities present: missionaries from 31 dioceses, 14 young people, a diocesan seminarian, several Sisters of Mary, Fathers of Schoenstatt and diocesan priests; approximately 115 persons in whole, which in these moments is a miracle. An important innovation was the presence of several couples, enriching the day with a strong masculine contribution! For the first time the men cornered all the commissions of work, as coordinators.

To be a missionary in time of crisis

The conferences of Father Guillermo Carmona and of Father Juan Jose Riba were a rich source and motivation for the later work. An element different from the previous meetings was the high level of participation, for instance with the contributions of several participants during the conferences. The interchange in commissions was very rich and created great interest, with concrete conclusions. The topic of the meeting was the response of the Campaign to the Argentina of today. Being a missionary in times of crisis was the axis of the talks - fruit of the circumstance since this subject could and should not be left aside, as the difficulties that touch every community and each one are of course also affecting the missionaries and those to whom they bring the Pilgrim Mother.Father Guillermo Carmona, Director of the Movement and National Director of the Campaign in Argentina, was in charge of the first talk. He did not waste time to describe the Argentine crisis – that all know anyway - but emphasized in to see how John Pozzobon overcame crises, where he found the force to face them and to conquer them: the Father.

Two images speak about his deep attachment to him: " small student " and "cireneo", from "Simon of Cyrene", co-worker. Student means to go to the heart and the school of the teacher; cireneo to help him to take his cross. Behind the image of the pupil we discover Father Kentenich as a real example of life. John Pozzobon saw in the person of the Founder an exemplary case of how to overcome his own crises. Father Kentenich not only experienced many crises, but gave a meaning to them: the opportunity to grow in holiness, solidarity, interior freedom, heroic confidence, paternity. In order to turn crises into an opportunity, it is important to follow John Pozzobon's example and take crises as starting point for growth in a more radical confidence in the Blessed Mother, in patience, a real climate of prayer, witness, to discover the value of the work, to help each other mutually, to speak with others, to share experiences, difficulties, to discover the evil and to put there the good, in last instance, to do the same that John Pozzobon did: to be allied with the Father. That does not mean a religious act only, but to feel totally as instrument of the Father, as the words of the Covenant clearly express: We go with you, our heart in your heart, our thinking in your thinking, our hand in your hand; your legacy is our mission.

Those who bring the Pilgrim Mother cannot leave aside the commitment with the others

After the talk, the participants met in commissions, seven altogether, organized before. After lunch, there was the general meeting where the coordinators of each commission exposed the conclusions.

The second talk, " Argentina today and the response in the light of the Campaign ", also given by Father Juan José Riba, had the message: Those who bring the Pilgrim Mother cannot leave aside the commitment with the others.

The Campaign answers to the needs in immediate, mediate and deep form.

In immediate, simple form "first aid" is given at the personal level, almost individual and assuming a strong social commitment orientated to the human promotion. Probably there is no any other entity in Schoenstatt that has given an answer so rapidly to the current problems as the Campaign.

The personal level is tied to creating a different atmosphere: the missionary attends, is close to the people, listens to them, accompanies them... Seven missionaries gave their testimony, all emphasizing that it is HER, the Pilgrim Mother, who works, if the instruments only take her to the people, as for example Quitito Asensio of Parana affirmed: " She is saying to her Son: ' they do not have wine '. To the degree of our solidarity as missionaries that makes us say to her, Mater, they do not have wine!, I assure you that each missionary can extract hundreds of barrels of wine for every person. I am convinced of that! ".In mediate form, and not less efficient, the Campaign answers to the crisis first fomenting a family climate, promoting the family, the attachments; fomenting the interior space where the heart can be reconciled: the MTA; and generating generous hearts, real parents and mothers who following the example of Mary, John Pozzobon, and Father Kentenich, are capable of forgetting a bit of themselves and giving themselves a bit more to others.

In conclusion: where is the source that gives the strength to have and to share hope? It is found in the Father, following John Pozzobon's example as small students and instruments!

The capacity of amazement before the marvels of the others

The missionaries gave beautiful testimonies of how the Pilgrim Mother increases the attachments, and how her presence in the different situations feeds the family climate. In one parish, for example, the Thousand Hail Marys are said in family, that is to say, the whole present is family in a time. Being family was also the experience of this convention. " I had the experience of being in a great family, and the happiness of talking with many persons and to feel very close to all, like to real brothers sisters" one missionary shared, whereas another one expressed: "We are a family among the groups of missionaries, the small family, a family of families. The Schoenstatt family is also achieving it. It continues to grow. Say, aren't we the great family of the Campaign?".The testimonies, sheets of paper on the billboard with innumerable news and photos of the Campaign in Schoenstatt's web and many posters with photos and texts on the activities of the missionaries are an expression of the spirit that encourages the Campaign: life enkindles life! It was remarkable: when the experience of a missionary in Germany was shared, spontaneous applause arose! After 17 years of the Campaign, with statutes, diocesan teams, different types, a manual, and more, the capacity of amazement before the marvels of the others is something that never gets lost in the Campaign.

Yes, Father, we go with you!

In the course of the day, the general conviction that the source of strength to face the crisis is the Father, became so strong, that it created the longing of sealing the Covenant with him, as Argentine Campaign, since not all could be present in the 50th anniversary of the Father Shrine, when the whole Schoenstatt family of Argentina sealed the Covenant with the Father and Founder. A strong applause was the unanimous response when Nelly Depetris suggested this.

The act of Covenant began with a synthesis of the video of the Jubilee, in order to "take in" the "climate" experienced on January 19 and 20; then they went to meet with the Father, with the Auxiliaries heading the procession, which then almost "wrapped" the Father in a mantle of affiliated fondness.

Close to his statue which was surrounded with a great quantity of Auxiliaries, the leaders of the Argentine Campaign expressed: "This night as members of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign of the Pilgrim Mother, we are here, close to the Shrine of our Mother, by the statue of our Father and Founder, to say to him: "Yes Father, we go with you!". Our Father went out to search allies who would be helping him to pull 'the triumphal car of the Mother Thrice Admirable'.

And these instruments appeared; many were those who joined this current of life and of love... among so many people, some are very special to us. Someone who understood very well the longing of the Father, and was deeply attached to the Covenant of Love with Mary, one day set out from the Shrine to take the graces from there to others, to share with many a different way to live, to think, and to feel. This was John Pozzobon, small student of the Father; little donkey of Mary, Man of God. Great among the great ones, who put the thinking of Father Kentenich into life, and who left us a beautiful heredity: the Rosary Campaign of which each of us is a part.

John Pozzobon, Father Esteban, and many others who are part of the Campaign entered this Shrine, the Father Shrine.

This is a holy land. In the name of all of them, we today want to bring the voice of our dioceses to the statue of our Father, to our Father, we want to take the up the commitment, and as faithful children answer to him: "Yes, Father we go with you!!!"

"Like John Pozzobon we want to ally ourselves today with you forever!"

After this motivation, the representatives of the Campaign sealed their Covenant with the Father: "Dear Father and Founder, like John Pozzobon we want to ally ourselves today with you and forever. For this Covenant, Father,We know and feel as your children, your "Cyrenes" (co-workers) and small pupils,

Special members of your Schoenstatt's family.

We will continue to love it and work for its expansion. We will help you to pull the victory car of Mary,

With the Pilgrim Mother in our hands, Mary in the heart and the rosary as emblem, we set out to work for a new world in all the environments whereto we take the picture of the Pilgrim Mother. Bless all our missionaries and those who receive the Pilgrim Mother. We that we have the privilege of representing them in this evening, we tell you with the whole Schoenstatt's family of Argentina:
Father, we go with you,
Our heart in your heart,
Our thinking in your thinking,
Our hand in your hand,
Father, Your legady, our mission!

From your Shrine, hope for the Church and the world. Amen. "Later they said a decade of the rosary, depositing by the feet of the Father statue one candle lit with each Hail Mary, and with the "Our Father".

Finally, the Father delivered to each one a gift that they all pushed and shoveled to get from a basket placed in his hands: a photo of the Argentine flag in his(its) tomb.

"I remembered the gifts that he always was giving to those who were visiting him, and since he is not a statue but he in person, it was what he wanted to do AND HE DID IT ". The sensational thing was that nobody was irritated if others had a different photo, only they wanted another one for some absent missionary... They went away happy and radiant with their treasures, better than that of anyone else! Coming from the Father, from his " place of residence ", it was an unequaled gift. A testimony for all: " The Covenant with the Father was the maximum thing, it is my best gift."

The Campaign and the Poor

A central chapter in the workshop was the interchange of experiences and longings for an increase in the help to the poor and needy, the human promotion, from the beginnings regarded as an essential and ineluctable task of the Campaign.

This aspect was thoroughly worked on in the talk of Father Juan Jose on the second day of the convention: "The Campaign and the poor ". He spoke about the social commitment of John Pozzobon, specially about Vila Nobre, emphasizing some aspects: free housing was given to the poor in order that they were managing to value themselves and each other as persons, in order to educate them as citizens and in order to provide them knowledge of the religion. What to do as Campaign in Argentina for the poor?

The Pilgrim Mother visits many poor places of the country and is often taken by poor missionaries. There are many examples of social commitment in Argentina, but we must advance furthermore in this field. Our Pilgrim Mother is the Pilgrim Mother of the poor and among the poor: She opens the hearts, knows their needs, says to her Son: " they do not have wine ". And they receive it in abundance.In the interchange among the missionaries, many social actions were put into the light, actions that are realized in favor of the poor. Only some examples could be shared as expression of the great wealth and creativity in this so important field: when the Thousand Hail Mary's are said, the rosaries with which the Pilgrim Mother is crowned are later given to sick people, hospitals, or geriatrics. In another place, instead of flowers, a bag of merchandise is offered to the Blessed Mother for each rosary. Since the Thousand Hail Mary's were said in 17 parishes, 25 bags with provisions could be given to the poor! In Villa Ballester, the Campaign contributes to the maintenance of a Day Care Center for children from extremely poor families. The Campaign of the Colegio Mater (school from pre-school to high school) assumed years ago a commitment with the people of a neighborhood near the National Shrine, they keep sending clothes, food and useful students' material, as well as visiting them personally on one weekend of the year, which culminates with a party for the children. In Moron, a group of missionaries dedicate a time a week to accompany the elderly persons without family, visiting them, inviting them to a walk, and leading them to the Shrine, if they wish. The Campaign in Lomas de Zamora realizes a strong social apostolate in the jails, Corrientes with the children, Tucumán with the sick people, Paraná associated with Caritas.

Among the many examples of help to the poor, the work of a missionary group in San José de las Salinas created special interest; for three years, they made a mission there with the Pilgrim Mother: " During these three years our mission has had as objective to wake up San Jose of its lethargy, stimulate them to do things on their own, without subsidies from outside, without fea, encouraging them that they will be capable of managing everything that they really want. We are thinking about having achieved to a certain degree this goal with the construction of the wayside shrien; it was a great sign for us since the entire village collaborated and put hands to the work to achieve it ... they constructed it and they have proposed to continue this mission...

Our part remains to continue praying for them in order that the light that they have discovered in each of them never perishes! ".

Commitment with the Mother land

The end of the Meeting was crowned by a clear line of life and of work for the year 2002. Father Guillermo showed five lines that summed up everything listened, reported, pondered, evaluated and said in the shadow of the Father Shrine.

  • Association – attachments: Cultivation of attachments, the great task of tomorrow and symbol of unity.
  • Encounter with the Father to be able to live through what John Pozzobon lived through
  • Commitment concerning the economic crisis, solidarity with the poor, living poverty as a virtue.
  • Vivacious presence that gives hope in the concrete situation of the daily life: nearness, to be able to listen, gestures of solidarity.
  • Insertion in the parish, natural area of the missionaries and where the Pilgrim Mother wants to show her mother love and her power as a Queen.

It was clear that these five moments are indissolubly joined, synthesized Father Guillermo, gathering the contributions of the commissions of work. His concretion on the different aspects and their interrelationship remained recorded in all the participants: the center of everything is the Pilgrim Mother who wants to come to all those who need her through her missionaries allied to the Father and John Pozzobon, with a commitment and preferential option for the poor, contributing their presence and solidary in concrete gestures, to the service of the parish. As a symbol of commitment with the Mother land, the idea came up to attach the celestial and white tape (national colors of Argentina) to all of the pictures of the Pilgrim Mother of Argentina with the petition and confidence that she forever will bless our Mother land, land of Mary, as the Father and Founder was saying.Some days later Rosita Alvarado wrote, from Cordoba: " What blessed days did we live in Florencio Varela!! One felt the graces of the prayer and of the community work!! ".The Campaign of Argentina has discovered the response to be, in this time of crisis, hope for the Church and the world: to be allied with the Father! With this, everything is possible.



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