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 published: 2006-02-03

I depend totally on Her! She knows what to do with me! I belong to Her!

Juárez Martins Hoppe died in Santa María. He was a member of the Family Federation

Juarez Martins Hoppe, con su familia

Juarez Martins Hoppe, with his family

Juarez Martins Hoppe im Kreis seiner Familie

 

Juarez Martins Hoppe

Juarez Martins Hoppe

Juarez Martins Hoppe

Fotos: Meister © 2006

 
   

BRAZIL, Olindo and Marilene Toaldo. Last January 5th, the Schoenstatt Family of Santa María lost Juárez Martins Hoppe from the Schoenstatt Family Federation.

Juárez was born in Passo Fundo on July 19, 1947, and died in Santa María on January 5, 2006. He was the third of the eight children of Leopoldo and Ana Hoppe. Thirty years ago, he had married Tecla, and his five children were born from this marriage: Juárez, Jr., Harold, José Carlos, María and Ana María.

Juárez was a forestry engineer and since 1975, a professor at the Federal University of Santa María. He obtained his master’s degree at the Federal University of Paraná and his doctorate at the Federal University of Santa María. Among other responsibilities, he was head of the Department of Forestry Sciences, Coordinator of the forestry engineering course and the postgraduate course in environmental education. In addition to being president of the Center for forestry research and coordinator for diverse research projects he was a consultant and provided technical assistance to institutions and companies dealing with forestry, the environment and environmental education. He dedicated himself in an exemplary manner to all of his professional activities. He was held in high regard especially by his students with whom he was very paternal and provided them with guidance and orientation.

First leading family of the Federation in the area of Río Grande do Sul

Along with his wife, Tecla, they began to participate in the Movement in 1979. They sealed their Covenant of Love as associates of the Apostolic Family League on September 12, 1980. They erected their Home Shrine with the ideal "Shrine of the home of eternal gratitude" on November 8, 1984. They were diocesan leaders of the families branch for four years.

In 1988, they entered the first Family Federation course in Brazil. They were course leaders and later, the first leading family of the Federation in the region of Río Grande do Sul.

In all areas, Juárez stood out because of his joy, his positive leadership and he always transmitted enthusiasm and determination for the mission he embraced. He was always the motivator at the October Congress and other events of the Schoenstatt Movement in Santa María.

On the parish level, Juárez was president of the parish council and with Tecla shared an active leadership in various ministries. They were able to motivate the pastor to enthrone the MTA and in 1999, they built a parish Shrine which became the center of attraction for many of the faithful. The Covenant of Love Holy Mass on the 18th of every month became the most well attended. They also extended the families branch and created a marriage preparation course in the parish.

Amid a very active life, he was surprised by the illness

Amid his many activities where he was active, Juárez was taken by surprise by leukemia. It was a battle of more than nine months where he at times alternated between hospital stays and times at home. When he arrived at the hospital for the first time on March 29, 2005, the situation was very grave, so much so that the doctors did not give him more than three days to live. Immediately the Movement began an intense prayer campaign, especially in the Family Federation and in the 22 existing parish communities where they prayed for his healing. The doctors were surprised by his stamina, but God’s plan was another. He underwent successive chemotherapy sessions lasting from 6 to 8 days each. After each session, a period followed in which the painful effects manifested themselves each time in a different way, in one or another part of his body. They were always periods of much pain, discomfort and suffering. It was an intense participation in the sacrifice of the cross of Christ.

In the meantime, just as the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother gave the family the graces and the strength to live their marriage covenant…..to grow in married life…..to build an authentic Christian family…..to educate the children…..and to also fulfill all his professional and apostolic activities, that same Covenant also gave Juárez the graces and the strength which supported him during the long and painful period of his illness. He often said and repeated that if it had not been for his consecration "if it had not been for his Inscriptio" he would not have been able to withstand with patience, conformity and joy all the pains, discomforts and sufferings in the hospital and in the various phases of his illness. It is important to point out that he never complained, he never demanded anything and much less, he never rebelled. He always thought that it was God’s loving plan for him. Thus he repeated: "Yes, Father, joyfully." The following affirmation is very characteristic of his attitude throughout the illness and summarizes his state of being and his permanent disposition:

I gave myself totally to the Blessed Mother. I am entirely at her disposition. I ask her nothing. I barely say: You have to sustain me because alone I cannot bear it!

According to Tecla, Juárez was a child depending on Mary. That was constant in his life and demonstrated being a permanent attitude in the time of his illness even unto death. He would say: I totally depend on Her. She knows what to do with me. I belong to Her! And Blessed Mother really led him. She gave him the graces and the strength to fulfill the loving plan of the Father in his life and was able to pass from this life to eternity in absolute peace and tranquility.

At this time we believe it is out duty to show our gratitude to God for the gift He gave us in the person of Juárez, for his life, but especially for his permanent witness of faith…..for his example of a husband and father…..for his example of brother and friend…..for his example of being an apostle and instrument of Mary in the Schoenstatt Family, in the Church, in his profession and in all of society.

With his return to the House of the Father, Juárez enters, without a doubt, into the gallery of the "heroes of Schoenstatt," heroes formed by the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt in the school of the Shrine and who lived according to the teachings and example of the Father and Founder of the Family.

Source: www.tabor.maeperegrina.org

Translation Carlos Cantú Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA


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