What really impresses me is to see the sincere joy of the people here

The 12^th anniversary of the Sion Shrine in Florencio Varela, Argentina was celebrated – a family gathering touched by the vocations "climate"

Jovenes de La Plata: a cargo de la musica Youth from La Plata, in charge for the music Jugendliche aus La Plata hatten die musikalische Gestaltung in der Hand
Participaron muchos jovenes Many young people participated Überhaupt waren sehr viele Jugendliche dabei
Un encuentro en familia A family encounter Ein Familientreffen
Procesión de entrada Entrance procession Einzug
Entrega de un ramo de rosas A bouquet of roses is presented Ein Rosenstrauß für die MTA wird gebracht
Fotos: Colombres © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Und

ARGENTINA, mca/mkf. "I do not belong to the Movement but I have always been close to it and I have a great affection for it. But what really impresses me as a "stranger" is to see the sincere joy of the people here, the frank smiles which come from the heart. For one who is accustomed to the urban jungle…..so much greenery and add to that so much purity, are like a breath of fresh air," comments Solana Colombres, 33, after the Sion celebration. "It is the Father who gathers. For me it is a family gathering and it is a joy to begin the year with this gathering," says Silvia who belongs to the Movement since 1975.

After a week-long heat wave which ended with tumultuous weather, the sun began to shine again on Sunday, the 26^th of February, the day of the celebration for the Sion of the Father Shrine in Florencia Varela, Argentina. Almost 800 persons attended, among them Priests, seminarians, novices, Sisters, families, adults and a multitude of youths who characterized this event and added color to it.

The youths from La Plata were in charge of the organization of the event including the Eucharistic celebration – with very lively songs – and they were also in charge of the refreshments during the after-celebration lunch in the Joseph Engling House of the Boys’ Youth.

A great event

A great event took place this year with the presence of the seven "ex novices" who are now seminarians and the ten new novices and in addition to other older seminarians like Pastor Achával and Facundo Bernabei who recently arrived from Schoenstatt and joined the celebration later due to some inconveniences with his flight. It is an event for reencountering and the presence of the "already seminarians" and postulants contribute greatly to the specialness of this festivity. Male, 24, leader of the Girls’ Youth and who belongs to the Movement for four years says: "For me this reencounter means meeting with the people with whom I share activities throughout the year. It means meeting the Fathers anew, accompanying the novices, bidding farewell to Tute who is like a brother to me. Sion is a place of much peace."

Increase of vocations from year to year

Known and unknown faces, tanned by the sun announcing vacation time and relaxation, faces from different places in Argentina and beyond, all with the same joy of participating once again in this so longed for encounter: celebrating with the Fathers another anniversary of their Sion Shrine. "I come every year," says Techi Pretel. "For me this encounter means a day for the family encounter but also for encountering the Movement, the Fathers, and all of the families and members of Schoenstatt. Supporting the Fathers and the commitment to prayer are also reasons for being here. It gave me great joy to see the increase of vocations from year to year. There are ten youths entering the new novitiate course, six from Argentina: Juan LeVraux (Córdoba), Lucas García (Córdoba), Matías Clavijo (San Isidro), Federico Alustiza (Dairaux, Buenos Aires), Matías Vendrell (Buenos Aires) and Ignacio Siri (Mar del Plata), and four from

Asunción, Paraguay: Manuel López Cristaldo, Guillermo Martínez, Gustavo González and Juan Carlos Vera. "We are grateful for their generous yes and their generous openness to the call of God and we accompany them during this special time of novitiate," says Father Juan Pablo Catoggio. In total, there are 27 novices who in a few more days will gather in Tuparenda, Paraguay to thus form the new Iberian-American novitiate course of the Schoenstatt Fathers: along with the 10 from the Father Region, 2 novices from México, 2 from Portugal, 1 from Ecuador, 7 from Chile and 5 from Brazil.

New wineskins for new wine

The MTA as usual awaiting her children at the doors of the Shrine; the papal banner along with the banners of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Schoenstatt fluttering in the wind, and the altar provisionally prepared on the stage so that all can participate in the Mass.

The celebration begins with the entrance of the processional cross followed by a large number of Schoenstatt Fathers and students in their community. They arrive at the altar accompanied with the sounds of "In our flaming banner," intoned in a lively voice by all those present.

The Mass follows and the main celebrant is Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio, Regional Superior. He is assisted by Fathers Andrés Rodríguez and Tomy Nin Mitchel who were ordained a few months earlier. Fr. Juan Pablo welcomes everyone and continues saying: "There is a change in the taking of the relay stick: 7 ex novices who today are Schoenstatt Fathers (as I always say, there are orderly Schoenstatt Fathers to my right and non-orderly Schoenstatt Fathers to my left – and disorderly Schoenstatt Fathers on both sides! [ordenar in Spanish can be used to ordain or to order, thus the play on words referring to the disorderly or unruly priests]) who go to Chile to continue their studies. The ones who take the relay stick are 10 postulants who today leave their homes and their families and are here. They leave this Friday for the novitiate in Paraguay."

The Mass readings are done by two youths and a Schoenstatt Sister of Mary; the Gospel is read by Fr. Pedro Kuhlcke, who recently returned from Germany. Fr. Juan Pablo makes reference to those new wineskins spoken of in the Gospel during his homily. New wineskins…..new foundations…..new leaders…..new disciples…..new missionaries. "Novelty," a word which awakens charm…..is pleasing…..attracts. It is generally associated to something good, although it is not always so. A central word in the mouth of Jesus: New Testament…..a new commandment…..a new law. With it a new time is born, a new Covenant, a new world, a new creation. "He makes all things new." This word, also in Fr. Kentenich, was weighty from the beginning to the end: the new man in the new community….. the Church on the new shore….. the newest times….. Schoenstatt, a Movement of renewal. Looking at the bicentennial of the birth of the country, the Argentine Family expresses in its year’s motto this desire for something new: "a new country." Lastly, recalling Cana, she implores the Blessed Mother to work this miracle in us.

A bouquet of roses for the MTA as an offering from her children

The Cacavelos family from Paraguay and the parents of a seminarian read the petitions. In the offertory, along with the bread and wine, the parents of one of the novices take a bouquet of roses for the MTA as a sign of the offering of their children. At the time of communion, there are not enough hosts for everyone who want to receive the Lord. The Fathers, already "old hats" with these matters, part the hosts in such a way that no one is left without receiving Holy Communion. (Not only do they run out of hosts, they also do not have enough chairs, food, typical mementos, nor do they have enough sweet cakes which they sell to raise funds for vocations!)

"It is the first time I come to Sion. In reality, I belong to a group of Jesuits. I must say that I am impressed with the great number of people and with the great number of postulants!!! I really enjoyed the Mass," comments María Teresa Sein.

A lunch mixed with talks and greetings

Amid the greeting and the final blessing, all go toward the Boys’ Youth Center to share there a lunch mixed with talks and greetings. They haven’t seen each other for almost two months…..there is much to share and to talk about! Time flies and the moment arrives for the "recital" of the Totus Tuus group which is formed by youths from La Plata. And finally, the farewell with a time of Adoration led by Fr. Andrés Rodríguez. "Every year for the last twelve years we celebrate this encounter. Each year is nicer and especially this one after the bad weather. The entrance of 10 new novices …..the fact that 7 young men completed their novititate…..and 3 new priests ordained this year is an immense joy," shares Father Guillermo Mario Cassone. "For me as a ‘founding’ Father," it is a joy to see how the Movement grows and to know that we have someone to leave the relay stick to. Besides, we older Fathers are healthy enough to continue spreading the Work. It is important to highlight that so many people came from various places like Mar del Plata, Córdoba, and also from neighboring countries, heterogeneous people, but all united for the Virgin. It is the Virgin who gathers us."

The 800 participants gather their things and leave having charged their batteries for a new year of activities which begins and with the certainty of coming again to gather once more on the last weekend of February of 2007 to celebrate a new anniversary of this so loved Shrine by the entire Family…..the Sion Shrine…..Shrine of the region of the Father, Shrine of the Fathers.

Translation Carlos Cantú Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA