For a renewed country…

The first Social Journeys were held in New Schoenstatt on September 2^nd and 3^rd

Los participantes dejan el santuario del Padre después de la oración de inicio. The participants leaving the Shrine of the Father after the opening prayer Die Teilnehmer nach dem Eröffnungsgebet im Vaterheiligtum
Vista parcial de la concurrencia Participants Teilnehmer
Trabajo en talleres Workshops Arbeit in Gruppen
Carlos Nesa presenta a Quitito Asensio, Carlos Ferré y P. Alejandro Blanco Carlos Nesa presenting Quitito Asensio, Carlos Ferré and Fr. Alejandro Blanco Carlos Nesa stellt Quitito Asensio, Carlos Ferré und Pfr. Alejandro Blanco vor
El P. Horacio Sosa Carbó en una de sus pláticas Father Horacio Sosa Carbó during one of his talks Pater Horacio Sosa Carbó bei einem seiner Vorträge Fotos: Zudaire © 2006

ARGENTINA, Anita and Héctor Zudaire. The first Social Journeys of the Schoenstatt Movement in Argentina were held on September 2^nd and 3^rd. In this way the long desired objectives presented by the National Director of the Movement, Father Javier Arteaga were generously made concrete: the getting acquainted among Shoenstatters, learning about the social activities that they carry out; the sharing and exchanging of their experiences, and the deepening in the social thinking of Father Kentenich and of the Church.

About one hundred leaders had the opportunity -which they used wisely – to present, to listen and to dialogue about the social problems in Argentina at the present time, their possible causes, and the response that the Schoenstatt Family should give immediately, but also in the short and long term.

Distinguished presenters

Father Horacio Sosa Carbó was in charge of the first and the closing conferences. He emphatically explained that the social situation is in essence the thinking of the Founding Father. He explained his personal and providential concept of solidarity, making many references to the encyclical of his Holiness Benedict XVI, Deus caritas est (God is Love).

Silvia Lépore, a lawyer, from the Catholic University, described Argentina’s social debt , stressing the responsibility of the civil society that corresponds with its relationship, particularly when it not assumed by the state nor by businesses. She showed conclusive and graphic statistics, of the analysis of poverty including the affective needs and those of relationships, the creative use of free time, the meaning of life, and the sense of happiness. It also considered the minimal participation of the people in the socio-political institutions.

In the panel about the Profile of the Social Saint, Father Alejandro Blanco, of the Federation of Presbyters of Schoenstatt, define the social situation as the fraternal dimension of the Covenant of Love, the indivisible love of the MTA and our brothers. According the thinking of the Father and Founder, he based our social action on justice, before that of generosity; and he pointed out the necessary complementation with that of the critical analysis – prophetic – of its causes. Doctor, Carlos Ferré, presented the essence of the leaders, a leader should love, and in order to do this he should know, without prejudice, the history of the time in which he is living. A prophetic style is needed for this such as that of Father Kentenich’s, a leader must make himself poor with the poor, he should assume their weakness, to be trustworthy and of service, leaving success in the hands of God and of the Blessed Mother. The Engineer, Quitito Asensio – of the founding generation of the Schoenstatt Movement in Paraná, Entre Rios passionately pointed out the greatness of life, and of the greatness of life in the Covenant of Love. He proposed a program that was synthesized in the expression A heart that sees, based on the Old and New Testaments and on the first encyclical of the Pope; that implies taking on the problem of our brother, looking for solutions that overcome us and the necessity of prayer.

Testimonies of the social commitment within the Schoenstatt Family

Mercedes Alfonso gave her vital testimony, that showed how Providence first through the experience with her ill sister, later with her little daughter, and then with a child with the same syndrome but additionally he was poor and abandoned, showed her a mission: she founded the Home of Mary that shelters handicapped minors without resources, and who are under judicial guardianship.. Now she works for the Home of the Blessed Trinity for those who have the same conditions, but who are of legal age.

In the panel about the Mission in Action, Marcela Besio and Marcela Agustoni told about their activity in CRECER (GROWTH): that is deeply attached with families – presently, there are twelve – students of the Saint Joseph Workshop they help them with temporary material help, help them find a permanent and reliable job, offer them help with schooling, culture outings and celebrations. The Saint Joseph Workshop is an establishment that offers technical careers to adolescents enrolled in the Children’s Home in Florencio Varela, both are initiatives of Schoenstatt that have existed for many years. The engineer, Ricardo Fernández (from Paraná, Entre Rios) presented a business that is presently composed by a community of 24 people where all of them profit, in this way attaining happiness through work, they are allies with the people – as providers, clients of other business, educational institutions, etc. They have trained 1,500 people in welding. Their jump to the unknown has changed the previous life style of their family, founding "Ferremat" Inc. where they have mangers with "human values", and another "for the future" is responsible for follow-up of the personal ideal, spiritual schedule, etc, of the endeavor. In conclusion Sister Maria Daniel explained the social work –Caritas, health and education – of the Sisters of Mary in Florecio Varela, which responds to the request of the Father and Founder to love the people. At the present time 300 families attend. They offer support to children between the ages of 6 to 12, but they wish to continue after this age. With the group Family of the Father, they offer them a little school for leaders up to the age of 17, providing them with a solid faith, cultural formation, including the integration into a musical band – that performed at the workshop, much to our joy – they also have a print shop, provide technical and scientific knowledge, teach them languages and help them with their studies. Every two months they meet with the parents.

Until next year!

The workshops, with adequate motivation, gave enough freedom so that everyone could be enriched and enjoy each of the presentations. As you can imagine, time was short, for this reason even the meal time was a good opportunity to continue with the task.

The work session was crowned with the celebrations of the Eucharistic, which was an experience of the Good Samaritan in the Church, a para-liturgy in the Shrine of the Father, and another one of sending forth close to the statute of the Father and Prophet.

A network of communication was organized which will help carry out tasks by categories – for example, leaders with a political vocation -. Father Javier convoked the participants and all the Family for the next journey on September 1^st and 2^nd, 2007.

In the meanwhile, the words of the Father of the Family encourage us" We should throw ourselves into the river of life and work, and work by doing all that we can do"; and the words of Jesus: "Come blessed of my Father… all that you did for the least of my brothers, you did unto me".

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA