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Un matrimonio de Encarnación lleva la Auxiliar Nacional a la gruta de Itacua. A couple from Encarnación carrying the Natioanl Auxiliary to the grotto of Itacua Ein Ehepaar aus Encarnación trägt die nationale Auxiliar zur Itacua-Grotte |
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Llegando a Encarnación... Arriving in Encarnación... Ankunft in Encarnación... |
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Momentos emotivos Moments of emotion Berührt... von ihr |
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En la Iglesia At the church In der Kirche |
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Presentación Presentation Vortrag |
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Misión cumplida Mission accomplished Mission erfüllt! Fotos: Clara Pardo © 2007 |
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PARAGUAY, Father Antonio Cosp/Clara Pardo/mkf. "We want to share something very special that’s happening in our community. It’s taking place in the city of Encarnación, Republic of Paraguay, where the Family Movement is recently forming. We’re made up of three groups totaling about thirty couples. Tomorrow, Saturday, September 1st, we will be visited by the missionaries of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign from Asunción, who are coming to conduct a meeting with the missionaries of the city, who are working since 10 years already and got a bit tired," writes Hugo Villalba, from Encarnación. "The Encarnación Family Branch members are jointly helping through our coordinators Nelly and Alfredo Ramírez. It’s something very touching for us since the National Auxiliary, currently on pilgrimage in Paraguay, will be visiting us. Everything that’s happening is truly very meaningful for the members of the Movement." And not only for the members of the Movement in Encarnación, obviously, but also for the visiting group from Asunción.
"I want to tell the whole world about the gift we experienced during the small pilgrimage we made. It was like the initial spark that set all our hearts on fire, especially mine," said Clara Pardo, a few days later. She’s a member of the Family Federation and a member of the group of missionaries from Asunción. Who went on mission to whom? Who returned happier from this meeting? Was it those from Encarnación who received a visit from the Auxiliary? Or the missionaries rekindled with the fire for mission from Asunción? "The energy and the attraction of the Auxiliaries is incredible," commented Father Antonio Cosp sharing about the event in an interview in Schoenstatt, some time later. "At first the folks form Asunción thought they wouldn’t take the Auxiliary to Encarnación, but it thanks God that they took her, because She attracted everyone…"
"The visit of the National Auxiliary Pilgrim MTA was one of the things that impressed them the most and that they valued so much," commented Clara Pardo. "They cried with emotion over such an important visit. The Fleitas, a couple from Encarnación, took the National Auxiliary Pilgrim MTA to the grotto of Itacua. "It was a very profound moment for them that they could pray at this place. They also took her to the place where Father Kentenich had been on the other side of the Paraná River, from which "he saw our country(during his visit in 1949)", this is very important to us. Father Kentenich gave us and continues to place his paternal glance on this, the heart of America."
The Incarnate Word wants to continue to be incarnate from Encarnación
"Encarnación is the third city Schoenstatt was founded in after Ausunción and Ciudad del Este," commented Father Antonio who visited this city in July. He continued:
The name of the city (Encarnación = Incarnation) reminds us that the Incarnate Word became man and lived among us. Saint Roque González from Santa Cruz, the first Paraguayan saint, founded the city, and then, the gaze of Father Kentenich on Paraguay when he passed through Itapúa in 1949. The Family Branch was founded last year at the request of Bishop Gogorza whose Episcopal motto is: Verbum caro factum est. His request fell on fertile ground and after a year of work, three groups have been formed with about thirty couples. I was able to visit them from July 10th to the 13th. They organized an open forum with the topic of firmness and tenderness, two hands of the same love. About 300 people went to the Cathedral on the coldest night of the year; among them were the auxiliary bishop and other priests. There were also two couples from Colonias Unidas. I spent two nights, filled with thousands of questions and ideas, with the Family Branch, and one afternoon with the Rosary Campaign with whom I shared a talk and the rosary in the only city Wayside Shrine, which was decorated splendidly for this celebration. Nelly and Alfredo Ramírez, the Federation couple from Ciudad del Este, are the advisors that accompany this blessed process of founding Schoenstatt through their monthly visits. Personally, I was impressed by the strength and the affection of the people from Encarnación. I feel that Schoenstatt wants to continue the history of Saint Roque and his Jesuit companions. The Incarnate Word wants to continue to become flesh for Encarnación, for the entire Nation, extending the "Nation of God" that was founded here by the Jesuits at the beginning of the 17th Century.
A new Pentecost miracle
"I continue to savor our entire pilgrimage in silence and that warmth that embraces me and I feel that the gaze of God the Father, who took care of us and who gave us his Spirit of Love, his Spirit of Family, goes with me," Clara Pardo shares.
"I feel that it’s a contented gaze that tells us: I am with you and I am taking caring of you; you are my small flock, you are my favorite sons and daughters. After several days it’s difficult to exactly describe the special graces that have been showered on our hearts, only time will tell. From the beginning, we, the missionaries of the Rosary Campaign, among them the entire team of the Pilgrim MTA of Serenity, went with high expectations.. The Family Branch of Encarnación gave us much more than we expected, much more than we could imagine. We went to announce the glories of Mary in our small lives and however we felt that She, in the midst of all our brothers and sisters from Encarnación, is glorifying herself even more. It was three intensive days of a new miracle of Pentecost that has been given to us. On behalf of the team of the Pilgrim MTA of Serenity, our talk consisted of telling about Sister Emilie’s life, and the graces experienced through the Serenity novena. We were also able to share about the life and heroism of Joao Pozzobon and the vigorous Rosary Campaign. They gave us the warm experience of being a Schoenstatt Family. However, our Mother Mary had prepared a much greater surprise for us.
I’m more committed to my apostolate as a missionary of the Campaign.
Clara continued:On Saturday, September 1st, Luis, Rosa María, and I went to Mass in Betania, and to our surprise we encountered a very enriching and pleasant course or talk about the Aparecida document. Surely, God knew because of the physical tiredness due to my pregnancy that I was reaching the limit of my strength; there was this good priest who invited me to sit in "front of him," and this gentle nudge helped me to stay awake. I felt our Heavenly Father’s clear message about the mission for all who are baptized to announce Christ. We are called to be His missionaries and disciples by making him more and more known, and by loving him more and more. Thus, I felt even more committed to my apostolate as a missionary of the Rosary Campaign, and that we were doing precisely what he is asking of us, and that perhaps we should do more for the kingdom of God. What a wonderful gift! God is making His will perfectly known! And Mary is helping us all to say, "Yes!" I was immensely happy after the talk and meditation with all the people, who were congregated there and whom we did not know. We truly did not expect this gift, and we glanced at one another saying: "We came to Mass," and after the meeting Rosa María interpreted it as if Father Kentenich was telling each one of us to become "holy." Luis commented afterwards that when the priest said the initial meeting of the Bishops from Latin America to prepare for the Aparecida meeting was held in Tuparenda, it also reminded him that the Founding Father said: "In the shadow of the Shrine the destiny of the world will be decided." Our founder was such a prophet. What a great mission we have, to be a Nation of God, heart of America!
On the following day, Sunday, Bishop Ignacio Gogorza again reinforced the same Aparecida message during the meeting with the couples. For us it means: "whoever has ears, let them hear," and truly we cannot remain lukewarm after this experience. Thank you, Good Father, because you gave us this Family in Encarnación, and for Your holy message to continue marching with joy to all people, guided by our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt to the Holy Trinity.
Thank you because Mary covered us with her mantle and she revealed herself through all the details including the very maternal welcome she gave all of us. Thank you God of Mercy, because YOU chose us for Schoenstatt and for the meeting where we experienced what tasted like a piece of Heaven here inYour land of Encarnación!"
I feel proud of my Schoenstatt family!
Sebastián Martin, from Encarnación:
We are just awakening from the beautiful dream of the VISIT that we had this weekend," says. "In addition to bringing the grace of her visit, she obviously allowed us to know our brothers and sisters in faith and in ideals, and above all, we heartily appreciate sharing a wonderful journey. On the horizon I see the tools that you brought to work this land, will help give spectacular fruits. We trust that in Nilda and Julio and the rest of the missionaries that will join them will make the Campaign flourish anew, and it will then expand to other places in the interior…
"We are sure that Holy Mary of the Incarnate Word is not only the name of the city, rather it is the project of Christian life for each and every one of the homes, and that it is more strongly the Nation of God," write the advisors, Nelly and Alfredo Ramírez, from Ciudad del Este, after hearing the testimonies of many of the missionaries from Asunción as well as from the families of Encarnación. At this moment, I remember the look of radiance on our pastor, Bishop Ignacio Gogorza, when at the beginning of his talk he told us, "The fundamental experience that is lived and welcomed is: to feel so proud of belonging to the Church," and by paraphrasing what the Bishop says, I can recreate the feeling of unity with our pastor in communion, by saying, "I feel proud of my Schoenstatt Family!"
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj