A great prophet of the Prophet Father has left us

Profound sorrow over the unexpected death of Father Horacio Sosa Carbo, Argentina

En Sión del Padre, Argentina At Sion of the Father, Argentina Beim Zentrum der Schönstattpatres in Argentinien, Sion des Vaters
Profesta del Padre Profeta Prophet of the Father Prophet Prophet des Vater-Propheten
Durante el simposio sobre el Padre José Kentenich During the Symposium on Father Kentenich Beim Symposium über Pater Kentenich Fotos: Martín © 2007
De verdad que se nos fue un gran profeta de nuestro Padre y Profeta We lost a  great prophet of the Father and Prophet Ein großer Prophet des Vater-Propheten ist von uns gegangen Foto: Nesa © 2007
Asistente espiritual del Instituto de Familias de Schoenstatt Spiritual Assistant of the Institute of Schoenstatt Families Geistlicher Assistent des Instituts der Schönstatt-Familien Foto: Neiser © 2007 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

ARGENTINA, mkf. Two days after the death of Father Hernan Alessandri in Chile, Father Horacio Sosa Carbo, Spiritual Assistant of the Schoenstatt Institute of Families since the summer of 2006, died on Thursday, December 20th. He died of a heart attack while he was at the Father’s House in Sion. His funeral was on December 21, at 5:00 p.m. at the Church of God the Father followed by the burial in Heavenwards Cemetery of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Father’s Sion.

Father Horacio was working as the priestly assistant to the Schoenstatt Institute of Families since the last General Chapter in June 2006, and he had served in the Movement as advisor of the Family Work, the Mothers’, Girls’ Youth, and Professional Women’s Branches.

Father Horacio Sosa was born in Paraná, Argentina on January 1, 1944; he studied in Germany where he met Father Kentenich, he was consecrated as a priest on September 16, 1972, and belonged to the first group of Argentinean Schoenstatt Fathers. Outstanding in his profound knowledge about the Founding Father’s thinking, especially in pedagogy, he was a very good confessor and spiritual advisor. Known as an outstanding conference presenter and author of several books and articles, he was important for underscoring the charisma of the Prophet Father and for his work in the renewal of the Church. In an article he published in the Basis Magazine in Germany entitled, A Prophetic Scheonstatt, his zeal for Schoenstatt’s never losing its mission and prophetic attitude of the "Prophet Father" was clearly perceived. He challenged Schoenstatt not to rest in peace, not to be satisfied being acceptend by the Chrurch. "It was the most prophetic thing that I have read in decades," was the comment of a German Schoenstatter formed in the school of Father Alex Menningen. "I could not set the article aside; it made me feel like the time in my youth when we committed ourselves and dared everything for Schoenstatt for the renewal of the Church and of society based on the charism of the Father. With persons like him, it is again worthwhile, even at the age of 80, to risk everything for this Schoenstatt." Father Horacio loved that comment. "Truly a great prophet of our Father and Prophet has left us," commented his nephew, Pepo Koestner.

He was a great friend of schoenstatt.de , recognizing with enthusiasm its potential in this way to attach and mobilize all the prophetic family of the Father in a process of mutual inspiration...and of reaching "beyond" the Movement. Thank you, Father Horacio.

An immense rainbow

"The truth is that this news has saddened us very much since he was very, very beloved here in Cordoba," commented Juan Barbosa:

The sadness is such that after several months without rain, a couple of hours ago it began to rain and looking out from my house towards the place where the Shrine of the Fathers (Life and Hope) is being constructed, there was AN IMMENSE RAINBOW in the exact center of this place. It is as if the Blessed Mother was telling us: Do not cry if you loved him, as a very beautiful prayer of Saint Augustine says... ‘Truly a great one has left who knew how to make himself loved because of his always silent attitude, one that was always of prayer, always close.’ We are going to miss him, but...

"On December 11^th, when I was in Sion, we spoke with Father Horacio precisely about death," commented a Schoenstatter from Buenos Aires: "This conversation was in reference to a comment he made about his father’s death, we commented that it was a very blessed and quick death, not those of prolonged agony, and we both said that we would like to go like that. At least he went "his way," like he desired, in the midst of clarity and activity. When I heard the news today, I remembered, and it seemed incredibly prophetic...As if he had told me how he wanted to leave this world; and at least this consoles me a little.

When one inclines his head before God, God crowns it

We join the Schoenstatt Fathers of the Region of the Fathers, the Schoenstatt Family from Argentina, and the Institute of Schoenstatt Families with prayers during this time of profound sorrow by asking the Blessed Mother and the Father to receive him in the heavenly Schoenstatt where he will continue to fulfill his mission. We also implore God to give us more persons like Father Horacio.

As a "final consideration" for this article, I want to copy something from a book that Father Horacio Sosa wrote during the Year of the Father 1999, Must one Think? It Depends. This is how the "final consideration" of this book ends: "During this year 1999 – Year of the Father – I offer you a final thought – a stimulus that unites us to this God who is the guarantee of our liberty and of our dignity as sons: ‘When a person inclines his head before God, God will crown it’

Until eternity Father Horacio, thank you for giving us so many things!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj