The Covenant of Love in a Jail

Encounters with the inmates of the Bauwer Women’s Correctional Facility in Cordoba, Argentina

Alianza de Amor Covenant of Love Liebesbündnisfeier
Bendición de medallas Blessing of the medals Segnung der Weihemedaillen
Canciones de alegría y entrega Songs of love and commitment Liebesbündnislieder
P. Juan José Riba con el capellán Fr. Juan José Riba with the chaplain P. Juan José Riba mit dem Gefängnisseelsorger
Grupo de aliadas Group of women who sealed the Covenant in September Frauen, die im September das Liebesbündnis geschlossen haben
Momentos de alegría Moments of joy Augenblicke der Freude Fotos: I. A. Cima de Navarro © 2007

ARGENTINA, Itala Argentina Cima de Navarro. For seven years the Schoenstatt Volunteers have visited the inmates of the Bauwer Women’s Correctional Facility to offer help primarily to those who are pregnant and then to others who request assistance. Generally these women are mostly abandoned because of their condition and receive fewer visits from their families than the imprisoned men. We feel a duty to accompany them along with our Mother, not just with a donation box with a complete layette for the baby when it arrives, but also with spiritual nourishing that the Blessed Mother in the Covenant of Love offers to all who are her allies.

Happily over the course of these years, thirty-three inmates have made their Covenant of Love. A ray of love entered the Women’s Reformatory and the hearts of the mothers who enjoyed the grace from this established first tie with the Blessed Mother.

Father Juan José Riba and Sister Maria del Pilar Carrere always accompanies them as advisers of the group, Mary’s Heart.

The women who sealed their Covenant in September of 2007 were prepared over the course of a year through a program where they learned a little about Schoenstatt. The inmates of this correctional institution gave thanks in the form of a written letter for all they had learned, although it has been in a sad place for them; just knowing that they were thought of by the people of Schoenstatt and through them all of society made a difference. In the last three years, four images of the Pilgrim MTA have traveled across the different wings of the jail. Also in the last celebration on the Day of the Child, the little ones who live with their mothers in the jail received the image of the Children’s Pilgrim MTA.

The MTA reigns over the jail’s chapel

At the moment of the Covenant, the inmates were dressed up as for a meeting and they brought a flower for the Blessed Mother as a commitment of change; they also joined in by singing and participating in the whole celebration. It’s important to stress that those who were honored as best students finishing primary education and CBU were those who had sealed the Covenant of Love.

Among the many events to be remembered together with the Chaplain of the Reformatory was that the MTA’s image was enthroned in the chapel. She now reigns in this place.

At the beginning of Advent, another group of women were preparing to seal their Covenant of Love. The day of the Covenant in the jail was an emotional day for all, "a true Advent," commented Liliana Galli. Between the inmates whom they had prepared for the Covenant were two women of German origin who know almost no Spanish; Liliana Galli printed for them several texts in German from schoenstatt.de; they now also receive the Reflections of Father Nicholas in German, which was a great joy for them both. The German Mother’s Branch has offered to send them their materials.

The Covenant of Love has made this jail a place of hope.

Translation: amj, USA