Fire from your fire

Retreat for couples in Tupárenda

Matrimonio del grupo „Alegres, con esperanza” Couple from the group “Joyful with hope” Ehepaar aus der Gruppe “Hoffnungsfreudig”
Todos los matrimonios son del nivel „autoeducación”, en el tercer año de formación All the couples are of the autoeducation level, that is, in the third year of formation Alle Ehepaare sind im dritten Jahr der Schönstatt-Einführung (Selbsterziehung) Fotos: Ruiz Diaz © 2008

PARAGUAY, Rosa Maria Arévalo de Ruiz Diaz. Joy and the enthusiasm are still surging when the thought arises of the weekend experienced by more than fifty couples at the self-education level; it’s the third year of formation for the Family Branch, which was held at the Retreat House of Tupárenda.

The retreat began very early on Saturday morning. The couples arrived one after the other. They set aside work, worries, family… during the morning Father Antonio presented two talks about Father Kentenich’s loyalty along the lines of the motto for the year in Paraguay, From Father’s heart to the heart of God the Father. Then, there were individual workshops and the couples reflected on the connection to God and the ways to anchor them in Him. Later, there was a beautiful individual workshop, one for couples and then for groups. The participants reflected on their feelings about belonging to the Schoenstatt Family and if this is truly the way for them.

The single rose

After resting (siesta), they gathered in the chapel to pray the rosary. Each mystery was led by a couple while another couple presented a rose to the Blessed Mother. It was something that was truly emotional, because in the Marian Garden at the retreat house a single rose had just bloomed and the person who had planted this rose bush last year was one of the participants. That rose was the symbol of the constant presence of the Blessed Mother at the retreat. It was presented at the Eucharist at 7:00 p.m., and then they took it to the Blessed Mother at the Shrine during the night vigil.

During the afternoon Sister Elizabeth elaborated on the model for the family that Father Kentenich demonstrated. Then the participants were invited to take a great step towards the pedagogy of ideals, seeking their dreams, or better still: the dream that God had for each one when he created them and the most profound desire of their hearts as a point of departure of the work that is carried out throughout the year during the search for their personal ideal. The afternoon ended with the renewal of the pedagogical contract and with participation in the Eucharist, which was prepared entirely by the couples of the level.

A starry night that can only be seen in Paraguay

After dinner they took some wood –previously prepared by a couple –to a pyre in which each couple approached with their piece of wood. While the fire burned they listened to the song, Fire of your Fire, and they prayed. Then they began the long road to the Shrine on pilgrimage –on a path through the forest, and they even had to cross a small arroyo. Upon reaching the opening, they saw the entire Shrine illuminated with candles, and a large bonfire lighting its resplendence! Suddenly the wind that had been a problem, and kept the team, which organized the vigil on watch, ceased. In a heavenly atmosphere of a starry night that can only be seen in Paraguay, the vigil began with a reflection about everything they had experienced. The closeness of the Blessed Mother was so intense that emotion could not be contained.

The retreat team was composed of the couples from Circle of League Members. When the participating couples had left, they entered the Shrine to thank the Blessed Mother for the many, many blessings.

Sunday morning was splendid. Some lay leaders gave the couples a beautiful talk about the Schoenstatt mission. The retreat concluded with a ceremony of sending forth, in which each couple placed their hand over that of the Father. Then they left with a message from Father, exclusively from the talk of the 31^st of May. And while they were in the Retreat House, at the same time during the general Sunday Mass that was celebrated in the Shrine there was a consecration of the couples that are in charge of the new groups of the Family Branch. Great life surges in Tupárenda!

It has been an honor to serve Her

"Today when everything has returned to ‘normal’ from the court with Roberto making his argument in a very difficult case at the Tribunal, our hearts continue to overflow with gratitude for everything we experienced, and as the card the Roberto received at the end of the retreat states: ‘It has been an honor to serve Her.’"