A Strong mission consciousness

Missions: one of the most fruitful activities of the Schoenstatt Youth throughout the world

Misiones en Argentina Missions in Argentina Misiones in Argentinien
Encuentro con la gente Sharing with the people Begegnung mit den Menschen vor Ort
Actividad Activity Angebot
Bautismo Baptizm Taufe Fotos: P. Pablo Pol © 2009

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Mercedes (Mechi) Trovato, nineteen year-old from Argentina, and Camila Gallardo, age twenty from Chile, both members of the helpers’ team during Conference 2014, which was held at the beginning of February in Schoenstatt, visited the Press Office to share their Mission experiences before returning to their countries after participating in a "Time at Schoenstatt."

In an edifying dialogue, Mechi commented, "To go on a Mission is not an accessory of my spiritual life, for me it is something absolutely fundamental. The Missions of the Boys’ and Girls’ Youth that began ten years ago have gone to the same town for three consecutive years. Now we have innovated, we went to four towns south of the province of Buenos Aires." These Missions, that the youth wanted to extend to other provinces, but which have limitations, have its own mechanism that identifies it, Mechi explains. "During the morning we visit the homes in groups of two, a representative of each youth group, along with our Pilgrim MTA. We pray the rosary with the family, we talk about the importance of daily Mass, and we invite them to the activities that we offer to anyone who wants to join us. The missionary group is divided into five communities of thirty-five people (N to R. We are talking about 175 youth on mission!), and each community visits a town." Before continuing we consulted with Mechi about the organization of the communities and with the enthusiasm that burns within her for the missions, she relates: "Within the life of the community we have different people in charge of different areas, for example: the economic- for the administration of the money and for the food, the spiritual for the missionary community– prayer times for Lauds, daily Mass, Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, those in charge of the children– the youth, and the adults. Everyone should enjoy going on mission and also be re-evangelized. All for Mary to Christ."

Preparing the ground

They were very enthusiastic about their experiences; then we talked to them about the preparation for the Missions. "The setting-up (this is what the previous retreats are called) begins during the month of October, and they are carried out with missionary community. There is a general set-up, which explains what the mission is, that instructs the missionaries who are just beginning, and lists are made where the missionaries register according to the day and the community that they prefer. This is how the communities are formed that will have a set-up each week from October until December. The rectors prepared the set-ups, and each set-up group has a specific subject. This is how the community spirit is formed, and we get to know everyone with whom we will live for ten days."

To go on Mission is not always easy

We ask ourselves if it would be possible to go on mission when faith is not so strong. Mechi affirms with fervent conviction: "Of course! For instance during the last Mission, we found a town that was angry with the Church because of a problem with a priest. I would say there was complete rejection of the Church. We prayed a great deal, we gave up a lot of things, and they finally accepted us. The prayers along with the closeness that we offered them made many of the people join us, and one family even committed themselves to continue with praying the rosary after we left." The missionary has to be ready to face challenges of faith around the corner, and he or she must be sure that behind every challenge…the Blessed Mother will be triumphant!" Then we asked them about the feeling of the Missions, and they continued, "When you go on Mission, you leave many things, for example, another kind of vacation, to be with friends, the comfort of home, etc. For example, my brother always says that it will be his last time…but when he returns, I ask: ‘Is it the last time?’ ‘No!’ he answers proudly. I have never heard anyone say that they will never return, everyone thinks about returning and the reason…is that giving oneself to others is to receive. To go on Mission is not easy and to return is also hard, since the reality is not easy, but the Blessed Mother charges the batteries!"

Baltasar, a child who captivated us.

Mechi especially recalls one of the Mission experiences: "At that time I was touched by Baltasar’s story. He was a little boy who did not want to go home, he was very mischievous, restless, and he always wanted to attract attention. Upon investigating a little we found out that there were problems at home and that his mother hit him. One day she came to our house very angry, saying that she was going to kill him. I went out to meet her, and I spoke to her; I gave her a picture of the Blessed Mother, and we prayed together, and then we talked for a long time. During our dialogue, she vented about everything she had held in her interior. When Baltasar came, she treated him affectionately, she said: ‘Come papito’* (little one) and she embraced him. This touched me, for me it was the work of the Blessed Mother. She is the Great Missionary. She worked the miracle!"

Missions of the Girls’ Youth

In Chile they tried another model for the Missions; the Girls’ Youth went out alone, as a Branch.

Camila Gallardo relates that: "The Missions were an initiative of our Branch, in order to stress the woman, or, to spotlight the role of the MOTHER AND WORKER in society. The Missions are usually held in the summer, but we innovated and carried out ours during the winter, during vacation time for schools and universities. It was the first time and…it was a great success! We went on Mission to Casa Blanca, a neighborhood that is located in an urban area. Many times the Missions in Chile are carried out in the poor rural areas, but this time we wanted to do it in the city thereby stressing the urban woman, who in addition to cooking and and taking care of the children, works outside the home. As usual, we divided into communites, that we call Cenacles. The leaders of the Mission provided all the materials, and they also guided us spiritually, giving it a profound sense of Mission. They held workshops for grandparents, (in Casa Blanca there is a home for the elderly), workshops for children, youth, and women; but all of them were oriented towards the women. We missionaries had our own morning prayers, shared meals, and night prayer was fundamental; it was a time to share, to pray close to the Blesssed Sacrament in Adoration, and mainly, ‘to share the experiences that were basic to the missions,’" said Camila.

One goes to on a mission, but returns being re-evangelized

"The apostolate was about placing the emphasis on the woman: the urgency of the new woman, who works, takes care of her children, etc…the motto was: WOMAN, IN YOU A SOUL, CHILE. This clearly expressed the idea that: Woman, Christ is in you, and you have to take it to the Country. As the Mission advanced, more people (basically the youth) came to the Masses, which grew in attendance. The conclusion was that every time it was ‘beating’ with more strength; the mission always wants to reach God. When we visit the families in their homes and we find those mothers who are giving so much love to their children reflecting the love of Mary…we are enriched enormously! Many times the youth think we know everything, that we have conquered everything. But when we visit the families and we find scenes of so much sacrifice, of so much love, we feel that thanks to them we get a little closer to God. It is a lesson for us and we realize that we are not the ones who know, we learn from them, surely, one goes on mission, but we return [as the ones] ministered to," was how she summarized her experience.

"Something that touched me was when I went on mission to the home of a widow, with two girls ages six and nineteen. She worked in a tollbooth from one in the afternoon until ten at night. She was very dedicated to her daughters, and had suffered much over the death of her husband, but she had to be strong in front of her daughters. She said that her situation was becoming more difficult, sometimes she felt she had no more strength…I told her that God also gives us his love through sorrows, and that he is always with us, and I gave her a picture of the Blessed Mother. Later, on another visit, it was very beautiful to see that she and her daughters had been adorning the picture of the Blessed Mother by placing some flowers, and they had even made a little altar. On another day, the lady told me that it did not make sense to continue to suffer, and that it was true, God never abandons us. On the last day that I saw her, she told me that it was not right to forget for such a long time that God had given her two good and healthy daughters. She did not value that she is also healthy and has the strength to struggle with joy. She felt as if Mary had come to her home (In reality, she did!) and since that day she felt accompanied by her."

Towards the Covenant centennial

From the missions to Conference 2014… What was the experience like for Mechi? "This Mission was a gift, since we are the youth who are in the middle, that is to say between those of the last 100 years and those of the next 100 years. We are the missionary youth of the Covenant of Love! To participate in Conference 2014 was an experience marked by different experiences. For example, to see how not only children and youth meet but also the families was a demonstration that there is an answer, and it demands a proposal. That is why I bid farewell saying: I’ll see you in 2014!"

Camila ends her testimony saying: "Conference 2014 recommended that we stress the apostolic sending forth, to stress the Covenant of Love, to spread Father’s pedagogy, and that the youth be channels that take this charism, supported by the adults.

I will never forget the two times when I stood to speak on behalf of all the Youth and to represent them, what a responsibility! See you in 2014!"

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/amj

• Listen to the interview (spanish)