Learning to communicate

Philosophy of Kentenich Communication - a successful workshop in Paraguay

PARAGUAY,Estela Pechín. Two years ago, precisely April 2007, an idea emerged regarding the better preparation of the correspondents who in one way or another are responsible for reporting the news of the Schoenstatt Family to the TUPARENDA MAGAZINE, the Tuparenda Bulletin, Infoschoenstatt, etc. And how to do it?.....

Father Antonio contacted someone who has a Master’s Degree in Communication and someone who believes that God wants to speak through the news items being reported. These are news items which spark life, are exciting and transport you to the place of the facts.

Distance learning

Of whom are we speaking?.....the director of the Schoenstatt.de webpage: Sr. Kornelia. In my opinion, the best prepared person on this topic completed her Master’s Degree on Father Kentenich’s philosophy of communication based on the first Schoenstatt magazine: MTA. The publication was created in 1916 and Father Kentenich himself organized it and distributed it among the sodalists, the majority of whom were on the battlefields and many of them paid for two or three subscriptions so they could give them to their soldier friends who did not belong to Schoenstatt. This was their apostolate. They were nurtured by the life which was generated by the Marian Congregation and savored the testimonies and experiences of the youths in each issue.

And that is how the idea came about. Sister would send us workshops with which we were nurtured and we worked under the tutelage of our advisor, Fr. Antonio Cosp. Each one of the chapters had exquisite content where we were taught Father Kentenich’s thinking: "To educate is to serve the lives of others unselfishly." To communicate is to also serve life unselfishly.

The correspondent who writes should almost disappear in his/her article (that is, not to speak of himself/herself) to make the others shine. He/she should be a seeker of stories and capable of transmitting the life found in the workshops, talks, or events….. The Schoenstatt correspondent should be a fanatic of life and its processes which he/she should observe with attention, respect, and fascination.

Transporting life

The spoken or written news should transport the life it contains; its joy, love, spirit of work, and through it, it has to transmit the processes of life, the value and the importance of the personal, religious, and human experiences. The "God of life" invites to relate the life there is in the happening so that it may excite life. Behind each person, there is a marvelous story written by God and He wants us to publish it.

Sister Kornelia is very happy with this course which she provides for us "virtually" and it is also a pioneering activity for her. For 2009, we want to continue working with the press office team which is going to cover all of the important experiences of the Family.

I invite all lovers of communication, regardless of your circumstances, but who feel the need to transmit and excite life in each news item, to unite with this group.

Translation: Carlos Cantú Schoenstatt Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA 040509