The missionary stream... at Mar del Plata

The missionary group, "Ver Sacrum" emerged at Mar del Plata increasing the apostolic spirit of our movement

El envió apostólico al grupo misionero antes de salir a misionar Apostolic mission before setting out Aussendung vor der Tür-zu-Tür-Mision
Todo el grupo misionero The entire missionary group Die ganze Misiones-Gruppe
La  misa de despedida de Lobería Closing Mass in Lobería Schlussgottesdienst in Lobería Fotos: Francisco Grondona © 2009

ARGENTINA, Francisco Grondona. Between December 2007 and January 2008 a small group of Boys’ and Girls’ Group from Mar del Plata had the good fortune of participating in the "MTA" missionary group from Buenos Aires. Our destination was Henderson, a small town west of the province of Buenos Aires.

We had never been on a mission, so this was totally an unkown experience for us, with many doubts and uncertainties, we decided to go forward and we adjusted to the missionary group.

It is difficult to explain everything that we felt during the 10 days that we were in Henderson. We shared many experiences which undoubtedly marked us profoundly and above all, it helped us to grow stronger spiritually.

The contact with the people, their warmth, their humility, their simplicity, their generosity and their sharing of their time, their home and their food, allowed us to visualize, rescue, spread and understand that those values that Schoenstatt promotes are dormant in the community, especially within the youth and the children, to whom we could transmit our faith and the message of God through word and action.

We returned to Mar del Plata with a new restlessness

We returned to Mar del Plata with a new restlessness, we felt that something within us was growing, but we did not know how to express it. This feeling we had made us participate in the mission of Holy Week in Corrientes organized by the Youth from the City of La Plata "Adsum Pater". This experience made our missionary spirit grow even more, which, little by little, was growing even stronger.

Upon returning to Mar del Plata and at a meeting among friends, the idea emerged: "What if we organize a missionary group in Mar del Plata?" At first we laughed thinking that it would be imposible for a group of young people with almost no experience would dare to organize something of that caliber. But little by little the idea grew stronger and we infected one another and we were full of optimism thinking that if it was something that God wanted of us, it would work.

The volunteers began to join, with the support of the family, and with the help of the Bishop of our diocese, we found a destination for our missionary soul. This would be Lobería, a small agricultural town close to Mar del Plata, with something unique, the Blessed Mother had never visited this place. How exciting to know that we would be the first ones to take Schoenstatt there!

"Through those of pure heart who offer themselves, God saves an entire town"

The name of our missionary group emerged through a common desire. Inspired and motivated by its meaning and it history within the movement, we decided to call it "Ver Sacrum". It was way of expressing our idea of changing the reality of our country. "Through those of pure heart who offer themselves, God saves an entire town". We faced the rest of the preparation with the motto: "Let us sow our nation".

From that moment, we felt that all the doors we needed to make this mission a reality were opened.

Thanks to help from all the family, we were able to organize our mission, which took place during the month of July 2008, in just 3 months with the participation of 55 youths.

None of us thought that we would receive such a warm welcome from the people, the people of Lobería, who opened their doors, allowing us to enter their homes and hearts. We worked on different subjects in the youth and children’s groups that were formed, while a group of missionaries visited the hospital and the home for the elderly of the place. The mission concluded with a celebration with the entire town at the parish hall.

This year, 2009, we began the preparations to return to Lobería. It will again take place in July. We know that it is ardous work, but it is worthwhile, our hearts and spirit are prepared to take our youth and energy there, where God has marked the way.

Our goal is to carry out 3 missions in Lobería, hoping that this will be enough to leave our footprints along the way. It is very probable that we will not notice a change, it is a process that takes a long time, but we will be content that we gave all we could to accomplish it.

We hope that Lobería will be the first of many towns to which Ver Sacrum can take the Schoenstatt message.

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA