On Saturday, October 25, 2025, the first meeting of the Schoenstatt Family League of Tuscany was held at the parish of San Lorenzo Martire in Gello di Lavaiano, Pontedera (Pisa, Tuscany, Italy). The new group of families was the result of two parallel experiences of marital enhancement and strengthening that had previously taken place in the municipalities of Terricciola and Ponte a Egola (both in the province of Pisa), where a “Couples’ Café” and a course to prepare for the Covenant of Love had been held. The parish of San Lorenzo Martir was chosen because it is located halfway between the two cities mentioned above, where the 11 couples who have joined the group in this journey to deepen their marital relationship come from. The meetings will be held monthly.
The “Couples Café”
The Couples Café is a project launched by some members of the Schoenstatt Family Federation in Rome. It is an initiative aimed at couples who want to strengthen their relationship through dialogue with other participating couples in a relaxed atmosphere with refreshments while encouraging conversation on certain topics. The process of strengthening the relationship is broken down into five meetings of approximately two hours each, which suggest topics inspired by the pedagogy of the Schoenstatt Movement and derived from the initials of the word “caffè” (coffee, in Italian): sharing, covenant, fidelity, fruitfulness, and education (self-education).
Growing together: concentric circles: the couple, the family, the Christian community
The topic proposed for reflection at the first meeting of the group of families was: “Growing together, the meaning of family.” It was introduced through the metaphor of concentric circles: like a drop falling into a lake and, with its force of impact generating circles of water that expand in all directions, the sacrament of marriage produces a similar movement; that is, the radiation of family life in the Christian faith. Each circle is created from the first and prolongs its reverberations, spreading its vital energy. This is how faith is transmitted by osmosis: almost imperceptibly, but so deeply, until the home becomes a place of welcome and love. From there, love expands first within the family nucleus and then outward, like concentric circles in the water expanding endlessly.
The circle of the Christian community
The main circles are the couple, the family, and the Christian community, which in our case is the Schoenstatt Movement.
Being part of a group or community is a precious source of grace and enrichment. In these realities, we discover shared values that serve as support and reassurance in times of trial. Mutual prayer unites and strengthens us, and over time our strengths add up and impel us to act together for the common good, thus contributing to shaping the world according to our ideals.
During the reflection, an excerpt from the book Schoenstatt Family Work was also proposed (En el camino matrimonial 07, Juntos somos más fuertes, 2013, p. 36). From this excerpt, it can be concluded that human beings, created “in the image of God” (Genesis 1:26), reflect God, who is a communion of persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Consequently, the Christian faith cannot be lived in isolation: those who believe are called to live in relationship, to share, and to love.
A game for getting to know each other better
To promote better understanding among the different participating couples, who come from different backgrounds, a game was proposed that consisted of asking questions about everyday life, to which each couple had to respond.
At the end, each couple had to compare their answers with those of the others to find similarities in their daily routines and points in common. The initiative provided a lighter and more entertaining break that allowed the couples participating to strengthen their bonds, looking forward to the next meeting.
Translation: Maribel Acaron
