In several countries, members of the Schoenstatt Movement have become ambassadors of the project “We are all Schoenstatt”. They have been called to contribute to a very special mission. Flávia and Luciano Ghelardi, from Brazil, tell us about their experience and why they are part of the project.
In October 2024, we received an unusual invitation from Father Alexandre Awi, Superior of the Institute of the Schoenstatt Fathers: to become ambassadors of the Original Shrine and to participate directly in the “We are all Schoenstatt” initiative.
This initiative aims to support the Original Shrine, to spread the legacy of our Founder and to contribute to the expansion of the Covenant of Love throughout the world. It is an initiative of the International Presidency and, in order to carry it out, some people have been invited to be ambassadors in their respective countries.
An international challenge
The role of the ambassadors is to raise awareness of the project in their own country by proposing ideas to the project coordinators or other ambassadors, as well as encouraging other volunteers to propose their own initiatives. The ambassadors also assume the responsibility of setting an example by contributing directly to the project within their means.
We accept this mission with great joy and gratitude. I, Flavia, was born into a Schoenstatt family. My grandmother was in the Mothers’ Branch, my mother in the Girls’ Youth and then also in the Mothers’ Branch. I participated in the Girls’ Youth from a very young age, and when I started dating Luciano, one of the first things we did was to form a Boys’ Youth group for him to participate in.
After we got married, we participated for a while in the Family League and, since 2004, we have been members of the Family Federation. We founded our Home Shrine just one year after our wedding, in 1999. Our children have participated in the Schoenstatt Youth and now the youngest is about to seal his Covenant of Love, which is scheduled for February 2025. So, our life as Catholics is a life as Schoenstatters.
For this reason, we are deeply grateful for all that Schoenstatt has given us in life. Fr. Alexandre’s invitation was for us a way of giving back, at least partially, all that we have received as graces from the Covenant of Love. We feel the same call now that our parents are elderly and need our help, even financially.
Why are we part of all this?
In these 110 years since the Covenant of Love was sealed by our Father and Founder in the Original Shrine, we have received so much! Schoenstatt has helped us with so much! Now, our Mother and Queen and our Father and Founder need our help, including our financial contribution. Whatever we do, no matter how much we try to raise for this project, it will not be enough to say thank you for all that we have received.
Our experience of almost two months as ambassadors is that this apostolate helps us to further strengthen our bond with the Original Shrine, with our Father and Founder and, above all, with our brothers and sisters in the Covenant of Love throughout the world. We have experienced that we are part of a truly international family that speaks different languages, but that is united by the bonds of the Covenant of Love, that we have a common home, the Original Shrine, and that we can meet there, even spiritually, whenever we need the Blessed Mother’s loving embrace.
We would like to invite everyone to get involved in this beautiful project, it doesn’t matter with how much, but rather the fact that we are contributing, after all We are all Schoenstatt!
How to help:
You can find more information by clicking on this page: We are all Schoenstatt.
Translation: Maribel Acaron