On Thursday, March 30th, the diocesan phase of the process of beatification of the Servant of God, Father Hernán Alessandri, who died on December 18, 2007, was officially opened.
The synodal journey of our Church challenges us to rediscover the richness of the first Christian communities, in which the experience of community was fundamental, not only because they “held everything in common “, but also because the inner dynamism, discernment and decision-making were the fruit of community work, which the pastors directed and coordinated.
78 Brazilian youth, members of the Schoenstatt Youth, paid for their plane tickets to participate in August in the World Youth Day -WYD- in Lisbon, and to visit the place of their dreams: Original Schoenstatt. But they received a shock: the tickets are non-existent, and now they find themselves stranded…. Or maybe not, because they decided to launch a campaign to make their dream come true. They are asking for a Hail Mary, and a contribution of 20-euro cents or a dollar. Would you like to give them a hand?
Sister M. Cacilda Becker and Father Henrich Walter were interviewed by Sister. M. Nilza to gather their experiences and ideas about the seven years in which they fulfilled the task of being the first International Coordinators of the Schoenstatt Movement. Since Schoenstatt is a federative movement, their mission has been to exercise the office they assumed: coordinators, at the service of Schoenstatt’s life in the different countries of the world. Father Walter now ceases this responsibility and goes to Austria, while Sister M. Cacilda remains for a period of three additional years. Father Arkadiusz Sosna from Poland, a member of the General Council of the Schoenstatt Fathers, will take over for the Schoenstatt Fathers.
With the motto FAMILIES IN COVENANT, HEART FOR THE WORLD, couples representing 20 Latin-American countries and a few from Europe, together with several advisors, will meet in the heart of America, for the 6th Congress of the Continental Family Work. More than 340 participants will gather in Asuncion, Paraguay from May 4 to 7 of this year.
On March 25, the blessing of the foundation stone of the Shrine of Maringá, in Brazil, a city 650 km. west of São Paulo, took place. The Mass was presided by Bishop Severino Clasen and was attended by about a thousand people. The Schoenstatt Institute of Families will be the legal guardian of this new Shrine.
Meditations on the value of the cross for a Christian. Father Kentenich said: “We must have the most heartfelt certainty that God has drawn up a plan, not only a plan for the world, but also a plan for my personal life. Who has conceived this plan? Not only God’s wisdom and omnipotence, but also his love.”
Poverty as an opportunity? Is someone trying to challenge us with these words? Poverty is usually seen as a “social constrain” that prevents people from getting an education and moving up in society in order to lead a good life. To see poverty as something positive seems to be provoking. Isn’t that downright sarcastic toward poor countries?
In view of the (over)abundance of challenges to find a spiritual perspective, Father Peter Falk, diocesan priest of the Schoenstatt Institute and head of the Schoenstatt Family Movement in the Archdiocese of Freiburg, was invited to offer suggestions to the participants.
More than 150 families participate every month in the Covenant of Love celebration held in a Brazilian community in the USA.
During the second week of January, a mini-camp for the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth was held in South Africa.
I have always been impressed to hear what Sister M. Emilie was like. When I was asked to write about her, I was fortunate to be able to interview people who had known Sister M. Emilie personally.
A Place, a Movement, a Way of Life, a Mission
