From October 18 to 20, 2026, Madrid hosted two important events for Schoenstatt’s priestly presence in Spain: the official establishment of the Iberian Group of the Schoenstatt Secular Institute of Diocesan Priests and the launch of the Schoenstatt League of Diocesan Priests’ activities in the country.
The meeting was attended by the Institute’s Rector General, Dr. Fr. Marcelo Cervi, and brought together priests of various nationalities who live in or minister in Spain.
A New Group of the Institute in Spain
The establishment of the Iberian Group marks an important step toward strengthening the community life of the members of the Schoenstatt Secular Institute of Diocesan Priests in Spain.
Within the Institute, a Group is a small, official cell of the community. Unlike the Courses, which constitute permanent communities of life, Groups can bring together priests from different Courses and Regions who live in the same territory or perform similar tasks.
Its purpose is to foster fraternal life, mutual support, ongoing formation, and the cultivation of Schoenstatt spirituality. Under the guidance of a Rector, the Group’s members seek, through regular meetings, to strengthen their community bonds and help one another live out their priestly vocation and mission. The new Iberian Group is led by Fr. Manuel Roldán Roses, appointed for a three-year term, and brings together priests from Spain, Burundi, and the Dominican Republic who currently reside in the country.
The establishment of this Group strengthens the Institute’s international presence and provides its members with a space for greater closeness, communion, formation, and sharing in priestly life.
The League of Diocesan Priests Begins its Journey
At the same time, the gathering marked the official beginning of the Schoenstatt League of Diocesan Priests in Spain.
For some time now, several diocesan priests interested in the League have been meeting virtually and have recently completed preparation for the Covenant of Love. Present at the Madrid meeting were Fr. Fernando Rodríguez Fernández of the Diocese of Granada and Fr. Iván Sánchez Villalón of the Diocese of Getafe.
The League of Diocesan Priests is one of the priestly communities within the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement. Its members remain fully integrated into their dioceses’ life and ministry, seeking to deepen their priestly spirituality through the Covenant of Love with Mary and Father Joseph Kentenich’s pedagogy.
Unlike the Secular Institute, the League offers a more flexible structure for community involvement, providing diocesan priests with a path to spiritual formation, fraternity, and pastoral renewal.
Formation, Spirituality, and Fraternal Life
During the gathering, the League’s founding principles, organization, and members’ commitments were presented. Fr. Manuel Roldán led reflections on central elements of Schoenstatt spirituality, including the Covenant of Love, the Capital of Grace, the Blank Check, the Inscriptio, practical faith in Divine Providence, and Marian instrumental piety.
The participants also established a program of formation and spiritual deepening for the coming months. Planned activities include spiritual exercises led by Fr. Alejandro Zelaya, a member of the Institute’s General Council, in January 2027, and an online workshop on the Personal Ideal, taught by the Rector General, Dr. Fr. Marcelo Cervi, beginning in November 2026.
One of the most significant moments of the gathering was the Eucharist celebrated at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Pozuelo de Alarcón, where the priests were warmly welcomed by the Sisters of Mary.
In addition to the formative and spiritual activities, there were moments of fellowship and exchange that strengthened the fraternal bonds among the participants.
A Sign of Hope for the Priestly Mission
The establishment of the Iberian Group and the beginning of the League of Diocesan Priests mark two complementary steps in the Schoenstatt Movement’s development in Spain.
n the one hand, the Institute is strengthening its community life and its presence across the country. On the other hand, the League opens new possibilities for diocesan priests to come to know and live Schoenstatt’s spirituality, placing it at the service of their communities and dioceses.
Both initiatives share the same concern that inspired Father Joseph Kentenich: to contribute to the Church’s renewal through priests deeply united to Christ, to Mary, and to their pastoral mission.
The Madrid gathering thus sends a message of hope: Schoenstatt spirituality continues to find new ways to enrich priestly life and to serve the Church.
