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Retreats of Evangelization 2007In the first fortnight of January, twelve week-long Retreats of Evangelization and Civilization of five to eight days length were carried out. 960 brothers and sisters, most of them young, participated of them and received the first fruits of evangelization in the present year. Fr. Jorge and Fr. Roberto, from Lima, Perú, participated of one of the retreats. We pray for the fruitfulness of the grace in the heart of those who attended the encounters. |
Retreat of consecrated brothers and sisters
This year 56 consecrated brothers and sisters of Nazaret
(priests, consecrated lay brothers and sisters) took part in the annual
retreat that was carried out in February, in the house of encounter and
prayer at Cuesta Blanca, Córdoba. On this occasion, Fr. Ricardo took as
subject "Seek holiness". May God bless their consecrated vocations,
and gave them the grace to deeply follow this motto! |
Easter XXXIV DaysAt Easter celebration, the Movement held 58 Easter Days, from Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday, at different parishes, schools and several places in Argentina, Ecuador, and at the cities of Asuncion, Paysandu and Lima. Under the motto "I am the good Shepherd" (Jn 10:11a), about 8200 people participated of them (young people, married couples and children). Some of the Retreats had a large attendance, as the one at Santa Lucía Parish, in Florencio Varela, Greater Buenos Aires (620 participants); and others had a small number of participants, as the one at Valle de Punilla, Cordoba, with 19 people. Some of the Days were organized for the first time, as the ones in Tandil (Buenos Aires) and in Posadas (Misiones). Let us pray so that the Risen Lord continues blessing his People with a New Life! |
Masculine Nazaret at Santisima Trinidad ParishOn Sunday 25 March, the archbishop of Córdoba, Mgr. Carlos José Ñáñez, handed over the pastoral administration of Santisima Trinidad Parish to the priestly branch of Masculine Nazaret. The community that takes over this ecclesial service, is integrated by Fr. Walter Chiesa (parish priest and server of the consecrated community), Fr. Sebastian Pérez (parochial vicar), and Luis Ceballos (who has received lectorate). During the months of May and June, Fr. Ricardo visited the city and he had several interviews, pastoral meetings and visits. Besides this, on June 14, the signature of the parochial contract between the archbishopric and the Movement was carried out. That evening, the Archbishop Mgr. Ñáñez and his vicar for the laity, shared supper with the Nazarene community of the parish. Let us pray for our service to the Church! |
Feminine Nazaret in Lima, PerúFr. Ricardo and Mercedes, general server of Feminine Nazaret, travelled to Lima (Peru) for the Easter Days. A hundred and eighty participants gathered at San Francisco Solano Parish, served by Fr. Miguel as parish priest. A community of three consecrated lay women (Nora García, Emma Diodati and Liliana Cabrera) was established there. They will collaborate in the pastoral work. Let us pray for the sisters of this community, called to announce the Word of God as lifestyle in a diversity of Nations and cultures! |
Feminine Nazaret in Gibraleon, SpainAlso accompanied by our sister Mercedes, three consecrated lay women travelled to Spain on Sunday 29 April. They were seen off with love and prayers at the previous Sunday Mass, by 500 brothers and sisters of the Work, and by members of their families. At Gibraleon (Huelva province), they constituted a consecrated community of Feminine Nazaret, to the service of evangelization. It is integrated by our sisters: Silvia Fioramonti (architect), Andrea Duarte (psychologist) and Margarita Nicastro (mathematics teacher). During her stay, until May 21st, Mercedes participated of the patron saint celebrations of the place, and she had several encounters. When she returned she met the brothers and sisters of Madrid groups and those of Alcala de Henares which is nearby. |
Days of PentecostLike every year, the celebration of the Spirit who raised Jesus and urged the Church to evangelize, was celebrated in all the Pastoral Centers of the Work. This year, according to the motto at Easter, it was associated to the Spirit with the image of the risen Good Shepherd. After several years Fr. Ricardo celebrated this feast with the Pastoral Center of Parana, where he baptized two children of the community and visited the Bishop monsignor Maulión. Let us continue cultivating the friendship with the Holy Spirit of God! |
Groups in TandilOn the occasion of the Pentecost whole-day encounter in Tandil, to the south of Buenos Aires, our sister Celeste Ballón Patti travelled there. The local parish priest, Fr. Raul Troncoso, was also present, and he shared tea time in a very brotherly atmosphere. The seed of the charisma is taking root among the young people. Apart from the Initiation group, a group of Encounter in the Word was established after Easter. We ask the Lord that this seed may give abundant fruit! |
In San Juan and MendozaAfter this year Easter in San Juan city, three new groups were formed, two of young people and one of middle- aged people. Forty-five brothers and sisters participate of these groups. Another fruit born in that place is the catechesis for Confirmation, which is offered for the first time in that city, at the Santísima Trinidad Parish, which is attended by 20 brothers and sisters. Betty Massun, from the Nazaret community, travels to Mendoza every month to accompany the pastoral development of the place. In her last visit 'level retreats' were prepared for this area, and she tells us that "Mendoza is growing in the pastoral formation of the body of coordinators". There are brothers and sisters there, who start asking themselves what God wants of them, and there are others who, within their marriage life, are being formed for dedication. Let's pray for the pastoral development of the Cuyo region! |
Retreat of Dedicated married couplesOn the weekend of 7-8 July, the married couples dedicated to God in the Work, had their annual retreat in Castelar town. Fr. Ricardo took as subject for meditation: "Dedication and holiness". Let us pray for this reality in their lives and in the lives of the numerous married couples who are preparing for that vocation! |
Mary's DaysOn the occasion of the feast of the Assumption, on August and September numerous one-day encounters took place in different places of the country. The first one was at Florencio Varela, in Quilmes Diocese, with 920 participants. Mary, in her bond to the Word of God was also celebrated and announced in Capital Federal, Western Zone of Greater Buenos Aires, Córdoba, San Juan, Mar del Plata, Rosario, Tucumán, Bahía Blanca, and Itatí, among other cities. May Mary's presence contribute to peace and evangelization in the world! |
Juvenile pilgrimage to LujanThe promoters of the participation in this Marian pilgrimage to the Marian Shrine, said: "this was the 17th time that we were present as a Work in this beautiful experience of the Argentine Church". 480 brothers and sisters of the Movement took part (13 buses), among pilgrims and servers (they were assisted by 5 vans and 3 cars). "We came from fourteen different Pastoral Centers, together with some other people who do not belong to the Movement, but who came to share with us this beautiful experience. We always take advantage of the march to announce the Word of God to the pilgrims who walk together with us, trying to gestate a space for the life of the Spirit and for fraternity. The Lord blesses us with the grace that some of them later approach the Work because of the experience which they shared on their way to Lujan". |
Level RetreatsFrom September to November, several retreats for different levels of formation in the Movement, were carried out. They had a large attendance from all the country, and the Lord's abundant grace accompanied each part of the pastoral and formative process. This year 152 brothers and sisters in Mendoza and San Juan unified their retreats with plenty of blessings from God. May the Lord make us faithful to the grace received! |
New CardinalsAt the Consistory on 24 and 25 November, Pope Benedict XVI created 23 new cardinals. Among them is Mgr. Rylko, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and two from Argentina, Mgr. Estanislao Karlic and Mgr. Leonardo Sandri. |
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Retreats of Coordinators of Pastoral Centers
The pastoral year of the Movement started with this retreat which was
carried out from 16 to 18 February, in Castelar, Buenos Aires. It was
attended by 155 coordinators coming from the whole of Argentina and from
Paraguay. Fr. Ricardo enlightened this encounter with the subject: "The
life dynamisms in the pastoral leading of the Centre". We ask God to
enlighten their pastoral work the present year! |
Rural Missions 2007The rural missions have been carried out for 20 years. This summer two missions were carried out from 2 to 14 of January, and 18 brothers and sisters from different pastoral centers of the Work participated of them. The first one took place for the third consecutive year, at Avellaneda town, in Reconquista diocese. The second one was carried out at Arroyo Corto, a small town in the south of Buenos Aires province, in Bahía Blanca diocese. The people there welcomed the missionaries and the Word of God very well, and as a fruit they expressed their witness: "We used to go to Church just to fulfill a requirement, now we realise that we have brothers and sisters and that we can share our life… You don't know how much the Word has worked these days in these people!" |
CPC Retreat and anniversary
From March 2 to 4, a retreat was carried out, for the catechists of CPC
(Communitarian Process for Confirmation)
to get prepared to serve in 50 parishes in this country and abroad. It was
attended by 245 brothers and sisters, some of them coming from Asunción
and Lima. It was accompanied by 4 priests, for ministerial service. The
novelty this year was that 15 catechists from several parishes of Buenos
Aires Archidiocese (who do not participate of the Movement), joined in
this experience. They came from several parishes of Buenos Archdiocese,
and were accompanied by Mgr. Mario Poli, auxiliary bishop and vicar of
Flores zone, who presided the Mass on Saturday. |
Retreat of ServantsThe retreat of servants, which was carried out from 20 to 22 April, in Marmol (Buenos Aires province), was attended by 105 brothers and sisters coming from different parts of the country. It was blessed by the Lord with an atmosphere of interiority in the brotherly treatment and the discipleship life. In those days they went deeply into these subjects. Let us pray for the brothers and sisters who are served and evangelized! |
Lectorates and acolitatesThree brothers of Masculine Nazaret, received Lectorate on 13 May, and Acolitate on 20 October, from the hands of Father Bishop Stöckler, in Quilmes. They are Luis Ceballos and Fernando Frías, from the consecrated communities of Córdoba, and Pablo Noriega, from the community Guardiana de la Fe, in Buenos Aires. Let us pray for their ecclesial and ministerial service way! |
School for CouplesOn Friday 23 May Fr. Ricardo met the present advisors of the Family Diacony (Fr. Daniel Viera, Fr. Adrian Caruso, and consecrated Cecilia Di Fonzo), to give way to the School for Couples in the Movement. That school will be served by the married couples who carried out the School for Couples Companions last year. We entrust it to Mary of Cana! |
Pastoral visit to Paysandú, UruguayFrom 22 to 24 of May Fr. Ricardo visited, in the city of Paysandú, the local founding group in a very fraternal atmosphere. Fr. Julio, parish priest of the place, also shared in the meeting in a very brotherly way. The visit was occasion for a friendly meeting between Mgr. Pablo Salimperti, bishop of Salto, and Fr. Ricardo, who took the invitation to work in the city of Salto too, seat of the Bishopric. Let us entrust to the Holy Spirit the ways of ecclesial service that He indicates to us! |
Marian retreatsIn May and June, the Marian Branch of the Work organized encounters with Mary, in the cities of Cordoba, San Juan and Tucumán. Afterwards there was one in Buenos Aires, attended by 110 people, which took place at the school of San José de la Palabra de Dios. The meditations were given by Graciela Ruggiero and Pablo Bellando, in a beautiful atmosphere of covenant with the Mother of God and our Mother. Mary was thus anticipating the Marian days in August. |
Married and engaged couplesIn July two retreats were carried out for married couples and for engaged couples. The first one, on 7-8, was attended by 48 married couples, and the second one, on 21-22 by 55 engaged couples. They were animated by Fr. Daniel Viera, together with a team of married couples who accompanied him. We pray the Lord for this basic reality of life, which needs so much in the culture of our time! |
Pastoral visit to QuitoFr. Ricardo and our sister Mercedes visited the pastoral zone of Ecuador, between 31 July and 14 August. On this occasion, apart from giving pastoral attention to the associated community, they carried out the Convivencia II (an eight-day retreat) of the Short Course of Evangelization. It was attended by 62 brothers and sisters, and our friend bishop Mgr. Terán Dutari. It is the first time this retreat has taken place in a country other than Argentina. The celebration of the Mass, on the closing day, was presided by the Archbishop of Quito, Mgr. Raúl Vela. Let us pray for the fruitfulness of the graces poured on the lives of the participants! |
Pastoral visit to LimaThe members of the Central Pastoral Service visited this city. They stayed there for two days, and they were present when the earthquake occurred in Peru, on August 15, while they were celebrating the Eucharist. Let us thank the Lord for his protection over them, and pray specially for the needs of Pisco city! The Nazarene community accompany a Communitarian Process for Confirmation with 150 young people, at San Francisco Solano Parish in Lima. Glory be to God! |
Particular consecrationOn the weekend of August 3 to 5 and for the first time in the Movement, a retreat was carried out for this new modality of consecration. Fifteen lay sisters participated of it, coming from Buenos Aires, Córdoba and the 'Litoral'. Under the pastoral guide of Viviana Ruffener and Patricia Sarlé, they prayed and shared on the following subjects; "Consecrated life" and "Finding God in daily life". We place in Mary's hands this way of life and sanctification! |
Stella Maris Sardi's deceaseOur sister Stella Maris belonged to the Movement since the founding beginnings. She took the Short Course of Evangelization in 1977, when she was 21 years old. Together with other sisters of the Work, who are architects, she was a pioneer in the professional and labour realities of the New World. She passed away at 52, she was married and had two daughters. She was a member of a Life Community at Misericordia Center. Let's pray so that she may intercede for us, on seeing the Eternal Father's Face, together with Jesus and Mary! |
Contribution to the Synod on the Word of GodThe Movement presented to the Conferencia Episcopal Argentina its contribution to the Synod on the Word of God, in 2008. About 1200 people took part in this shared reflection, generally young adults who meet every week in community groups in different Argentine provinces. Let's keep our prayer for the fruits of this Roman Synod! |
House of Encounter and Prayer (Tristán Suárez)The access rooms of the building having been finished, the foundations of a large dining-room for 150 people are being built at the moment. In the meantime, the Movement thanks God for the closing of the second Offering of Communion and Rescue. With this, through evangelization of property and brotherly solidarity, the whole Movement makes an extraordinary contribution to the project of the House or Encounter and Prayer. Let's praise the Lord who calls us to service in his Reign! |
