The Blessed Mother gave us a priest, someone who joined the movement first and then went for a priestly vocation.
We thank God and the Virgin for Matias, a young man who found his way to God through Schoenstatt.
Now we can only ask the Lord to grant us more vocations, but not only priests or sisters, but also of men and women whom, within their families and everywhere they go, have a commitment to Jesus.
And that will be the work of Matias from now on, to bring the people outside to the service of God and the Blessed Mother.
Covenant of Love
Visit our blog in Spanish: go to www.radioalianzadeamor.com
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Thursday, October 31, 2013
The Miracles of Mary
The miracles of Mary
I will say something that probably will take me several articles to explain and maybe many claim that I should not get into those depths but we all have the right to be free and express ourselves.
I do believe in the miracles of the Virgin Mary. yes, I also know that miracles come from God, but She is the one who requests them, and we have a covenant with the person closest to the Lord , so why not ask for his help believing that we will receive it?
Compliant
We have come to be a fatalistic bunch, accepting the bad as normal, not believing that things can and will improve, that life has to be hard and all that we want has to be the result of an effort bordering with suffering. And in my very humble opinion, when we think that way, we are not being true to our faith.
It's love
Because God is a Father and therefore he is love, as Jesus told us, and He is a father who really loves us and is more aware of our needs than those of the birds in the sky or the flowers in the fields. It being so, it is impossible to believe that the Creator wants to see us suffer permanently.
I'm not saying that there are no problems and suffering , but our way of dealing with them should not be conformist or pessimistic, but full of faith.
And God expects us to believe in a solution, even more, that we propose it and work to get it. Then, seeing our actions, He will decide to give us something better still.
So I wrote a book called
Wonderful Mary, the Miracle Lady.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/176-4698272-3452624?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=wonderful%20mary%20the%20miracle%20lady
I will continue talking about this, because I want to explain how I felt the Virgin acting in my life, with extraordinary miracles .
I will say something that probably will take me several articles to explain and maybe many claim that I should not get into those depths but we all have the right to be free and express ourselves.
I do believe in the miracles of the Virgin Mary. yes, I also know that miracles come from God, but She is the one who requests them, and we have a covenant with the person closest to the Lord , so why not ask for his help believing that we will receive it?
Compliant
We have come to be a fatalistic bunch, accepting the bad as normal, not believing that things can and will improve, that life has to be hard and all that we want has to be the result of an effort bordering with suffering. And in my very humble opinion, when we think that way, we are not being true to our faith.
It's love
Because God is a Father and therefore he is love, as Jesus told us, and He is a father who really loves us and is more aware of our needs than those of the birds in the sky or the flowers in the fields. It being so, it is impossible to believe that the Creator wants to see us suffer permanently.
I'm not saying that there are no problems and suffering , but our way of dealing with them should not be conformist or pessimistic, but full of faith.
And God expects us to believe in a solution, even more, that we propose it and work to get it. Then, seeing our actions, He will decide to give us something better still.
So I wrote a book called
Wonderful Mary, the Miracle Lady.
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss/176-4698272-3452624?url=search-alias%3Ddigital-text&field-keywords=wonderful%20mary%20the%20miracle%20lady
I will continue talking about this, because I want to explain how I felt the Virgin acting in my life, with extraordinary miracles .
Sunday, August 4, 2013
She knows my name
I was talking to a guy about my most recent blog in Spanish telling him that I do not believe that TV preachers and protestants in general have a monopoly on happiness. He insisted on telling me that Catholics are too negative and the only merit they see lies on suffering like Christ on the cross.
Well, like St. Peter said once, I am not even worthy of being on a cross like the Lord, but taking that aside, I do not agree with the unhappiness mentality.
Put a smile on your face
A Marian sister from the Schoenstatt movement once told me that she was walking around doing her chores in the house, but for some reason, she was in a bad mood and it showed on her face. Another sister saw her, perhaps a bit more experienced and told her: "dear, the Schoenstatt sisters carry their burdens on their backs, not on their faces, smile". She did.
When I think of that, I can't help but smile myself, it is so true. Then I look at the photos of our founder, Father Kentenich, and see his beautiful smile. And believe me, he underwent his share of suffering, three years in a nazi concentration camp and then 14 years in exile from his beloved Shrine, and still, he smiled.
His secret
Simple, one name: Mary.
She knew him, his dedication, his love and that he had signed a covenant with Her, to work and spread the love of God through her, everywhere. And in exchange, She took great care of him and gave him many reasons to smile.
I do not know what may be troubling you right now, but if you want to smile and feel that there is a way, go to Her and make a covenant, a simple one: Virgin Mary, you tell your Son to help me and tell me how to find and apply solutions to my situation and I will love you and work with God in my heart. Or whatever you want to say, She will listen.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Wonderful Mary: The Miracle Lady
I want you to read this novel, is short and based on real events.
At Amazon with a kindle or if you do not have a kindle, download the kindle app for free from your computer, tablet or Ipad.
Friday, May 3, 2013
Mary is the great missionary
Maria is the great missionary because she takes the love and word of God everywhere.
And she does that with her example, her faith, her sweetness as a mother and and a wife. If you do not believe in Mary, you are missing one of the most beautiful gifts of the Lord.
I want to use these words from Catholic.net because I want you to remember that Mary is near you.
Many times, we hear people speaking of Mary, as if it was someone very different from us and thus, someone who can not be imitated because she is far from being a person like any of us. Turns out to be quite the opposite, we should imitate Mary.
Mary was a person, like each of us, she knew she was an exceptional creature who had no trouble doing things like anyone. And we can find in her many things to imitate.
In many parts of the world she is so ignored that there are churches that do not have a single picture of her.
Come to the Mater in our sanctuary, Schoenstatt awaits for you.
And she does that with her example, her faith, her sweetness as a mother and and a wife. If you do not believe in Mary, you are missing one of the most beautiful gifts of the Lord.
I want to use these words from Catholic.net because I want you to remember that Mary is near you.
Many times, we hear people speaking of Mary, as if it was someone very different from us and thus, someone who can not be imitated because she is far from being a person like any of us. Turns out to be quite the opposite, we should imitate Mary.
Mary was a person, like each of us, she knew she was an exceptional creature who had no trouble doing things like anyone. And we can find in her many things to imitate.
In many parts of the world she is so ignored that there are churches that do not have a single picture of her.
Come to the Mater in our sanctuary, Schoenstatt awaits for you.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
It is not important who is the messenger if he or she, loves the Lord.
You see, sometimes we go by famous guys, celebrities, or who knows what drives our selections.
But we forget that the Lord ignites the hearts of those he wants and it is up to us to pay attention or not.
This is one example I can give you of one chosen to speak the word of the Lord and I am sure, that with his love of the church, our wonderful founder, Father Kentenich, would have asked me to try and find out what more could I come up with from this example, because our founder was so ample, so careful, so dedicated that he motivated you from every angle.
The example of St. Anthony of Padua
You see, sometimes we go by famous guys, celebrities, or who knows what drives our selections.
But we forget that the Lord ignites the hearts of those he wants and it is up to us to pay attention or not.
This is one example I can give you of one chosen to speak the word of the Lord and I am sure, that with his love of the church, our wonderful founder, Father Kentenich, would have asked me to try and find out what more could I come up with from this example, because our founder was so ample, so careful, so dedicated that he motivated you from every angle.
The example of St. Anthony of Padua
One day, on the occasion of an ordination, a great many visiting Dominican friars came to a Franciscan convent in Italy, and there was some misunderstanding over who should preach. The Franciscans naturally expected that one of the Dominicans would occupy the pulpit, for they were renowned for their preaching; the Dominicans, on the other hand, had come unprepared, thinking that a Franciscan would be the homilist. In this quandary, the head of the hermitage, who had no one among his own humble friars suitable for the occasion, called upon Anthony, whom he suspected was most qualified, and entreated him to speak whatever the Holy Spirit should put into his mouth. Anthony objected but was overruled, and his sermon created a deep impression. Not only his rich voice and arresting manner, but the entire theme and substance of his discourse and his moving eloquence, held the attention of his hearers.
At that point, Anthony was commissioned by Brother Gratian, the local Minister Provincial, to preach the Gospel throughout the area of Lombardy, in northern Italy. In this capacity he came to the attention of the founder of the order, Francis of Assisi. Francis had held a strong distrust of the place of theological studies in the life of his brotherhood, fearing that it might lead to an abandonment of their commitment to a life of real poverty. In Anthony, however, he found a kindred spirit for his vision, who was also able to provide the teaching needed by young members of the order who might seek ordination. He thereby entrusted the pursuit of studies for any of his friars to the care of Brother Anthony. From then on his skills were used to the utmost by the Church. Occasionally he took another post, as a teacher, for instance, at the universities of Montpellier and Toulouse in southern France, but it was as a preacher that Anthony revealed his supreme gift.
We must pay attention when the Lord asks us to do something, it is what our Founder, Father Kentenich told us to find out, our calling in life, the spiritual ideal that would drive us. Let us follow it. It does not matter how humble you are, the Lord has great things stored for you.
Friday, March 29, 2013
The interview in Spanish that started the popularity of the phrase shepherds that smell like sheep
A- A A+
Hacen falta pastores con olor a oveja
Declaraciones del cardenal Bergoglio pocos días antes de ir a Roma para el Cónclave
Ciudad del Vaticano, (Zenit.org) Rocío Lancho García | 2821 hitos
El padre Ángel Strada, en el programa Alianza de amor de la radio del Movimiento Apostólico de Schoenstatt en Miami (Radio Paz WACC 830 AM, Conductores Belsay Hennig y Gustavo Méndez), habla sobre el encuentro que tuvieron con el cardenal Bergoglio en la reunión anual de sacerdotes de este movimiento de Argentina y Paraguay, días antes de dar comienzo el cónclave.
El padre Strada reconoce la gran sorpresa con la que recibieron la noticia de que el cardenal Bergoglio había sido elegido papa, ya que los medios de comunicación no le daban como "candidato" por la edad que tiene, aunque el padre Strada admite que los que le conocen sabían que era un gran candidato por sus cualidades. "El nombre que él ha elegido ya es un programa, Francisco fue un Evangelio vivido", dice en la entrevista.
A continuación, cuenta cómo los padres que trabajan en Argentina, Paraguay y Uruguay se reúnen anualmente, y siempre tienen la inquietud de invitar a ese encuentro, que dura varios días, a alguna personalidad para enriquecer, intercambiar y dar a conocer la comunidad de Schoenstatt. Seis meses antes ya pensaron en el cardenal Bergoglio por el aprecio que le tienen y porque pensaban que por la edad ya iba a presentar su renuncia. El mismo cardenal llamó a la comunidad para avisarles que él viajaba al cónclave pero que el encuentro no se suspendía y que les esperaba el sábado 23 de febrero por la mañana en la curia de Buenos Aires. "Nos dijo que no iba a dar ninguna conferencia, que le hiciéramos preguntas y que quería que intercambiáramos", cuenta.
Una de las preguntas que le hicieron fue qué perfil debería tener el nuevo papa. El cardenal Bergoglio les respondió: "Les voy a decir cosas evidentes pero son las cosas en las que yo creo. Primero, tiene que ser un hombre de oración, un hombre profundamente vinculado a Dios. Segundo, tiene que ser una persona que cree profundamente que el dueño de la Iglesia es Jesucristo y no él y que Jesucristo es el Señor de la historia. Tercero, un buen obispo. Debe ser un hombre que sabe cuidar, acoger, tierno con las personas, que sabe crear comunión. Y cuarto, debe ser un hombre ahora que ayude a reformar la Curia". Sin quererlo, continua el padre Ángel, hizo una descripción de sí mismo. Es "un gran don del cielo que el cónclave le haya elegido", añade.
Hablando a nivel más personal, Strada cuenta lo que sintió cuando se despidió de él. "Me preguntó cómo iba la causa de la canonización del padre Kentenich (fundador del movimiento) y cuando nos despedimos pensé qué lástima que este hombre no vaya a ser elegido papa, pensando en el impedimento de la edad, pero ojalá sea alguien como él". Cuenta además cómo el cardenal Bergoglio bromeó sobre la posibilidad que lo eligieran, "nosotros le preguntamos como estaba la salud de él por el pequeño problema que había tenido en las piernas y nos respondió que ya estaba muy bien, un padre le dijo que tuviera cuidado porque, ya con buena salud, los cardenales le podían elegir papa, y nos respondió que no nos hiciéramos a esa idea y que ya lo tenía pensado, que iba a entrar al cónclave con un bastón, y los cardenales pensarán que a ese viejito no le vamos a elegir nunca".
"Una idea fija que tiene él --continúa narrando el padre Strada- la expresa con estas palabras: hay que buscar una Iglesia que esté en la calle. Él piensa que la Iglesia no debe cerrarse sobre sí misma porque se enferma. Tiene que ir a buscar a los hombre. Dice que nos equivocamos al pensar que en el rebaño tenemos 99 ovejas y hay una oveja descarriada que está afuera. Y es exactamente al revés, en el rebaño tenemos una oveja y hay 99 que están afuera, y el error nuestro es dedicarnos a la única ovejita que tenemos dentro". Cuenta el padre que a ellos les dijo "hoy no hacen falta clérigos, no hacen falta funcionarios clericales, hacen falta pastores que tengan olor a oveja, pastores que estén con las ovejas, que nunca las apaleen sino que las cuiden con mucho amor".
Finaliza la entrevista hablando del aspecto mariano del santo padre, que demostró con su primer gesto como pontífice de acudir a Santa María la Mayor, para hacer una ofrenda con flores a la Virgen, como un niño que le va a regalar flores a su madre. Y destaca también su labor pastoral y de cercanía a los hombres cuando dice que la Iglesia tiene que ser tierna y salir a buscar a los hombres.
(22 de marzo de 2013) © Innovative Media Inc.
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