Message from Martin Hafner about the Unit Leaders’ Camp Eurojam 2014

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Dear friends, 

Passing the French-German border 30 minutes ago, I want to share my satisfaction, yes enthusiasm about the Unit Leaders Camp with you. “Come and See” will not get a reality, it has already been a reality, and is a reality from now on. Five hundred unit leaders united in deep silence in front of Jesus in the Holy Sacrament surrounded by a patrol tent, meals in international patrols, joyful campfires and spectacles, intensive conferences and exchanges… ended up in seeing French guides and scouts greeting their Italian sisters and brothers leaving by bus with enthusiastic La-ola waves!

Many things are still to improve, but the Eurojam preparation has now really, really got in touch with Normandy, with the land of Saint-Hubert, and everybody knows about the last efforts to give in the upcoming weeks. We are sailing in the wind of the Holy Spirit facing the storms of our difficulties. But we are decisively on the Eurojam boat from now on, we fix everything more and more tightly, and invite more and more people to get on deck of the ship.

Thanks to all volunteers, thanks to all the preparation team, thanks to France, thanks to all associations which send their leaders under extreme sacrifices of time and money!

I cannot await the moment of the opening ceremony on August 3rd, day of the 100th anniversary of the sacerdotal ordination of father Jacques Sevin.

Let us boost the preparation of the consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus within your associations  from today on. The ground we are working on, our unit leaders, are well prepared. We just have to sow.

Duc in altum!

Martin Hafner 

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Chers amis,

J’ai traversé la frontière entre la France et l’Allemagne il y a une demi-heure et je voudrais partager avec vous ma satisfaction, mon enthousiasme même, au sujet du Camp des Chefs d’Unité. « Venez et Voyez » ne va pas devenir une réalité : ça l’est déjà, à partir de maintenant. Cinq cents chefs d’unité rassemblés dans un profond silence devant Jésus dans le Saint-Sacrement abrité sous une tente de patrouille, des repas en patrouilles internationales, de joyeux feux de camp et spectacles, des conférences et échanges intenses… et finalement les guides et scouts français faisant une ola enthousiaste pour dire au revoir à leurs frères et sœurs italiens qui repartaient en bus !

Il reste encore beaucoup de choses à améliorer mais la préparation de l’Eurojam a vraiment pris racine en Normandie, sur la terre de Saint-Hubert, et chacun sait quels derniers efforts il doit fournir dans les semaines à venir. Nous naviguons au vent de l’Esprit Saint, affrontant les orages de nos difficultés. Mais nous sommes pour de bon dans le bateau de l’Eurojam maintenant, nous arrimons tout de façon plus solide, et nous invitons de plus en plus de gens à monter à bord.

Merci à tous les volontaires, merci à toute l’équipe de préparation, merci à la France, merci à toutes les associations qui envoient leurs chefs, moyennant des sacrifices énormes de temps et d’argent !

Je suis impatient d’être à la cérémonie d’ouverture du 3 août, jour du 100° anniversaire de l’ordination sacerdotale du père Jacques Sevin.

Intensifions la préparation à la consécration au Cœur Sacré de Jésus dans nos associations à partir d’aujourd’hui. Le terreau sur lequel nous travaillons, nos chefs d’unité, est bien préparé. Nous n’avons plus qu’à semer !

Duc in altum !

« Christus surrexit, venite et videte ! ».

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Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy Easter!

The Church thoughout the world echoes the angel’s message to the women: “Do not be afraid! I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised… Come, see the place where he lay” (Mt 28:5-6).

This is the culmination of the Gospel, it is the Good News par excellence: Jesus, who was crucified, is risen! This event is the basis of our faith and our hope. If Christ were not raised, Christianity would lose its very meaning; the whole mission of the Church would lose its impulse, for this is the point from which it first set out and continues to set out ever anew. The message which Christians bring to the world is this: Jesus, Love incarnate, died on the cross for our sins, but God the Father raised him and made him the Lord of life and death. In Jesus, love has triumphed over hatred, mercy over sinfulness, goodness over evil, truth over falsehood, life over death.

That is why we tell everyone: “Come and see!” In every human situation, marked by frailty, sin and death, the Good News is no mere matter of words, but a testimony to unconditional and faithful love: it is about leaving ourselves behind and encountering others, being close to those crushed by life’s troubles, sharing with the needy, standing at the side of the sick, elderly and the outcast… “Come and see!”: Love is more powerful, love gives life, love makes hope blossom in the wilderness.

With this joyful certainty in our hearts, today we turn to you, risen Lord!

URBI ET ORBI / PASQUA 2014

Piazza San Pietro, 20 aprile

PAPA FRANCESCO

The Spanish Red Branch is taking off!

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The Spanish red branch is taking off!!! Reciently with lot of activities: Rangers Council, Rovers Council and the awasome Spanish National Route to El Escorial!.

In the beginning of Febrary the Rover branch, lidered by its Nacional Commissioner Luis Gordillo, have met in Madrid to have the first RS meeting where 33 RS from different places of Spain were discussing about pedagogy and the progression in the Red Branch. New adult’s Promises, RS departure, commitment, were some of the topics  they discussed the weekend of the 7th to 9th February.

At the same period the National Commissioner for Fire, Flory Delgado discussed in Toledo with the RS community about how to develop the Pilot activities, the commitment and the trainings of the red branch.

Finally in the en of March, from 28th to 30th both Rangers and Rovers met together to peregrinate to San Lorenzo del Escorial. More than 110 Rovers and Rangers praying together, in one of the most important historically basilica in Spain.

The whole weekend was rainy but the scouts and rangers did not stop singing against this difficulties. Three different routes were proposed: From Galapagar, La Jarosa and from Valdemorillo. Some of the routes brought also snow, what makes the experience even challenger and gratifying when finally they arrived to El Escorial.

It was especially significant this national route because 3 years before in 2011 during the World Youth Day the chiefs of the Spanish association were there making service to Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI. And after this three years, our return to that very place reminded us that we are still (come back there remenber us to continue) working for the Kingdom of Heaven here in the Earth.

Spain had the pleasure to share this awesome route with the Federal Commissioner Martin Hafner who has dedicated some words to us:

Incredible! Even three days after my return from El Escorial, I do not suffer from a cold! Even if I got as wet as nearly never before in my scout life – thanks to the fruitful central Iberian spring rain.

Impressive! The 100 rangers and rovers I could live during their pilgrimage. I saw the youngest members of the red branch, and I saw the former leaders of our Spanish association. And the most important thing is, that I saw nothing, but smiling faces and I heard nothing but songs, prayers, and laughter.

I shared my time with two national commissioners who are real columns of their branches. I thank our Lord for these leaders who invest all their heart in order to help their rangers and rovers to get saints – by offering them rain and snow, high mountains and breathtaking landscapes,  hot chocolate and all their fraternal love, but first of all the opportunity to adore our Lord in his most Holy Sacrament and to get reconciled with Him, with themselves and thus their brothers and sisters thanks to the sacrament of penitence!

Thanks to the spiritual advisors who shared the most difficult moments with our rangers and rovers – in the middle of the cold and windy nature, but also in the spiritual effort of a good confession. Do not leave your guides and scouts alone. Share your time. Let them be true missionaries in today’s world.

I imagine after you arrived back home, dear rangers and rovers, day-by-day life started. In the meantime I myself have already been to Normandy to help forwarding the Eurojam preparations. But our hearts should always stay at what we lived in El Escorial. This is the way you will never lose courage to take responsibility of your packs, your companies, your troops, your fires, your clans, and even your association. This is the way to say: “Here I am” and “Semper parati” whenever the Lord calls you for an ever bigger mission!

Duc in altum! See you in Normandy again!

Martin

View photos El Escorial / View photos Rovers Council