{"id":103081,"date":"2026-09-07T13:01:31","date_gmt":"2026-09-07T11:01:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/la-m-i-in-paraguay-oggi\/"},"modified":"2026-09-07T13:02:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-07T11:02:48","slug":"la-m-i-in-paraguay-oggi","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/la-m-i-in-paraguay-oggi\/","title":{"rendered":"The M.I. in Paraguay Today!"},"content":{"rendered":"

From August 18 to 24, 2026, Mariela C\u00c9SPEDES, National President of the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.) of Bolivia, and I went on a mission to Paraguay. We were sent there by Friar Marek WILK, OFM Conv., the Delegate of the Provincial Delegation in Paraguay, belonging to the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James of Strepar in Poland (Cracow). Our purpose was to meet with the local M.I. groups and talk to them about the path that the International M.I. is currently following.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The M.I. has been present in Paraguay since 1986, when Friar Rufin ORECKI, OFM Conv., came from Poland to promote the Militia of the Immaculata. In 1989, he founded the Catholic magazine Tup\u00e3sy \u00d1e’\u00ea [Our Lady\u2019s Word], which is still published today, and established several M.I. groups. Currently, there are five local M.I. groups.
\nOn Tuesday, August 18, we arrived in Paraguay. Father Marek WILK was waiting for us at the airport. After a two-hour drive, we arrived in Guarambar\u00e9, at the Conventual Franciscan Natividad de Mar\u00eda Church and Friary. The following day, August 19, we set out for Ciudad del Este. Along the way, we passed through Asunci\u00f3n and visited the Basilica of Nuestra Se\u00f1ora de los Milagros de Caacup\u00e9, a Marian shrine that attracts many faithful devoted to Our Lady. There, we entrusted to Our Lady the mission we would carry out that week.
\nIn the early afternoon, we arrived in Ciudad del Este, where there are two active and devoted M.I. groups. They meet faithfully each week to pray the Rosary and meditate on the Word of God. We presented the M.I. General Statutes to them and saw that they were very enthusiastic and committed. Although they consider themselves members of the M.I., they still know little about the M.I. For example, they are not familiar with the writings of St. Maximilian.
\nWe invited them to attend the retreat scheduled for the following Saturday and Sunday in Guarambar\u00e9, where they could deepen their understanding of St. Maximilian\u2019s spirituality and the gift of the Militia of the Immaculata.
\nThe next day, August 20, we went to Pastoreo, where an M.I. group meets under the leadership of a woman who was among the first people in Paraguay to consecrate themselves to the Immaculata. She joyfully told us that she had been consecrated for thirty-nine years and that, together with others, she had faithfully met every Monday for thirty-nine years. We met with the group, which shares the same characteristics as the one in Ciudad del Este. They were very welcoming, and they, too, committed to attending the retreat.
\nThe next day, Friday, August 21, we left for Guarambar\u00e9. In the early afternoon, we went to Aregu\u00e1 to meet an M.I. group that gathers monthly to study the writings and spirituality of St. Maximilian more deeply. They also committed themselves to attending the retreat.
\nWe returned to Guarambar\u00e9 and attended Mass. After Mass, we met with a group preparing for consecration to the Immaculata\u2014a wonderful, active group eager to learn about and deepen its understanding of M.I. spirituality.
\nOn Saturday and Sunday, still in Guarambar\u00e9, we and members of the M.I. in Paraguay spent two days deepening our understanding of the Statutes and spirituality of the M.I. There was great enthusiasm and a strong desire to learn more about the M.I. and continue deepening this gift.
\nOn Sunday, August 23, we held elections, on an experimental basis, for the National President and Council. For the first time, the M.I. in Paraguay elected a National President, namely, Mr. Basilio SAAVEDRA. We also formed a provisional Council to begin the process of establishing the National Center of the M.I. in Paraguay and obtaining its official recognition.
\nA group of young members of the M.I. was also formed, with the goal of introducing the M.I. and its spirituality to the youth of Paraguay.
\nWe give thanks for this mission in Paraguay, which was a true gift for us: a week of sowing seeds, sharing, beauty, and enthusiasm. Now we are called to continue sowing seeds and guiding these initial steps, with the joy and responsibility of seeing something new come to life. It was wonderful to experience the enthusiasm of those who wish to learn more about the M.I. and to live this gift ever more deeply.
\n\u201cThere is more joy in receiving than in giving\u201d\u2015and we received so much: hospitality, enthusiasm, faith, and the desire to walk together. Special thanks to the Conventual Franciscan Friars who invited us and gave us this opportunity. Thanks also for allowing us to take part in this important moment and help guide the initial steps of the M.I. in Paraguay.
\nAll that remains is to continue sowing seeds with trust and joy. Nothing but thanks! Thanks for all we experienced and for what the Lord is bringing to life. Thank you! Only love creates!<\/p>\n

Angela DE MARCO, MIPK [Father Kolbe Missionaries of the Immaculata]
\nSecretary of the M.I. International Presidency Council<\/p>\nngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From August 18 to 24, 2026, Mariela C\u00c9SPEDES, National President of the Militia of the Immaculata (M.I.) of Bolivia, and I went on a mission to Paraguay. We were sent there by Friar Marek WILK, OFM Conv., the Delegate of the Provincial Delegation in Paraguay, belonging to the Province of St. Anthony and Bl. James […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":103077,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107,132,135,122,148],"tags":[510],"class_list":["post-103081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-falc-en","category-federations","category-general-offices","category-mi-en","category-news","tag-paraguay-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103081"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103081\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":103084,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103081\/revisions\/103084"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103077"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.ofmconv.net\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}