The International Council of the Mothers’ Federation has been in existence since September 8, 2022. Our work is slowly becoming a reality and taking root in the hearts of mothers across different regions. Below, I share a story that concretely illustrates how geographical boundaries fade away and hearts are moved to help our sisters in the Alliance thanks to the existence of the International Confederation. It is a way of putting into practice the motto “Let’s go with the other, in the other, for the other…”
At the end of December 2024, I received a WhatsApp message from our international vice-president, Matilde di Battista, from Argentina. Matilde asked me to look into the possibility of making contact with mothers in Costa Rica. She told me about the worry and distress of a federated mother from her country—Leo—who had learned that her son Tomy, who lives on a beach in Costa Rica, had recently undergone emergency surgery for very severe peritonitis. She had no information about him, had no one to turn to, and could not travel to Costa Rica. She began to pray and remembered that in Costa Rica we have a first-level Mothers’ Federation course. “But we have sisters in Costa Rica. “He could turn to them!!” (referring to the Mothers’ Federation). Perhaps a mother could call him, let him know he’s not alone, that in the face of an emergency or need, there’s someone he could turn to. I quickly contacted Anabelle González from the 1st course in Costa Rica, who took this mother’s concern to heart. She called him and said, “Leo, I’m here for you.” And from that moment on, they stayed in constant contact. The next morning, she went to the hospital to get information about Tomy, find out visiting hours, spoke with him on the phone, introduced herself, and offered all the help he needed. She went to see him, made sure to buy him some things he needed, and reassured Leo by sending him a photo of herself with Tomy at the hospital.
“Tomy is recovering; he’s being cared for, (…) he’s still on a liquid diet. But anyway, that puts my mind at ease. I know there’s someone close by… friends have to come from far away… Without the International, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s good to nurture connections and bring to life what we talk about so much—‘with one another, in one another, and for one another…’ That’s what Anabelle did; as soon as you told her, within three minutes my son received a message saying, ‘I’m here for you,’ and I got one just like that, unconditional.”
Tommy got better and returned to the beach. Anabelle and Leo remain in constant contact to this day. They met in person in September 2025 in Costa Rica.
Cecilia Brunner
International Councilor
International Federation of Schoenstatt Mothers
March 2026
Translation: Kathleen Colunga