BRAZIL, São Paulo, Sueli Vilarinho – Family League •
In 2009, the Jaraguá Family League instituted 15 April as an annual commemoration of the home shrine, following the 60th anniversary of the Santa Maria letter. Fr. Antiono Bracht and Raquel Padilla were responsible for this current of life, faith and a welcome to all families on behalf of the Jaraguá Family League.
League leaders Sheila and Alex Formigoni, and directors Fr. Vandemir Meister and Raquel Padilla have worked very hard to cultivate and strengthen this life current, and as a result, eighty couples belonging to the League met at thirty-nine home shrines for a prayer evening at 20.30 on 15 April to renew the covenant of love and recommit themselves to the Blessed Mother so that she can take up her place in the home shrine and act effectively from it.
Those who already do have their home shrine invited couples that don’t have a home shrine to visit and pray together.
Celebration rite
The rite started with a welcome:
Take our Lady’s picture with you and give her a place of honour in your homes. These will then become little shrines in which the picture of grace will mediate grace, create a holy family and form holy members of the family.
Letter from Santa Maria 15/04/1948, Fr. Kentenich
A brief explanation was given to the visitors about the symbols that each shrine has already conquered, together with its name as the family’s mission.
This was followed by a Bible reading inspired by the name of the home shrine or a Bible passage that the family most identifies with.
Prayer renewing the consecration of the home shrine
A short prayer to renew the consecration of the home shrine followed:
Dear Mother, Queen and Victress Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt, with childlike joy, especially on this day, we want to affirm before you our desire to open the doors, not only of our homes, but also of our hearts, renewing our petition: “Mother, come and take possession of our lives, our family, turn our homes into a domestic Church, which is no longer just a simple home, but Your Small Shrine, from which you will also distribute your graces. Teach us how to live as children of the Father and instruments of the Holy Spirit, strengthening our commitment to participate in the mission of our father and founder. We thank you for our children, our journey as a family, and for all the blessings and graces you have poured out over us and all those who passed through this home shrine. We ask forgiveness for the times we were not faithful to our covenant of love and our mission. Thank you Mother for your great love for all of us, your children. Amen.
In a special moment, petitions and prayers of thanks were made, and offered to the Capital of Grace that were taken to the Zion Shrine in Jaraguá on 18 April.
The celebration came to an end with songs and great joy as they prayed the little consecration.
Living Schoenstatt shrine, a new Nazareth, Tabor for the world
The Family League ideal — “Living Schoenstatt Shrine, a new Nazareth, Tabor for the world” — was enkindled anew in a very original way, and in the certainty that next year on this day “in which heaven touches the earth at Jaraguá,” it will be repeated, in thanksgiving for the gifts of love received from the Mother and Victress, Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt who lives in the homes of families.
