Diego Asili. The Crusade is marching onward…for eleven days already… What do we know about our youth? What do they know about us? How can we accompany them? The articles published on the web page received many comments from many parts of the world that we will share.
A hard road
A hard road but surely they know that they are accompanied. Today 120 brave ones who dared to go are entering Chile…we know very little about them…t here is not much news from there other than a message sent once in a while; like the e-mail that José Maria Iturrería sent to Juan Barbosa some days ago: “We are tired but very happy. After four days of walking we are doing well: tired muscles but… without blisters!” says José Maria, who sounds overjoyed. This is because he is walking with the Blessed Mother, the love of his life, and of the youth, She is undoubtedly his main passion.
“The Crusade is demanding: Waking up at 4:00 a.m., we walk from 5:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. under the sun. We stop for lunch and rest, Mass, talks. At 10:00 p.m., we go to bed. This is the rhythm. There are 120 crusaders. Pablo and Jorge, my course brothers, Father Pastor, Father Facundo, Father Enrique Grez, Father Tommy Nin Mitchel and Father Joselo Zabala. A seminarian from India, a Czech, and a German diocesan seminarian are also on pilgrimage with us.”
Our accompaniment
This e-mail unleashed a chain of rosaries the Family from Córdoba organized…and that as of a few days ago totals more than 200 rosaries, along with prayers, and Masses that are being held in many Argentinean cities and other countries. This is the way to accompany these 120 youth… so that they will not feel alone, they can be sure that through their giving of self Mary will make sure that each one will receive these prayers.
As a result of the comments in the articles, the Schoenstatt International Press Office has received many messages. They are still arriving; some from faraway places such as Father Cassone and Father Cárcar who are accompanying them from Rome and Friar Luis Orlando Rolón who says: “This is Friar Luis Orlando Rolón, a Franciscan from Cruz Blanca; I was born in Argentina, but I have been in Spain for eight years, where I serve the suffering Christs, in body and soul, people who are seriously affected by psychosis. I learned about this news when I read aciprensa.com. From a distant land I only want to tell you that I entrust everyone who is participating in this pilgrimage before Jesus in the Tabernacle, so that God the Father will shower abundant graces on each one of you and that our good Mother, the Blessed Mother will make you true apostles of a God who madly loves us. Att: Friar Luis”.
Others write from places that are closer, such as Augustina from Mendoza, or Juliana Revol from Córdoba.
There are also those who have a relative taking part in the Crusade: the families of Migue or Mariano, that of Martin Mass, and of course the support of the Yegros Family, who has four members in the Crusade; their Aunt Alicia sends her message: “Nephews, Ito, Dani, Guille, and Santi… I admire you profoundly, and I heartily wish you success in this wonderful endeavor. May Mary guide, accompany, and give you strength. My great nephews!!! I love you!!!”
The experienced ones are in charge
There is also much support from the ex-Crusaders…from Crusades 2001 or 2007: Agustin, Nico, and José. They offer their prayers and they tell a little about their experience, all in the same message: about the indelible mark that the Crusade left on their memories and in their hearts. For example Nico shares: “I can assure all the readers that taking part in Mary’s Crusade has been one of the most important milestones in my life, but to reach the end it takes not only physical strength, but above all spiritual strength… for that reason it is very important to support these 120, who are mad for the Blessed Mother, with prayers, since it is the nourishment of the soul that will accompany them during these fifteen days… Mary’s Crusade! Going Forward!!!”
Inés from Goya (Argentina), Mariela and Maria José from Guayaquil (Ecuador), Matilde from La Plata (Argentina), Maritza, Marina, Blanca, Franz, Sister M. Andrea, Sister Eugenia María, Monina, Jorgelina, the family of the New Bethlehem Shrine, Chile, provided some of the many comments that supported the news; they related the emotion that they felt when they learned about the courage, effort, and the desire of these young men to announce their love from the highest place. Perhaps some of them did not understand very well what it meant to do this, others had been preparing spiritually for a long time… the important thing is that these youth feel that the entire world-wide Schoenstatt Family is accompanying them.
We cite Maritza’s message: “A wonderful madness… we will keep them in our prayers… that they may remain infinitely strengthened by the sweet love of the MTA, the prayer of Father Joseph Kentenich, Mario and all the Schoenstatt Family. May you remain encouraged and with strength, may you have a wonderful Crusade! Youth divine treasure…TREASURE BECAUSE THEY ARE CHILDREN OF THE BEST MOTHER!” Sister Andrea writes: “Thank you boys, for this “crusade on high” in such low times…Thank you for taking our flags to Christ which is our goal. I accompany you with my prayers. Pray for our nation, and for that of each one that needs it so much!!! May there be many “mad people for Mary” like you”… These are just a few messages.
We will see the results in a few days
We need to continue to pray for them since today they will undertake the walk down into the land of Chile. There is still some time before reaching Santiago… we cannot deprive them from feeling accompanied.
Wounds, weight loss, some sprains, blisters, heat exhaustion, tendonitis, weariness, thirst, hunger… these are some of the things that these young men will experience, small crosses that they will learn to love, because something greater is what motivates them a greater love- the love of Mary… To counteract these ills they can imagine sleeping looking at the stars, receiving help from new friends, meeting new people, and finding themselves, and finding a reason to carry out great challenges…
Thank you all, young men, for your sacrificial "walk of love", may the graces spread your spirit in the MTA. From the area of the Milwaukee WI shrine and a home shrine , "Queen of the Family", "Regina Familea"