Francisco Grondona. Mary’s Crusade 2010 will begin in a few days on January 14th; it is the fifth one since this initiative began in 1999. It is a large pilgrimage, the largest in South America uniting the Mendoza Shrine in La Puntilla with the Bellavista Shrine in Santiago de Chile. It is a sixteen-day, 400-kilometer (or about 248 miles) walk crossing the Andes that separates these two places, and it will follow the road that was once used by the Liberation Army. However for the 120 young men who are participating this year this is not an impediment to accomplish it.
Physical and spiritual effort
Getting up at five in the morning, getting a backpack ready, having a quick and simple breakfast, walking 25 kilometers (15 mi.), having a lunch that consists of: bread, an egg, a tomato, a potato, and daily Mass is part of the routine that these youth will experience, but this is only a superficial approach. Focusing on these details would make Mary’s Crusade a purely physical challenge, while in reality there are many experiences that help all the participants to grow and mature spiritually. Of course, the weariness, hunger, sleepiness, and blisters among many other things affect what each one can do personally, but there is something greater that relegates the physical strength to second place, and that is knowing all this effort is made for the love of Mary and her Son…”If You are at the end, why should I delay in arriving, I will take another step…” conveys a song sung on the 2007 crusade and that summarizes the meaning of the Crusade.
Even if everyone’s strength is sapped, there is a greater strength that urges to continue and to arrive at the goal. Mary’s Crusade could be expressed as a great capital of grace.
A Living Shrine
A picture of the MTA – who motivates all this – and the Cross of {cms_selflink page=”mario-hiriart” text=”Mario Hiriart”}, one of the great reference points of the Schoenstatt Movement, leads the Crusade.
One of Mario Hiriart’s great dreams was “…in the Andes we will build a shrine: a symbol of unity for our people and our]hearts, and of the triumph that the Blessed Mother will obtain through her instruments,” and the Crusade tries to fulfill this.
Each one of the participants is a brick of this Shrine., offering himself. Surrounding Christ the Redeemer, everyone embraces the person beside him, thus forming the living Shrine.
A madness of love
One hundred twenty youth, priests, and seminarians from seven different countries: Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, Uruguay and Mexico soon will gather in Mendoza to begin this great adventure.
Each one has their special reality, a unique life history with different personal motivations to make this walk, but all of them are united by the same ideal, and the same goal.
All of these youth set aside their vacations, their summer, their family, their girlfriends, and friends to walk for sixteen days beneath the sun and climatic conditions of the Andes that vary from high temperatures, to strong winds, and the cold of the 4200 meters of altitude at the Crusade’s highest peak, Christ the Redeemer.
In addition to their clothes, everyone will carry water and food in their backpacks; they will also have the petitions of many people, good and bad situations that they experienced throughout the year to present to the Blessed Mother. They will have the help of the entire Schoenstatt Family who will pray for them and will accompany them spiritually on this journey.
Many say they are “crazy”, and they do not understand the reasons that give them the impetus to make such an effort since they could be taking it easy, and they think that it is a waste of time. They are not mistaken to call them crazy, Mary’s Crusade is undoubtedly a madness of love, otherwise it would be difficult to accomplish everything they will do in these sixteen days in the Andes.
Mary’s Crusade…Marching forward!
The motto which is repeated each year that the crusade is carried out and every time that the spirit of the crusaders diminishes, “Mary’s Crusade…Marching Forward!” will resound at the heights of the range once more and with each shout the strength and love for Mary will be reaffirmed and will give them the motivation to accomplish the highest objectives.
From schoenstatt.de we ask for prayers to spiritually accompany all of these youth throughout the Crusade.
