ARGENTINA, José María Iturrería. The uniting of the Shrines of La Puntilla, Mendoza, Argentina and Bellavista, Santiago, Chile through the Crusade of Mary has concluded for the 120 members of the Schoenstatt Boys’ Group. It was a feat that took fifteen days to cover the 400 kilometers (around 248 mi.) of demanding road which in the end synthesized the meaning of life itself: inclines in favor and contrary slopes. Both realities were faced with the strength that emanated from the definition that the crusaders gave this feat: A MADNESS OF LOVE FOR MARY.
ONWARD! Crusade of Mary!
“Good morning pilgrims! It is 4:00 a.m. Time to rise!” Father Joselo awakened us every morning of the 2010Crusade of Mary with this phrase that still resounds in my ears. Several of us thought it was a joke when they told us that we would have to get up at 4:00 a.m. everyday, but we immediately discovered that this was serious, and there was a good reason for doing it.
The Crusade of Mary was crossing the Andes by foot from the Mendoza, Argentina Shrine to the Bellavista Shrine in Santiago, Chile. In fifteen days, we traveled a distance of 400 kilometers (248 mi.) and it was necessary to walk between 20 to 30 kilometers daily.(12 to 18 mi.) In the middle of summer and at 3,000 meters of altitude the sun in the mountains is very strong, that is why we had to take advantage of the dawn to walk, because that is when it is cooler.
And what was our day like? At 5:00 a.m., we finished breakfast prepared by the kitchen team. Good warm chocolate, bread, and jam to encourage us! After morning prayer, we heard a loud shout of war: “ONWARD! Crusade of Mary!” That is when the walk began lasting until 1:00 p.m. when we arrived at our destination. Walking through those wonderful mountain landscapes is already quite an experience, but to walk with the Blessed Mother in front of us and along with 120 youth from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Uruguay, Mexico, Germany, the Czech Republic, and India is something quite unique. It is not simply about walking, rather it is going on pilgrimage together.
The passage about the road to Emmaus (Luke 24, 13-34) illustrates what I want to say very well. The road becomes an opportunity to dialogue, to share and to enrich oneself with the life of the others. Moreover, as a result both of us open up to an encounter with the Resurrected Lord who walks with us. Each person has a story to tell, something to share and to give. And it is there where we can surely see and feel the joy of being “crusader brothers.” These were hours of generosity, of attentive listening, and definitely of friendship. A simple candy, a piece of nougat, or a little dried fruit to share marked the difference between being alone or feeling the warmth of fraternity.
Love…IS THE STRONGEST!
After some hours of pilgrimage, you begin to feel the heat, and you also feel thirsty, hungry, muscle aches, and even blisters. The Crusade can bring out the worst or the best of us. One can continue to complain because of the pain or you can take a step toward solidarity. When I am open to discover that I am not alone is when I realize that I can go “that extra mile” and do something for others. When I am open to see the frailty around me is when – oh, what a paradox! – My suffering lessens! The joy of sharing emerges from the awareness of being brothers, and with this, the openness to an entirely new horizon, because I can say: “…brother, I go with you”. However, to overcome these things we need strength and the firm will to continue, as well as an abundant amount of water to drink, and the precious “granola bar” which was the best “remedy” against weariness for us.
After eight hours of walking through the mountainous ranges, we arrive at the final stop for the day. Finally! Sometimes it is at a town where an Army detachment welcomes us, or it could be a river that runs between the mountains. Whatever it is, the heat always welcomes us so we have to find some shade to shelter us. During these days, I have seen an abundance of creativity among the crusaders in order to find a “little bit of shade””! Those of first rank are the “mechanic” crusaders, who wisely lie under the Argentinean Army truck that accompanies us during the walk. About fifteen “mechanics” can pile up under the chassi, and about fifteen “mechanics” can even get between the wheels.
Lunch is taken at 1:00 p.m., at the final stop. Don’t even think about an elaborate dish, rather, everything fits in a small yellow bag. I was never so happy to eat: one potato, one tomato, one hardboiled egg, one slice of bread, and one orange! We were so tired and hungry that it even seemed like a delicacy from the “Hilton”. As soon as you finish lunch you begin to feel sleepy. A nap is indispensable since we only sleep about five hours during the night. These are the quietest times of the Crusade. During those hours, we are practically in the arms of Morpheus.
In the afternoon, the sun begins to set, and we gather by groups and communities to share the experiences of the day. A good hot herbal tea prepared by the kitchen always accompanies us. Finally, at sunset and before supper and bedtime until the next day, we gather to share the Eucharist. The Mass is the time to renew oneself, to stir up oneself, to “recharge the batteries” of the soul; and the homilies of each of the eight priests who accompany us help with this. It is only possible to deal with the difficulty of the Crusade when there is a “reason” that is, there is a significance to do it. It is not unusual after the third day, after the blisters, the heat and the weariness, to ask oneself: “What am I doing here! What made me come?” This is when it can touch one deeply, where one can discover that the Crusade is like a Baptism because it “seals character” that is; it marks and transforms as Fabian from Uruguay said. From him I remember one of the best “reasons” for this Crusade of Mary: “On the other side of these mountains, my Baptism awaits me.” It was a long road for him, and at the same time a beautiful preparation for the Sacrament of Christian Initiation, which he received during the closing Mass.
The main thing is: inner freedom in Christ and in Mary
But what was the Crusade of Mary? For each one of us it was a unique experience. However, I would like to recall some of the anecdotes that marked us. Crusade 2010 was a Liberating Crusade. This year we recall the Bicentennial of Chile and Argentina, and it has been almost 200 years since the Crossing of the Andes by the Army that conquered freedom for our Latin American countries. Freedom is given when it is conquered first. We learned that there is no “freedom of the people” if first there is no “inner freedom”. This is the reason we wanted to conquer it during the first part of our Crusade until reaching Christ the Redeemer at 4,000 meters of altitude. That is how, as Father Facundo said, “…we discovered that it was Christ who crossed our interior and traveled the mountains of our heart to give us that true freedom, holding Mary’s hand. In this way we embrace Christ the Redeemer making ourselves a Living Shrine that surrounds him, with the shout of Unity! Unity! Unity!” (Those of us that were there remember this with a smile because the shout did not come from us, rather it was an evangelical group that was there at that moment, and they shouted when saw us arrive with flags singing the Hymn of Franz Reinisch)
In this way, the Crusade that was freedom when it descended to Chile became the “Liberating” Crusade because we walked toward our countries to give them the true freedom that can only be found in Christ and Mary; that was the treasure that we wanted to give and to transmit. Many people saw us pass, a line of 120 youth with flags on high and walking to the rhythm of the Schoenstatt hymns.
Liberating and in community…Until 2014!
We received funny looks, greetings from automobiles, honks from trucks, but thanks to God there were generous people who helped us on the road. From the Family of Mendoza who welcomed us to their Shrine, passing through the Argentinean Army, the National Guard, the Army from Chile, the policemen, the Dawn Breakers from the Shrine, the families from the Carrascal Parish, to the Sisters of Mary, the Ladies’ Federation, and so many other people who encouraged us during the walk.
Crusade of Mary 2010 became liberating because we also committed as Latin American Boys’ Youth to walk together to 2014. The centennial of our Family is approaching, and it is not about recalling and celebrating a past event, but rather of being founders again and to “going out in the street” to take Schoenstatt. For this reason we, as Boys’ Youth, want to be protagonists, and beginning now, we want to prepare the road to Crusade 2014 by experiencing international unity, struggling to establish a Covenant culture, and to be encouraged by the fire of the mission.
If I had to summarize what the Crusade meant to us in one sentence, I recall a question that a lady asked me when she was in awe of seeing so many youth crossing the mountain range: “Why are you doing this?” The immediate response was: “For the Blessed Mother!” For whom else would we undertake such madness? I personally believe that we would not do it for anyone else in the world.
Editor’s note: The author is a seminarian of the Schoenstatt Fathers he is from La Plata, Buenos Aires, and during this year he will be ordained as a deacon and then as a priest.
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA / Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
How inspiring and uplifting to read of this pilgrimage. I can’t help but think that our world will be in good hands with such self-sacrificing young men. Our MTA is certainly pleased and will bless them all.