CHILE, Rina and Guillermo Quezada. Hearts are still afire with the visit of the Pilgrim Virgin del Carmen and Mother of Consolation. This has to do with the image of the Virgin del Carmen, a beautiful carving by Ricardo Villalba, an artist from Quito. The image was blessed by the Holy Father during the general audience on Wednesday, March 24th. It was a gift for Chile’s Bicentennial and brought to Chile by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State for His Holiness.
They were two intense days in which her Schoenstatt children, along with their pastor, Fr. Ivo Solarini, and the entire church of Aysén received the image with great emotion. It was like experiencing what St. Elizabeth felt when Mary came in haste, bearing the Redeemer of the world in her womb.
God was giving his Mother anew to her children so they could tell Her how much they love Her and to ask for her blessing. They also entrusted to Her their worries and sufferings, the large or small crosses which She knows well, as an offering of redemption for this Bicentennial…..for each brother and sister who continues suffering the consequences of the earthquake…..so that Chile may be a great nation of brothers and sisters where everyone can share one fraternal table.
This visit was lived fully from the moment the image arrived in Coyhaique, in the southern region on Thursday, the 6th, at 9:30 PM, and in the visits to the different communities, chapels, schools, nursing home, hospital, jail, etc. It ended on Saturday, the 8th at 7:00 PM with a solemn Mass in the Cathedral of Coyhaique. It was very orderly and all the armed services were present.
Your visit marked our heart with fire
If it is certain that your image left physically, your maternal presence remained, engraved in the hearts of everyone by the profound experience of your visit. How can one forget her visit to the Wayside Shrine and the immense joy of having Her at the place of grace! It is something which the Schoenstatt Family may never forget, especially the moment of prayer experienced around the Queen and Patroness of Chile, and along with our dear adviser, Father Roberto Navarro who was Providentially in Coyhaique and Fr. Ivo our pastor…..and to hear once again Chile’s Gospel read by one of its transcribers and sister in the Covenant, Anita Sáiz.
The Lord gave us a beautiful day where there were no gusts of wind, something normal for this time of year. It seemed as if you could feel the presence of the Holy Spirit who created a supernatural atmosphere which evoked the words of our Father and Founder in the talk of the 31st of May of 1949: “…..There is something of home in the air tonight. It may even seem to us as if angels were in our midst, calling out to us: ‘Take off your shoes, for the place where you are standing is holy ground'”
Only remaining is to thank the Blessed Mother, the Holy Father, for making this gift to their children: the Pilgrim Virgin del Carmen and Mother of Consolation in this Bicentennial year. May She bless the entire country and each Chilean so that Chile may be reborn in its faith in her Resurrected Son and that Chile may be transformed into a table for all. “Mother, your visit has marked our hearts with fire.”
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 051710
