USA, Carlos Cantú. In September of 1950, Joao Pozzobon had no idea that his efforts to take the image of the MTA to the people would have such far-reaching proportions. He had no idea – at the time – that he would be helping Blessed Mother commence her great visitation from the Schoenstatt Shrine. And he certainly had no idea that sixty years later – on September 9, 2010 – there would be a great celebration commemorating the sixtieth anniversary of the founding of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Brownsville, Texas USA. Yes, in Brownsville, Texas, the southernmost tip of the United States of America where several cultures blend and where being bilingual (English and Spanish) is definitely an asset because often Masses, celebrations, public meetings, and other events always have a bilingual dimension.
The Pilgrim Mother visits several thousand people in Brownsville
I stand to be corrected, but if I am not mistaken, the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign came to our area in either 1986 or 1987, and since then, many coordinators have received their commission to take the Pilgrim MTA into their communities. The Pilgrim MTA is visiting several thousand people in our diocese (some estimate the number is close to 10,000) and the testimonies of what so many experience with the visit of Blessed Mother to their homes is most heart-warming…..physical cures, marriages mended, jobs found, stopping drugs and alcohol, persons returning to the their families, persons returning to the Sacraments, marriages blessed in the Church, feuds in families and with others resolved…..and the list goes on and on. There is no doubt that many are truly finding refuge in the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt and her Shrine. Many have sealed their Covenant of Love and many have erected Home Shrines. In Brownsville, Texas we have three couples groups which are a result of the Rosary Campaign.
In 2000, in Santa Maria…
Probably the most dedicated member of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in the Diocese of Brownsville is Raquel Guillen. Her age does not deter her from working untiringly for Blessed Mother. Those of us under 80 could really learn a great deal from her, especially about the spirit of magnanimity. Ten years earlier, in Santa María, Brazil, she witnessed a beautiful ceremony commemorating the Golden Jubilee of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign. It really impressed her and she never forgot it. She had the idea to do something similar for the 60th anniversary, so she proposed the idea to other SRC members and to our Schoenstatt Movement Director in Texas, Fr. Héctor Vega who immediately gave the green light.
A living crown of prayer
The purpose was to have “a living crown of prayer so that Jesus and Mary reign in our hearts, in the families, and throughout the entire world.” It was an invitation for us to “crown the Blessed Sacrament and Mary,” not only in honor of the 60th anniversary of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign of the Pilgrim MTA, but also in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Father Kentenich’s ordination to the priesthood.
After a brief introduction for the day’s celebration, a beautiful procession in which either coordinators or representatives of Rosary groups brought up their Pilgrim MTA’s (there were at least 100 Pilgrim MTA’s present, most of them beautifully arrayed with crowns, Rosaries, flowers and ribbons), exposition of the Blessed Sacrament then took place, and this was followed by a simulation of Joao Pozzobon carrying the diocese’s Auxiliary, with Rosary in hand, to the altar and resting below the Blessed Sacrament.
A crown of living roses
The following text was then read: “Father Kentenich often spoke of the Rosary as ‘a crown of living roses,’ a crown of love fashioned by prayer and life. Therefore, in the Campaign, we crown the Blessed Sacrament and the Pilgrim Virgin with the Rosary. It is a very valuable crown which has great beauty in the eyes of our Father God because it is formed by the life of Jesus and Mary and interlaced with our own life. The lighted candles represent the love with which Christ and Mary lived the mysteries of Redemption to illuminate our life. The roses signify our response to that love: our effort to pray and live our joys and sorrows following the footsteps of Christ and in covenant with Mary. In this way, we offer to the Shrine’s Treasury of Grace our prayer and our life so that the Eucharistic Jesus and Our Lady of Schoenstatt may burst into the world with their graces and transform it.”
After this text and before the beginning of the recitation of the Rosary, Fr. Héctor Vega gave an eloquent homily which was most appropriate for the celebration of the day.
Illuminated Rosary
On the floor and around the altar, surrounding the Blessed Sacrament, lay the Crucifix and the many beautifully decorated candles symbolizing the Rosary. Thus the Blessed Sacrament on the altar was surrounded by the Rosary which would soon become a living Rosary. At the recitation of each prayer of the Rosary, a candle was lit. The person then offering the prayer would place a rose by each candle. A beautiful, living Rosary with lighted candles and roses created a solemn and prayerful atmosphere. There was a man for the prayer of the Creed and each Our Father. They all wore blue T-shirts with the name of the prayer on the front and a symbol of the Campaign on the back. Each Hail Mary was prayed by a woman and each woman wore a yellow T-shirt with the words “Ave María” on the front and the symbol of the Campaign on the back. It was indeed a beautiful sight to behold.
Mother, teach me to pray and live it
At the conclusion of the Rosary, Fr. Vega then blessed the many crowns which would adorn the Pilgrim MTA’s. With everyone holding a Rosary in hand, Fr. Vega pronounced the following words: “I give this Rosary to you in the name of the Mother, Queen and Victress Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt as a weapon and shield of defense for the battle.” Everyone with Rosary in hand then responded: “Mother, teach me to pray it and to live it.”
The grand finale culminated with the blessing of the Blessed Sacrament.
More than 300 persons were in attendance. It was a grace-filled experience which will long be remembered. A great spirit of family was in the air. With our Father and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, we could repeat his prophetic and heartfelt words: “There is something of home in the air tonight.”
