ARGENTINA, Mónica Jendrzejczyk. In the neighborhood of San Justo – in a metropolitan area of Buenos Aires – that almost became a victim of bureaucratic problems… there is a wayside shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt. A missionary from another area, who is now eighty years old, took the initiative to build it, and the missionaries from San Justo are greatly concerned because this wayside shrine has not been officially recognized. The San Justo Campaign is in the midst of re-founding, since there was a time in which a good number of missionaries were lost. At present, they are trying to re-conquer, to attract new missionaries, and to move the large mission forward. The wayside shrine was one of the concerns in this process…
During the last representatives’ conference, they told Father Guillermo Carmona, the new National Adviser of the Rosary Campaign, what had happened with the wayside shrine, and he asked that they send him a brief history with photos. The weeks passed… and the missionaries were sad when they did not receive a response. Monica relates: “I left my house with great sadness to the home of a family, which receives the Pilgrim MTA, and to whom I had promised to accompany for the crowning of their Homeshrine. The title they had chosen for their Homeshrine was Queen of Joy, Health and of Work. At the end of the day, I went to sleep with all the joy of the day, but with a little bit of hopelessness. Upon awakening in the morning, a thought passed through my mind: if Father Kentenich had to wait for fourteen years of exile for the Movement to be recognized, who am I to expect that a wayside shrine would be recognized within two years of hard, determined and perseverant work? With this thought in mind, I heated the kettle to brew some mate (herbal tea) and I looked at the Blessed Mother in my Homeshrine and told her: “WHEN EVERYTHING SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE, YOU WILL GLORIFY YOURSELF.” After a while of drinking mate, praying and carrying out different tasks, I turned on the computer and the first email was from Father Guillermo Carmona telling me: “Dear Monica, a thousand thanks for sending me the report and the photos of the wayside shrine. They are beautiful! I am happy to know about its history and to see what Providence does with the generous support of Mary’s children…”
A contribution for 2014
Father Carmona continued writing: “The motto that has accompanied us for some time: “She is the great missionary, She will work miracles.” has been confirmed once again. I was out of Argentina for some weeks; that is reason for my silence and apparent indifference to what was developing there. This appearance does not correspond to my sincerest feeling. I accompany you in this beautiful task of making the mystery of the Covenant present to everyone who has a Marian heart and one of solidarity. I am interested in the testimonies of what She is doing among her allies. Perhaps in the near future, we can publish a book that will be a compendium and contribution to 2014. We will also include what has been experienced in San Justo among these testimonies. As to a formal recognition of the wayside shrine, the testimony you have given is enough. I know that there are some missionaries who have undertaken the task of keeping track of all the wayside shrines. I do not have the complete information about this, but there is no doubt that yours is fully recognized, at least on behalf of Schoenstatt…”
There is a missionary, who missions with the Pilgrim MTA of Serenity and Confidence and who has a great desire that the wayside shrine of Villa Madero be officially recognized since she has never gone to the Shrine because she suffers from panic attacks; so many of us think that we owe this wayside shrine in great measure to Sister Emilie, because she surely interceded for this dream to become a reality.
Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX, USA
