USA, Angie Santos. The leaders of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Texas participated in a workshop on 10-12 January at the beautiful Schoenstatt Center in Lamar Texas. The purpose of the workshop was to strengthen the State Team leaders in Schoenstatt spirituality, reflect on the Jubilee graces and to create enthusiasm for new apostolic challenges. The group consisted of representatives from the various dioceses around Texas where the Rosary Campaign is active.
After many years of hard work and dedication, Victor and Olga Alegria from Austin passed on the torch of State Team Coordinators to Adolfo and Angelina Lopez of Brownsville. This was the first workshop they had to prepare as the new coordinators and they did an outstanding job.
The workshop included presentations by the moderators Sr. M. Corelia Bechold, Sr. M. Gloria Mauricio and Fr. Marcelo Aravena. After the presentations, the new leaders skillfully led the rest of the workshop. They are both very caring leaders, who are detail focused and sensitive to others. As part of the weekend, all were asked to draft a prayer to crown the Blessed Mother as Queen of the Rosary Campaign at the closing Mass in the shrine.
“Mother, help me, this is not my work. It is yours. I’m only a small instrument.”
One of the most inspiring moments of the workshop was a testimony by Raquel Guillen, a tireless worker of the Rosary Campaign in Brownsville. Raquel is over 80 and is responsible for about 300 Rosary Campaign coordinators. She does not have a computer, does not drive, and coordinates everything by phone. She also prepares many people for the Covenant of Love in her house. She does this without neglecting her duties as a mother and grandmother in a very large family. The Lopez family had been accompanying her work for some time and showed us photos and videos of her apostolate.
The video consisted of an interview in which Raquel was asked about her work and she shared her story. In the interview, Angelina Lopez asked “How do you get inspiration from the Blessed Mother? How do you decide what you are going to do with the group, what inspires you to continue?” Her response was: “Well, first I pray to her, I meditate with her. I really like to talk with her when I go to bed or when I wake up. When I need to perform some task or organize an event. I tell her: Mother, help me, this is not my work. It is yours. I’m only a small instrument. And she actually does everything. “
Ordinary people overcome their weaknesses to serve our Mother and Queen
This is exactly what was highlighted in the workshop. Fr. Kentenich’s words reminded all: “Our place of grace is the result of co-operation between God and ourselves, between the Blessed Mother and ourselves.” Often people do not want to become involved in a ministry or apostolate because they think they are already busy enough with family, work and other activities. Examples like Raquel’s remind that if if we commit ourselves, if we speak to Mary, she will certainly take care of everything. It is inspiring to see how ordinary people overcome their weaknesses to serve the Mother and Queen. There are countless examples like this in the many countries where the Rosary Campaign is present. The Blessed Mother is in a hurry and we have to follow her.
An extra blessing
As an extra blessing, the participants always had Mass and prayer time in the shrine, based on the fact that group consisted only of the leaders. The weather was perfect and the view of this shrine on the waterfront helped to create a perfect atmosphere. There was a family atmosphere and the participants had many opportunities to share beautiful stories over mealtimes or on the corridors. There were many moments of fun, such as the closing Mass. After sprinkling holy water over the congregation, Fr. Marcelo asked one of the Dallas ladies to sprinkle holy water on him. Perhaps because she was nervous, she drenched him in holy water!
The participants returned to their cities with a new enthusiasm and fresh ideas of how to take the Blessed Mother to many more homes.
