USA, Carlos Cantú. The Church calendar lists August 22nd as the feast day for the Queenship of Mary. Although it is not a holy day of obligation, the Schoenstatt Movement of the Brownsville Diocese has chosen this day as its special day to honor our Blessed Mother. This has become an annual event in the Brownsville Diocese and the entire Movement, with all its branches and the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, come together as the Schoenstatt Family that it is.
This year, the celebration was held at St. Francis Xavier Church in La Feria, Texas. Adding to the solemnity of the occasion was the presence of the Most Reverend Daniel E. Flores, Bishop of the Brownsville Diocese. It is always a joy to have the bishop with the Schoenstatt Movement. Concelebrating the Holy Eucharist with the bishop were the following priests: Fr. Héctor Vega, Schoenstatt Father and advisor to the Schoenstatt Movement in the Diocese of Brownsville; Fr. Mishael Koday from St. Mary’s parish in Santa Rosa, Texas; and Fr. Joe Villalón from St. John the Baptist parish in San Juan, Texas. The local Schoenstatt Movement was also pleased with the presence of two Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary from the Confidentia Shrine and Schoenstatt Center in Rockport/Lamar, Texas: Sr. M. Corelia Bechold and Sr. M. Heidi Infante.
More than 200 people present
Leading the entrance procession was the Auxiliary, representing the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in the diocese. This was followed by many coordinators from the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign carrying their Pilgrim MTA’s which visit many homes in the Diocese of Brownsville.
The Auxiliary and the Pilgrim MTA’s were lovingly placed in front of the altar bringing many smiles to the faces of the more than 200 devotees present. It was a little taste of Heaven! It reminded of Fr. Kentenich’s words on May 31, 1949: “There is something of home in the air tonight.”
“He blesses those who are kind and generous to people in need”
Bishop Flores gave a beautiful homily. Recent events regarding immigrants were fresh on his mind when he said, “God will bless this Valley, He blesses those who are kind and generous to people in need.” He continued: “The MTA is an icon of a beautiful place. I have been in the Shrine (Confidentia Shrine in Rockport/Lamar, Texas) several times and it truly is a beautiful place. I am acquainted with the history of how Schoenstatt came to Texas, when the then Bishop Ledvina asked Fr. Kentenich to send Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary to Texas. Beautiful place means a place of grace, a sense of peace.” The Bishop then said he was pleased with the presence of Schoenstatt and invited them to the beautiful place. He continued, “Our heart should become a beautiful place like Schoenstatt is a beautiful place to find peace. We should make our hearts more beautiful, more hospitable. God invites us to this beautiful place. It is so important that the Schoenstatt Mother visits the homes to make them beautiful places, where we listen to each other. We cannot only receive the beauty of God, we have to show it, share it with others. Grace encounters opposition, obstacles. Pray much. Pray the Rosary. Holiness is how we treat each other.”
Hail Holy Queen
As is custom, after the homily, all honor the Mother and Queen by reciting together the Hail Holy Queen prayer in both English and Spanish. A moment of silence precedes this prayer and all are invited to ask the Mother and Queen for that special need which they all carry in their hearts.
Before the final blessing by the bishop at Holy Mass, Fr. Héctor Vega invited everyone to renew their Covenant of Love with our Mother and Queen. This was sung in English and recited in Spanish.
It is important to note that this celebration was the Schoenstatt Movement’s celebration for the Jubilee Year, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the founding of Schoenstatt, the 100th anniversary of the Covenant of Love. Deep in all hearts is the Wayside Shrine of Loyalty on the old parish grounds of St. Francis Xavier in La Feria. This was the first Wayside Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt in the Brownsville Diocese, and this Wayside Shrine was dedicated on October 18, 1964, the 50th (Golden Jubilee) anniversary of the founding of Schoenstatt. The local Schoenstatt history is deeply rooted in the history of Schoenstatt, in the person of the Father and Founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich, and with the Confidentia Shrine in Rockport/Lamar.
After refreshments, the event concluded the special celebration during this Jubilee Year.
