SPAIN, Maria Fischer •
I have just sent two professional and high resolution photos of the Unity Cross, photos obtained many years ago from the goldsmith shop of the Brothers of Mary, which no longer exists. I have already sent them several times, at the request of Schoenstatters to make posters, or to print them. But it was the first time I sent them to a monastery. Precisely, to the Monastery of the Holy Family of Hondarribia, in Gipuzkoa (Spain), of the Discalced Carmelites. —
A few hours earlier, a request had arrived via the contact form of schoenstatt.org. With the permission of Sister Patricia Noya, we share it here.
I apologize for my boldness. My name is Sister Patricia Noya, I am a Discalced Carmelite in the Monastery of the Holy Family of Hondarribia, in Gipuzkoa (Spain). I entered the monastery in 1988 and was solemnly professed in 1994.
Shortly before the date of my solemn profession a photograph came into my hands that touched my heart, because it represented exactly my vocation, the promise that God unfolded before me. In those years there was no internet in our monasteries, and I never knew the origin or the history of that image. But I sent my little photograph to a printer to make my profession cards with it. This image has accompanied me intimately for almost 30 years of my life in Carmel. I did not print many of them and little by little they ran out, leaving me with only one.
A few days ago, a sister from another monastery asked me to please provide her with the image, because after so many years since I sent her the print, she was still moved by it. She too, like me, felt when she saw it that it represented her own call.
Moved by this request, which I cannot satisfy, I searched for the first time for the image on the Internet and discovered her institute and her spirituality. I take the liberty of asking you to send me by mail a photograph of a certain quality of this dear image. I do not know if there are reproduction rights, I am ignorant in these matters.
I would like you to tell me what steps I should take or how and how much I should pay to obtain it. Thank you for your kind attention, and sorry for the inconvenience. God bless you.
Obviously, no charge for these photos or for a small cross to send to the monastery. Although yes… we do “charge” something. I asked for prayers for Ukraine, for the victims of the fires in Chile, for the victims of the earthquake in Turkey and Syria, and for everyone who reads this article.
Unity Cross
Original: Spanish, 10.02.2023. Translation: Maria Fischer @schoenstatt.org
