DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, Claudia Echenique, Maria Fischer •
July 9, 2023 was the 50th anniversary of the blessing of the Schoenstatt Shrine in La Victoria, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. A day of great joy to celebrate all the gifts of the Shrine that give life and make graces flow from La Victoria. —
Father José Luis Correa, the outgoing Schoenstatt Continental Coordinator for the Americas, also participated. “Archbishop Francisco Ozoria Acosta of Santo Domingo, the main celebrant, placed me next to him,” he said. “He placed the auxiliary bishop on the other side and asked me to say a few words at the end.”
The Holy Mass was a gift of gratitude and love for all the graces, benefits, intercessions, covenants and blessings that the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt has given to her faithful in this Shrine “Victoria Patris” for half a century.
Life flows from the Shrine
“Fifty years of the Shrine means fifty years of God’s presence and life among us. When the Bible speaks of a Shrine, it says that life flows from the Shrine…When we live under the protection of Schoenstatt, we experience the life of God among us,” said the Archbishop in his homily.
Father José Luis, on behalf of the outgoing continental coordinators, thanked them for the Jubilee celebration and told them that he had celebrated Mass in the morning with the pilgrims of the Vigil and that they had made a special request: that it not rain so that the celebration could be complete. He also told of hearing confessions for several hours in the morning, which he considered “a sign of a living Church, a Church that recognizes itself as small, humble and sinful, but also recognizes what Pope Francis says: ‘Allow God to love you, allow God to forgive you. There is nothing more beautiful than to experience that.
Two books were presented with the names of those who sealed their Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother in the Shrine.
Many priests from the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, and many pilgrims participated.
Video of the celebration
Collaboration: Fr. José Luis Correa
With material from Zona Pastoral Sabana Perdida- La Victoria on Twitter
Original: Spanish. Translation: Maria Fischer @schoenstatt.org
