BOLIVIA, Lizzie Loetz. Through the valleys, peaks and snowy hills, the Father Symbol arrived at the Shrine on the high plain. Achumani was filled with joy, and with this Symbol, a sign of the universal Family’s unity, everyone has felt united around the Founder. He wanted to leave this Symbol as a sign of the loving and providential presence of God the Father within his Family.
The Ladies’ Branch from Achumani was determined that the pilgrimage of the Father Symbol would include Bolivia, but the Blessed Mother did the great work. She, knowing about those desires, opened the roads and helped with what seemed to be something very difficult: She provided the hands to transport the Symbol from Colombia to La Paz, Bolivia.
Sister Eugenia Maria appeared, who would take the Symbol to Bellavista, and from Bellavista, José, Rafael and Pedro offered to help (they are Chilean Dawn Breakers, who were traveling to Bolivia for an International Conference). In this way, precisely on June 18th, Achumani received the awaited visit. Thank you Blessed Mother, you always do everything well!
Beneath the gaze of God the Father
All the groups took turns guarding the Symbol while it remained in the Shrine. At night it visited some of the couples’ Home-shrines, it accompanied the international retreat for the diocesan priests and seminarians, and the families’ of the Bolivian Sisters of Mary, Maria de la Luz and Maria Lizette.
Beneath the gaze of God the Father, the conviction grew – which was expressed by Father Joseph Kentenich in one of his homilies – that “God sees us, he loves us, and he needs us. And reciprocally every child sees him, loves him and needs him.” The loving presence of God the Father does well, it infuses encouragement, since he values every child “like the apple of his eye,” in any situation in which they find themselves.
The Schoenstatt Family from Achumani wants to constantly seek the presence of the living God, leaving aside the many small things that distract their attention. Consequently, they will certainly find security in this paternal God, who protects and guides every child who abandons himself to his divine guidance, just like Mary, and the Father and Founder of Schoenstatt did.
The Schoenstatt Family from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia, also received the Father Symbol.
Translation: Celina Garza, Melissa Janknegt, USA
