ECUADOR, Mónica Maruri. At dawn on November 6th, the Schoenstatt Family from Ecuador experienced moments of joy and renewal with the youth around the Jospeh Engling Memorial with the motto: “Heroes of Fire – Golden Family marching towards 2014.” And for the first time, the families joined the youth in an activity that included a touching adoration and con-celebration of the Eucharist in Guayaquil and Quito simultaneously with the Original Shrine.
The motto of the youth is “Heroes of Fire, Golden Family; marching towards 2014”, and it has become a journey through the life of Joseph Engling, a Schoenstatt hero.
Thanks to Internet technology, Father Ángel Strada in Schoenstatt, Germany, and Father Patricio Ilabaca in Guayaquil, celebrated the Mass for close to 500 participants, who prayed and received communion in front of the pictures of the Original Shrine.
A human chain around the Shrine
On behalf of the youth, Panchito Martínez monitored the Mass in Guayaquil, and in Schoenstatt, Yolita Mora made the petitions. Father Egon was with Father Strada; he was remembered in Ecuador because he resided in the town of Santo Domingo de los Colorados for fifteen years.
After Mass a human chain was formed around the Shrine as an act of giving of self for Ecuador, and thus with lighted lanterns evoking an expression of the consuming fire, the heroes’ fire, those who were on fire with love for the Trinity, and trusting in our Father for the holiness of his children throughout the world. Finally, the participants reaffirmed the motto of the international family, YOUR COVENANT OUR MISSION.
Video of the Mass in the Original Shrine
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
