María Elena Vilches. The Holy Mass “toward 2014” was celebrated once again, this time it was in covenant with Slovenia. The Covenant of Love was established recently in this southeastern European country -which is politically young. The Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign is already in Slovenia; She works in the homes and in the hearts of many people just as She does in more than the 130 countries where the campaign exists.
At the beginning, Father Carlos Cox – the Rector of the National Shrine of Maipú, Chile alluded to the first reading. He said that it was not a coincidence that it was about the election and sending forth of the first deacons, and he recalled that on several occasions Father Kentenich referred to the Most Holy Virgin as the “Deaconess”. He specifically referred to the text of the prayer of the Angelus in Heavenwards.
The Schoenstatt Family from Slovenia was present
Sister Julie read the petitions in Croatian. After the Holy Mass, the Covenant of Love was first renewed in Slovene and then in German. Sister M. Ramona was in charge of the songs during the celebration. She worked in Croatia, and she has been very instrumental in taking the MTA to Slovenia.
Sister Ramona related that at the same time that the Mass was being celebrated in the Shrine, the Family from Slovenia was also gathered to celebrate the Eucharist to unite spiritually to the Original Shrine.
International petitions
The intentions of the Holy Mass this Saturday were for the Schoenstatt Family in Slovenia on their pilgrimage toward Jubilee 2014 and for all their apostolic projects.
For the international Schoenstatt Family during this triennium of preparation toward 2014 so that each day we may renew our pilgrimage to the Shrine with joy and continue to create the Covenant Culture throughout the world.
The Iberian Men’s Branch Retreat that was held in Spain this weekend was especially remembered as well as all the workshops and pilgrimages that were to be carried out around the Original Shrine during the week.
Many petitions and expressions of gratitude arrived this week, and they were offered to the MTA in the Shrine jar as an offering to the Capital of Grace. They arrived from Italy, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Cuba, Canada, Paraguay, Spain, and Mexico.
“Let us fill the jars of the Shrine with our contributions…”
2014 – at a glance
Steps of our pilgrimage towards 2014
Official website 2014 – www.schoenstatt2014.org
Bulletin “Towards 2014” 3/2012
Bulletin 2014 (subscribe)
Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, Tx: English translation
