ARGENTINA, Roberto Liñares, Claudia Echenique. An unforgettable night enkindled the soul and spirit of the Schoenstatt Family of the Buenos Aires Region. On Tuesday, the 26th of August, nine dioceses (from Zarate- Campana to La Plata) commemorated 100 years of the Covenant with the Mother and Queen with an excellent cultural celebration in the Colón Theater, one of the best music halls in the world.
The Children’s Choir from the Freiburg Cathedral (Germany) gave a concert that made everyone feel close to God’s heart. Beneath the marvelous cupola painted by the master artist, Raúl Soldi, heaven and earth united and it became a hymn of praise of Mary.
We are Family
Upon entering the Colón Theater’s hall and seeing the very beautiful Blessed Mother present on the stage with her floral bouquets, and the pictures of Father Kentenich and the Shrine were impressive and it marked the atmosphere. “We are family, we are in the Shrine!!” commented those arriving.
Within a tour through South America, this German choir, composed of more than sixty-five boys and youths under the direction Maestro Boris Böhmann, began their presentation with a Gregorian chant and a Palestrina “Kyrie”.
Juan Barbosa introduced and expressed gratitude to the authorities and to the other movements and institutions, who accompanied the Schoenstatt Family in this event.
The water became wine
Father Francisco Pistilli, Regional Superior of the Schoenstatt Fathers and President of the Schoenstatt Presidency of Argentina, explained, “That we bless God’s tenderness towards us, the gift of faith in Christ, the loyal company of Mary, the charismatic inspiration of Father Joseph Kentenich and the giving of self of the first sodalists with the lyrics and music.” He compared this encounter with the Wedding of Cana at Galilee: a joyful celebration, God’s marriage with man, the presence of the mystery, the childhood, the youth and the mature man beneath the attentive gaze of Mary. “The water of many efforts has been transformed into wine, of the music, the wine shared in the encounter of everyone of us, who today celebrate this Covenant,” he said.
Texts, music, prayer, art… magic
Words and music united in the narrative that described the 100 years of Schoenstatt life, accompanied by the delectable music that Sister María Magdalena Viña played on the piano. The text was a spiritual dialogue among several voices. The expressive narration of Oscar Tapia was completed with phrases and prayers recited by Jorge Correa Morales and Sister María del Carmen Sörös, who expressed themselves and greatly identified with Father Kentenich and the Blessed Mother. At the conclusion, with all the participants singing “María de la Alianza” (Mary of the Covenant), which many finished singing with tears in their eyes. It was easy to imagine Father Kentenich’s joy and smile from heaven, surrounded by so many allies, who loyally lived the Covenant of Love and gave their lives for the Schoenstatt mission during these 100 years.
Father Javier Arteaga, Director of the Movement in Argentina, posed Schoenstatt’s challenges in the future, making a parallel between the “Culture of Encounter” that Pope Francis promotes and the “Covenant Culture that Schoenstatt wants to take to the Church and the world.
During the second part, the choir offered a broad repertoire of sacred and popular music, interpreting works of A. Bruckner, G. Fauré, R. Hess, R. Wagner and M. Bevan.
One hundred roses to renew the Covenant
Then, while two soloists sang the “Ave Maria,” all the children and youths of the choir placed 100 roses at the feet of the picture of the Blessed Mother, one for each year of Schoenstatt’s first century. Finally all the participants were invited to renew the Covenant of Love, and at this moment, the Colón Theater was completely transformed into a Shrine. “My Queen, my Mother…” resounded in unison from the seats in the highest level to the seats on the lower levels. It was a moment of complete communion where the ideal of the Argentinean Family was created: “With Mary, Father’s Family.”
“Protect us with you mantle…” in unison in the Colón Theater
After Father Pistilli greeted and expressed gratitude to the Choir from the Cathedral of Freiburg in German, the Director and the members sang the Schoenstatt Hymn of the Family in a special way: two stanzas in German, one in Spanish and the last one in a soft “bocca chiusa” (humming) and Maestro Böhmann invited all the participants to sing the final stanza aloud in Spanish. It was a sublime and celestial moment!!
Comments among the participants: “This event was another demonstration that Schoenstatt is called to permeate all spheres of life, including the cultural and artistic. To sing “Protect us with your mantle” in unison in the Colón Theater is perhaps something that none of us dreamed would happen in this life…Thanks to the Blessed Mother for this great Jubilee gift!”
Upon leaving the theater, in the street, in the “going out to the world”, it was not cold or windy because “in our mission we also believe in the hurricane of the century of the great victress, yours will not perish.”
Original: Spanish – Translation: Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
