CHILE, Father Humberto Anwandter. On December 24, 1960 on a LAN flight coming from Buenos Aires, where I had arrived on a ship the previous day, I arrived at the Los Cerrillos Airport. In the afternoon at the main house of the Pallotine Fathers on Republic 173 after a Christmas dinner, we went to Bellavista for the celebration of Christmas Eve Mass.
The Midnight Mass was celebrated for the Sisters of Mary by Father Enrique Alvear, the spiritual director at the Pontifical Seminary at that time who had been designated the Movement’s Adviser of the Women’s Branches in Santiago by Bishop Emilio Tagle, who also at that time was the Apostolic Administrator of this Archdiocese after the death of Cardinal José Maria Caro. Several Sisters of Mary held the Mass attended by the Chilean Pallotine seminarians that were studying in Santa Maria, Brazil, members of the earlier groups of Father Ernesto Durán, and some of the first members of Father Benito Schneider’s groups.
In Brazil Frater (soon to be Father) Angel Vicente Cerró made the original Unity Cross; Frater Hernán Alessandri and José Manuel López brought it to Chile, where it was to be blessed and hung in the Shrine by the first priest of the UNUM IN SANGUINE Generation who would return to Chile to celebrate his first Mass there. Providence wanted to give me this gift.
For the unity of the Family
That night, my feelings fundamentally turned in two directions: first, gratitude to the Lord and the Blessed Mother for the years I had spent in a foreign country and the undeserved gift of the priesthood; I had bid farewell to the Shrine on April 4, 1952, to depart for the Novitiate in Germany, and I returned as a priest on Christmas Eve. Second, the prayer and hope for the Unity of the Schoenstatt Family in Bellavista that was going through a serious crisis of unity especially in the Men’s Branches that had led the Bishops to prohibit the formation of new youth groups until this situation was resolved; it was considered as a real “scandal” for the ecclesial circles. Our Generation of priests and Pallotine seminarians from Fribourg, (Switzerland) and Santa Maria (Brazil) prayed for a “miracle” of unity with the invocation: “Mother of Unity, work the miracle of your Christ once again.” Mario Hiriart and several Sisters, who were also informed of this prayer, especially joined in this petition.
A moment of special graces
What happened that night? Each one of the participants would have to be asked about their experience. Personally, I noticed a special atmosphere because of the Christmas ambiance and because of the expectation regarding the Unity Cross blessed and hung over the tabernacle of the shrine before the Christmas Eve Mass began. I do not recall the songs that were sung, but the Gloria had a special resonance. My homily came after the proclamation of the Gospel of the Birth of the Lord, I do not remember the content; I only remember that the main idea was about Christmas as a mystery and message of peace, of unity, and of joy in Christ. I recall that some faces reflected emotion and some people took out their handkerchiefs. At the moment of the sign of peace, there was a re-encounter among brothers who previously had not greeted each other. After Mass outside the Shrine, an atmosphere of special joy reigned. I believe that each one in their own way had the impression of having experienced a moment of special graces.
Source: Vínculo, Chile
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio/Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
