USA, Wayne Wang. Inspired by the Schoenstatt university missions in Chile, a small group of students set out to offer Austin, Schoenstatt, and the MTA the first university mission of Texas. This is after five years of the university men’s and women’s branches at the University of Texas at Austin working in conjunction with the initiative of Operation Mario from Chile, with the experience of the first two graces of the Shrine, the grace of feeling at home and the grace of inner transformation, and fruition of the third grace, the grace of apostolic zeal, has culminated in the first university mission.
In striving for everyday sanctity, the four-day mission was named Austin C.A.R.I.T.A.S. Crusade: Catholics Answering the Redeemer’s Invitation to Authentic Sanctity. Based out of an East Austin parish, Our Lady of Guadalupe, the group of about twenty missionaries consisted of students from The University of Texas at Austin and those from around the Diocese of Austin. After starting each day with Mass and a reflection on the spiritual theme of the day, they were sent out in groups with the Pilgrim MTA to do charitable works with the proclamation and the response: “She is the great Missionary… She will work wonders.” The works included: repairing homes rented to low income families, working in the St. Michael’s Academy thrift store, doing physical labor to help the Austin State Supported Living Center, a home for adults with disabilities, and cooking meals and helping those in need at the Casa Marianella, a home for immigrants who seek refuge in the United States from persecution.
Closing with a Vigil Mass
After each day of work, the community gathered back at Our Lady of Guadalupe for time to rest and to share what they had experienced.
Each evening, there was spiritual formation related to the theme of the day including talks, small group discussions, and adoration.
After sleeping on classroom floors for four nights and doing missionary work for four days, the mission closed with a Vigil Mass with the Spanish speaking community of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
What Starts Here Changes the World
In offering this mission as a Capital of Grace with the individual sacrifices of the missionaries expressed through a paint-by-number flag of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, the Schoenstatt Movement of Austin, and in particular, the University Branches wish for this mission to be the first initiative, the first step towards living their branch mottos, and the University of Texas Branch motto: “What starts here, changes the world.”
“In Schoenstatt, with childlike trust in God and our MTA, along with our Capital of Grace and efforts, we believe we can renew the world as Father says. In the Covenant of Love, may this mission be united with the other University Missions throughout the world under our MTA in our pilgrimage towards 2014”.
