CHILE/INTERNATIONAL, mda. Pope Francis was among the first to address the Chilean people after the strong earthquake that shook the northern area of the country on April 2nd. On the same day, he manifested his closeness and affection for the people of Chile. He wrote to Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, Archbishop of Santiago, Chile and president of the Episcopal Conference of this country that he felt “deeply affected” by the 8.2 (on the Richter scale) earthquake that shook the northern area of the country, affecting the populations of Iquique, Arica and other neighboring areas.
“He asked that God grant eternal rest to the deceased, to comfort those affected by this unfortunate tragedy and to inspire through hope to face such adversity. Also I pray urgently to all Christian communities, civil institutions and people of good will to provide effective aid to those affected, with generous spirit and kindness.” Francis ended his message invoking “our Lady of Mount Carmel, as a sign of respect and esteem, I bless those Chileans in the north who are present in my heart.”
They spent the entire night in the street
“The situation in the northern part of Chile is very complicated, especially in the area of the epicenter of the earthquake which was yesterday close to 8:00 p.m. Today at 6:00 a.m. the tsunami alert was still in force, which meant that the people still could not return to their homes; they had to spend the entire night in the street and in shelters for fear of rising sea levels. I ask that we pray to the most holy Virgin that she cover the children and those who are afraid with her mantle,” wrote Pablo Ibarra from Santiago, Chile, one of the collaborators of schoenstatt.org on the dawn of April 2nd.
Closeness, solidarity, lighted candles in Home shrines, prayers said in the Shrine, in trains, at work places, in the street, in a visitor’s cell in a jail…transforming “secular” places into shrines.
“Let us pray, pray, pray…For these people martyred by the earthquake…may our most holy Blessed Mother cover them with her MANTLE of Love and Maternal Care…AVE MARIA…” wrote Lena Castro Valente from Portugal, and she continued, “How would I, an ally of Mary, act if I were in the epicenter of a chaos of nature??? Would I remember first to help or would the fear and the instinct of survival speak louder than my consecrated heart to the Blessed Mother??? Our Father always said we should prepare ourselves interiorly during peaceful times for the worse times with self-education (like the athletes who train throughout the year for the trials of some days)…it was for this reason that he left Dachau and with such little food, he would give his part to others; he never allowed bad to surpass what was within him and good always triumphed. How do I prepare for the possible upheavals of life??? By the hand of the Blessed Mother, looking at others as very beloved brothers/sisters for whom I would give my life? Or am I only capable of doing this for my children, my closest family??? At this moment I do not know the answer…”
“I was thinking that no one can imagine what is experienced, what a person can do or feel in such a tremendous situation as this, the situation widely surpasses what one can imagine…Today, I unite myself in fraternal Covenant to the sorrow that our Chilean brothers/sisters are suffering, and to the pain of so many people who have relatives there. I pray to the Blessed Mother, that she will accompany them as a Mother in this time of so much anguish,” wrote Rosita Ciola, a missionary of the Campaign, from Argentina.
The Shrine as a shelter
Alejandra Olivera, of the Schoenstatt Movement from Antofagasta, was one of the first to make contact from the affected area:
“Thanks for your concern, we were very scared, but there was nothing very serious, traffic was somewhat collapsed. Everything is well at our Shrine of Antofagasta, we are in a safe area.
In Iquique the Shrine was a shelter for approximately 500 people; as far as we know none of the family was affected.
But yes, unfortunately, six people died of cardiac problems and were crushed; then the tsunami reached the main streets of Iquique, and in Antofagasta the variation of the sea was light. We were in a council meeting, and we had to evacuate, but the Prayer of Confidence multiplied. Thank you.”
A Schoenstatt Shrine as a shelter, the sorrow of several churches that collapsed and the words of the Bishop of Iquique, Monsignor Guillermo Vera, upon referring to the situation in his diocese after the earthquake: “The people, living temples of the Lord, are our first priority at this moment.”
There are real people who did not lose their lives or who were not at risk of losing them, but they are people who suffer, like the young girl who could not fly home for her father’s funeral, or the woman who continues to look for her pet, or the young man, who missed the much desired job interview, or the couple in front of their ruined home, which had been just built recently…
Solidarity
It is at times like these that the strength of solidarity of the network formed by the Covenant of Love is felt. It is the same covenant that motivated the students at the school in the Schoenstatt valley 100 years ago to offer their effort in their math classes for their brothers on the battlefield, who had to live their Covenant in the trenches…covenant solidarity from which Schoenstatt lives to this day. Covenant solidarity that goes beyond the borders of language, of nations, of generations.
“Strength and faith to our brothers/sisters of the Pacific coast. Also our humble prayer is praying for them, and the Blessed Mother listens,” wrote Kikito Vasquez, from Paraguay. “Our prayers of solidarity for the brothers/sisters from Chile” read a message sent from the Shrine of Achumani in La Paz, Bolivia. “I am here with a lighted candle in the Home shrine. A warm embrace,” wrote Marisa Bulfón from Argentina, while Ann Dentice from Milwaukee, USA, immediately went to the Exile Shrine to pray for the people of Chile.
This Covenant of Love is a reality. “From Honduras we pray to Our Heavenly Father and the Blessed Mother that they cover and protect the Chilean people; may they give strength, faith and trust during this time of fear and sorrow to those who have lost their loved ones,” wrote María Teresa Cerna, from Honduras.
This Schoenstatt is so real and beautiful.
Original: Spanish – Translation Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, TX USA
