Misa en la parroquía Holy Mass in the Parish Church Gottesdienst in der Pfarrkirche

En la Heladería con el dueño In the ice cream shop, with the owner Im Gespräch mit dem Besitzer der Eisdiele

En la Panadería In a bakery In der Bäckerei

En el Hospital Ramos Mejía - con la Virgen de Luján In the Hospital Ramos Mejía - by the picture of Our Lady of Luján Im Krankenhaus Ramos Mejía - beim Bild der Gottesmutter von Luján

Saludo a la Auxiliar Greeting the Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother In der Kirche: Begrüßen der Gottesmutter

Fotos: Hna. M. Arntrudis Seeger, Buenos Aires © 2001

(Sr. Arntrudis Seeger) Walking the streets if Buenos Aires with Mary, the Pilgrim Mother, bringing her to all and all to her Son Jesus – this big goal of the students and teachers of the Colegio Mater in Buenos Aires, one of the major Centers of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, was to be put into practice with small steps – one of them being a rosary procession through the streets towards the parish church, visiting enterprises and hospitals on the way. It was a small group that set out from the house chapel of the school, but Mary always loves the small and humble beginnings.

The first location they headed for was a bakery; the owners already looked for the visit of the Pilgrim Mother. The group prayed the first decade of the rosary there, all the intentions of those working in the bakery were included, and also the petition that with the daily bread for the body, also the Divine Bread nourishing the soul would never be missing.

For the Sick, the Nurses and Doctors of the Hospital

The hospital administration's permission given, they next visited one of the hospitals of the quarter; there, the "Voluntarias de María" are working, women who out of the spirituality of Schoenstatt dedicate their time to assist the sick in the hospital. The group brought stood by the picture of our Lady of Luján, the patroness of Argentina, and began to pray two decades of the rosary for the sick, the nurses and doctors of the hospital. Many of the people who were around at this moment joined in.

Mary in the Ice Cream Shop

Afterwards, the group walked on, passing by an ice cream shop. The owner was asked whether he also would like to receive the visit of the Blessed Mother. He was totally open for this idea and at once began to prepare a place of honor for the Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother, so the rosary could be prayed in the ice cream shop in all of his intentions. The ice cream shop is located on a busy street. Those who drove by maybe also got a share of the blessing; some pedestrians joined the group for payers.

The Pilgrim Mother in the Parish Church 

The next place of prayer was by an intersection, then the procession headed for the parish church Santa Cruz. The picture of the Pilgrim Mother was placed on the altar. As some time was left until the Mass would begin, the group continued to pray the rosary, and those already in the church joined in praying in all of the intentions of those present and of the entire parish. Father Bernardo, the parish priest, asked for a short explanation of the visit and what the presence of the Pilgrim Mother meant. The people listened with much attention; it was a marvelous opportunity to share about the mission of the Pilgrim Mother and to invite them to join in this mission that is so important just now. A special atmosphere marked the Mass – some said that obviously the Pilgrim Mother was working, conquering the hearts! After the Mass, Fr. Bernardo invited all to greet the visitor, as they would do it with a visitor in their house. For this reason, he placed the Auxiliary in the middle of the sanctuary, in front of the altar. All came to touch the picture and pray in their intentions. 

For this Parish, this Quarter, and the Entire City

All those who had participated in the procession were grateful and full of joy. On one of the next Marian feastdays, the "1,000 Avemarias" are to be prayed in the parish church. Very often this had been done already in the house chapel of the school, but it is important, said the coordinators, to bring the Blessed Mother to the parish and also to all those who live in the quarter, that she can reach out to the families, the children, the youth, the needy and the poor, to the heart of each. It was a small procession that had taken place in a big intention: that this city with its millions of inhabitants through the presence of Mary more and more become a piece of heaven for the people.