Coronación de la Peregrina Auxiliar Crowning of the Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother Krönung der "Peregrina Auxiliar"

Auxiliar con la corona a los pies en la Catedral San Miguel Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother and crown in the Cathedral St. Michael Die Auxiliar, die Begleit-Pilgermutter, und die Krone in der Kathedrale San Miguel

Renovación del compromiso de los misioneros The missionaries renewed their dedication and the promise to bring the Pilgrim Mother to the places and people where she wants to worl Die Missonare erneuerten ihr Versprechen, die Pilgernde Gottesmutter dorthin zu bringen, wo sie wirken will

Misionerito Little missionary Auch er ist schon ganz dabei als "kleiner Missionar"

Auxiliar de S.Miguel en Santa María, Brasil: con toda la peregrinación Nacional de Dirigentes en 1999. Allí Patricia Antoniazzi (i) recibió la Auxiliar. Auxiliary of the diocese of S. Michael in Santa Maria, Brazil: National Pilgrimage of coordinators in 1999. Here, Patricia Antoniazzi (l) received the Auxiliary for the diocese. Auxiliar der Diözese San Miguel in Santa Maria, Brasilien: Nationale Wallfahrt der Verantwortlichen 1999, bei der Patricia Antionazzi (l) die Auxiliar für die Diözese erhielt

Procesión desde la Ermita de Bella Vista hasta la Catedral de San Miguel transportada por el Cuerpo de Bomberos Voluntarios (5.11.1999) Procession from the wayside Shrine to the Cathedral of San Miguel - arrival of the Auxiliar in the diocese, transported by the team of the Volunteer Fireworkers Prozession vom Bildstöckchen zur Kathedrale von San Miguel bei der Ankunft der Auxiliar in der Diözese; die Freiwillige Feuerwehr stellte Fahrer und Wagen

Fotos: Badano, Buenos Aires © 2001

(Patricia Antoniazzi, mb/mkf) "Mother and Queen of Schoenstatt, dwell in our midst and bless our families!" On June 21, an immense number of persons gathered in the Cathedral of St. Michael Archangel, Argentina, to participate in a "royal" event of the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Campaign: the crowning of the Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother of the diocese of San Miguel, as "Queen of our hearts, of our families, and of our Rosary Campaign in our diocese". Also, the missionaries renewed their pledge to carry the Blessed Mother to the houses or different fields of their work.

A few days before the anniversary of the death of don João Pozzobon - who in 1950 began the Rosary Campaign, "a new visitation" that presently brings 4,000,000 families in over 80 countries of the world in contact with her and her Son- the crowning of the Auxiliary Pilgrim Mother in the San Miguel diocese was a sign of joy and thanksgiving for the presence of the Mother and Queen. The missionaries crowned Mary as "Queen of our hearts, Queen of our families, Queen of our Campaign."

"Use us as your instruments to carry you to the people..."

The crowning was a marvelous experience. The Cathedral was full – families, couples, ladies, men, youth and children, all of them with their Pilgrim Mother pictures, decorated with flowers. Father Guillermo Carmona, Movement leader and assistant of the Campaign in Argentina, celebrated the Holy Mass and crowned the Auxiliary. In the crowning prayer, the missionaries, in simple, profound and moving words expressed their confidence, their love and their surrender to the Mater: "We come to crown you and to tell you about our readiness. Use us as your instruments to carry you to the people in the great Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign of the Pilgrim Mother.

Here, by your Auxiliary picture, we crown you: Accept the crown. And work that each of us be your living crown to the honor and glory of the Triune God!

With the entire Campaign we tell you now and ever: Mother, accept us proclaiming you Queen of the rosary and the adoration, Queen of the New-Evangelization of America and the entire world!

Hold high the scepter! Reign over us and receive our surrender as instruments in your faithful mother hands."

The Auxiliary – a symbol of union with the "Peregrina Original" and the Shrine

On is return from his visit to Schoenstatt and other countries in Europe, in 1979, don Joao wrote a letter to all of the Shrines in Brazil, suggesting that each one should have an "Auxiliary picture", an exact replica of the Original Pilgrim Mother picture. In one of his few written considerations he wrote, referring to them, that "all if the Auxiliaries leave from the Tabor Shrine in Santa Maria, the place where the Rosary Campaign began, always in union with the Original Shrine. They are a prolongation of the blessing of the Father and Founder that he transmitted on August 4, 1951, from the Original Shrine. She, the Mother of God, is close to each one who walks the way, so we are never alone but always with her."

The Auxiliary of San Miguel is one of the 55 Auxiliaries of the Campaign in Argentine. All of them have been blessed and entrusted in the Tabor Shrine in Santa Maria, according the wish of don Joao; almost each diocese of Argentina has one. During the past years, the presence of the Auxiliar for the meetings of the missionaries and those who receive the Pilgrim Mother, as she directly points at the identity and the task of Joao Pozzobon.

'The union of the Auxiliar with the Shrine or wayside Shrine is very important, as the Shrine is the place where all bring their Capital of grace and where it is "filled". For the Campaign in Argentina, the "Marian Circle" is essential – which means the way that each Auxiliary and Pilgrim Mother picture take: setting out from the Shrine to visit the houses and homes and then returning to the source of grace, from where they part again.

The Auxiliaries represent the diocesan Campaign, preside over the events of the Schoenstatt family and the church – like parish feasts, the prayer of the 1,000 Avemarias in the parishes, the Covenant celebrations of the 18^th of the month on Shrines or by wayside shrines, meetings of the Campaign or that of branches who ask for their presence. As they are also Pilgrim Mother pictures, they travel the whole dioceses as a symbol of unity within the Campaign in the different towns and areas. Their task is so important that some dioceses have seen the necessity to get one or two more Auxiliaries – a sign of growth and maturity. The missionaries are ready to travel thousands of kilometers with them – by train, bus, car or airplane – that the Auxiliaries can be present in each celebration. It's difficult to see less than four or five Auxiliaries in any major celebration.

Two of these Auxiliaries have an international character – the first 'Auxiliary International', passed on by don Joao himself in 1984, and the 3^rd Auxiliary or Auxiliary of the Americas and the world, passed on by Fr. Esteban and Sr. Teresinha.

Bringing the Blessed Mother to all Places so she May Reign in the Hearts

After the crowning the missionaries renewed, as usual, their annual commitment to the Blessed Mother, expressing their readiness to be their instruments that many families may experience this sign of God's love and their belonging to the church; thus cooperating with the Holy Father's call and their bishop's and parish priests' preoccupation to work for a new evangelization in the places where they live and work. To this end, they offered their striving to live the rosary, their apostolate, their daily work, all of the joys and also the suffering to the Capital of Grace.

Lifting up their pictures of the Pilgrim Mother, they prayed the prayer of gratitude and confidence. It was impressive to seethe Cathedral with a "cloud" of Pilgrim Mothers. Many of those present sensed in this moment the joy of don João and of Fr. Esteban.

After the renewal of commitment, the parish priest, Father Gustavo Manrique, greeted the congregation and said some very affirmative words about the Campaign, the mission, the rosary, encouraging all of the missionaries to go ahead with this important and necessary task of bringing the Blessed Mother to all the places so she may reign in the hearts of the people. "Using the good opportunity that you come from all parishes", he reminded all of an important diocesan event. He was obviously astonished about this fact, given the fact that the diocese of San Miguel has a big number of parishes and chapels (in a surface of 196 km² are 22 parishes and 66 chapels), a reason that makes it often difficult to get people from the different places together.

After the Holy Mass, while the choir repeatedly sang: 'Who is this gracious Lady?" the people formed long lines to greet the Mater Auxiliar. They wanted to touch or kiss the picture, brought their little ones close to her, as well as pictures of their family, and their rosaries so she would bless them. The Mass scheduled for this time just could not begin, but that did not matter for those who stood waiting to greet Mary. Many of those present asked about the Mater, her name and the place where she comes from, where her Shrine is located, and many of those who learned about the Campaign wanted to be missionary or receive her visit. It was a really moving experience. No doubt – she is the Queen of the hearts!

Crowning the Auxiliary – a Symbol and Act of Confidence, Gratitude and Commitment

Before the Mass, a talk had been given in the parish hall, with Fr. P.Guillermo Carmona explaining that crowning the Auxiliar is a symbol and act of confidence, gratitude and commitment.

An act of confidence born from the experience of devaluation in the country with a climate lacking of peace, where does not reign a peace climate, of concord and unity; in the familiar life, since never like today the family has seen itself so attacked, and in the own faith, that sometimes enters crisis by diverse factors. Through the crowning we want to thank the Mater for three moments: She is our Mother, which means that nobody is single; that we have a Family with many brothers and sisters who accompany to us; and that we have a mission, a task in the world: " to take Her to all places so she can be the educator of all people." There are so many people who do not know why they live! We have been born to carry out a mission. When we crown Mary, we tell her: "As well as we crowned you, we want to be your crown, we want to commit ourselves that you can be Queen" - which implies a gesture of responsibility on our part: All that she is to work is sustained by what I work. There is a characteristic phrase in Schoenstatt that expresses that commitment: ' Nothing without You, nothing without us'.

Who Sees Me Shall See You

The title of the Queen that was chosen, P. Guillermo explained, is a mirror of this mutual responsibility, and gives the mark to this crowning.

"Queen of our hearts" means that each one should strive for a Marian heart, a heart like that of Mary – joyful, marked by solidarity, love for God, a heart full of hope, ready to serve, generous: "That who sees me shall see you!"

"Queen of our family" means that she gives us the spirit of family: a spirit of communion coming from a heart able to love, to unite and to build a family.

"Queen of the Campaign" means to ask her to give us the heart of don João to be true apostles: his spirit of fight, of service, of sacrifice, the ability to never become tired as we bring her to the world.

In this spirit, the missionaries crowned Mary on this day – that would become a reality in every day life what the titles express.