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| Rosario por la paz en el Santuario Original, 19 de febrero Rosary for peace in the Original Shrine, February 19 Rosenkranz für den Frieden im Urheiligtum, 19. Februar |
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"Madre, acepta el frío que tengo como capital de gracias..." "Mother, accept the cold I feel as capital of grace "Gottesmutter, nimm diese Kälte als Beitrag zum Gnadenkapital..." |
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Un bolso grande con cuadros de la MTA - regalo para un seminarista misionero en la Argentina: la fuerza social del rosario vivido A big bag with MTA pictures for a seminarian in Argentina: the social power of the lived rosary Eine große Tasche mit MTA-Bildern für einen Seminaristen in Argentinien: die soziale Kraft des gelebten Rosenkranzes |
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Fotos: POS, Fischer © 2003 |
SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "During the rosary for peace, yesterday night in the Original Shrine, I suddenly realized: I don't want to leave. I want to stay and pray on, in this place... I want to bne in the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother of Schoenstatt, I want to be in covenant with this family, I want to give my little contribution to bring peace from this place of grace, I want to bring the warmth of this place to the world..." For Elke, one of the participants of the Professional Women's retreat, the minutes in the Original Shrine were a moment of grace. For the world, too. On the day when Kofi Annan met with Pope John Paul II to discuss possibilities to preserve the world from a new war, more than 100 persons again gathered inside and outside the Original Shrine to pray the rosary for peace.
It was definitely cold; temperatures below the freezing point and chilling windgusts made those who stood outside tremble with cold. One of the participants of the retreat, who had changed their program to participate, said: "I was shivering outside in the cold, wiht my rosary in hands, thinking: Mother, accept this cold forr those who now are deciding between peace and war." - "I was in the Shrine, it was so nice to pray with the wider family, with Schoenstatt Fathers, couples, youth, Pallottines. Of course I could not sit. But just when my feet and knees started to really ache, someone offered me a place to sit. Then, three persons were taking turns with this one seat, sharing instead of competing. A little thing, but this makes peace." More and more, this rosary for peace is getting a family experience.
The social power of the rosary and Covenant of Love
Like the week before, many persons and communities from different countries joined in this rosary for peace in the Original Shrine. The presence of the International Auxiliar of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, spontaneously brought along by the Professional Women, underlined that the rosary prayed in the cradle of the movement has a dimension reachign further than the persons and intentions actually present.
After the rosary, all again prayed the Ecumenical praxer for peace in the Middle East; then, Father Joseph Fleischlin, gave the priestly blessing, asking for the special intervention of Brother Nicholas of Flüe, the Swiss patron of peace.
When the participants left the Original Shrine, Martina Rasch, one of the Professional Women, worked her way to the altar to fetch a big bag full of MTA pictures in nice frames. The bag had been by the altar during the rosary. "The pictures are for a seminarist in San Luis, Argentina," she explained. "I forgt his name, but during the Illumined rosary that we prayed two weeks ago, someone prayed for him and mentioned, that due to the economical crisis in Argentina he cannot afford to give an MTA picture to the young people and to the families whom he introduces to Schoenstatt. For me, such a situation is also like war. So I bought these pictures and frames, also some photos of Father Kentenich, and will give them to him. I thought I should bring them to the rosary of the family tonight."
On come Saturday afternoon, February 22 - in the morning, Elke will seal her Covenant in the Original Shrine -, the Professionl Women will offer an Illumined Rosary in the Adoration Church, open for the intentions, petitions, and offers of all ("Rosary"). All are invited to bring a little financila gift for a home for poorest children in Argentina.
On Wednesday, February 26, the next rosary for peace will be offered in the Original Shrine. From March 25, the rosary will be prayed in the Original Shrine each day; all pilgrims to Schoenstatt are welcome to join in and contribute (each day at 7:30 PM).