Taller para misioneros de la Campaña en Nueva York, Maniatan Workshop for missionaries of the Schoenstatt Rosarz Campaign in Upper Maniaten, New York Tagung für Missionare der Pilgernden Gottesmutter in Manhattan, New York
Renovación del Compromiso Misionero Renewal of the Coordinator Pledge Erneuerung der Missionar-Weihe Fotos: Bracero © 2003

USA, Sr. Isabel Bracero. "Let's pretend we are in the shrine!" With this invitation close to forty-five "misioneros" (missionaries) of the Pilgrim Mother gathered around a large picture of the MTA in order to consecrate themselves once again to our Mother and Queen after a full afternoon of talks, discussions, and reflections. From 2:30 pm till 6:30 pm "misioneros" from Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Manhattan, New Jersey, and Washington D.C. came together in the auditorium of Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish, in Upper Manhattan near Bronx, on Sunday, May 18, in order to deepen their commitment towards the mission of the Rosary Campaign.

We had representation from many places and received inspiration from a number of people who most willingly placed their talents at the service of our MTA. As one family we gathered around our Mother and Queen, just as if we were in the Shrine. The idea of instrumentality guided our every discussion and reflection throughout the afternoon.

The idea of instrumentality

First, Ida García from Florida, who is now residing in New Jersey, began by inspiring all of us with a rich talk on the significance of our surrender to the Mother of God as her instruments and apostles. She explained the concept of instrumentality from the points of view of the four main questions: who is the instrument, how does the instrument fulfill his or her task in the hands of the Mother of God, what does it really mean to be an instrument, and why do we become her instruments as "misioneros" of the Rosary Campaign? Our openness to the guidance of the Mother of God is decisive.

Then, Sister M. Ligia briefly described the calling all of us have received to become instruments in the hands of our MTA. Often times we either find or place obstacles on the way of our Mother and Queen as we try to serve her and the kingdom of her Son. How can we remove those obstacles? Our effort to become everyday saints is decisive.

Father Kentenich, and John Pozzobon as models of instrumentality

After a short time of discussion in small groups in which some of these obstacles were shared and clarified, we came together once again to conclude our afternoon by presenting the lives of Father Joseph Kentenich and of D. Joao Pozzobon as models of instrumentality. In the person and message of our father and founder we can see exemplified the type of personality he envisioned and called: the Marian instrument. The Marian instrument should be a firm and free personality who is not dragged by the masses in every direction. The Marian instrument moves about in life guided by the strength of love. From the life of D. Joao Pozzobon we learn how to be who we are in every circumstance and situation: "misioneros" and apostles of our MTA. His life teaches us how to create a balance between family and our apostolic responsibilities. Sometimes we have to take the risk and stake our security in life in order to become fruitful. Like him we want to entrust everything and everyone into the caring motherly hands of our MTA. She is the great missionary; she will work miracles! We congratulate the "misioneros" from Upper Manhattan for their warm welcome to all those who came from far and near for this afternoon workshop. The experience could be called a mini local "Journey of Love", as we know the National Conference of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign.