Del 8 de diciembre de 2003 al 8 de septiembre de 2004: Todo por la Madre de la Iglesia, todo por la Madre Iglesia From December 8, 2003, to September 8, 2004: All for the Mother of the Church, all for the Mother Church. Vom 8. Dezember 2003 zum 8. September 2004: Alles für die Mutter der Kirche, alles für die Mutter Kirche. Foto: Avarena © 2003
El terreno de Belmonte The land at Belmonte Das Gelände in Belmonte
Ya un lugar de gracias Already now a place of grace Schon jetzt ein Gnadenort Fotos: Bühler © 2003
Llenar las tinajas Filling the jars Die Krüge füllen Foto: Avarena © 2003
"He aquí nuestra agua, necesitamos tu Vino!" "Here is our water, we need your wine!" "Hier ist unser Wasser, wir brauchen deinen Wein!" Foto: Macro © 2003

ROME, Fr. Alberto Eronti. Having laid the corner stone for the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine in Rome, the focus is now the blessing on September 8, 2004. Along with the initial plans underway for the festivities in Rome for September 7, 8, and 9, plans for the spiritual construction of the future Shrine are growing: we are filling our jars with the water of our love for Mary and for the Church.

Belmonte, one month later. Yesterday, January 8, 2004, I made a pilgrimage back to Belmonte. My intention was to relive the events of December 8 and to see what was new in the meantime. As soon as I arrived, I got a surprise: everything was the same as a month previously. That is, there was nothing to indicate that construction had begun of the Shrine nor of the house to be built in the first phase. But then I realised two things: first, the Christmas, New Year and Epiphany holidays ended only yesterday; second, there has in fact been progress on the project. The progress has been in the spiritual construction of the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine as well as in the preparations taking shape for the great celebration to come in the vicinity of September 8.

Mary, guarantee of the spirit of the Council.

During the December 31 gathering in Schoenstatt, Germany, where members of our Family participated, important steps were taken in the spiritual agenda and in organizing the days of September 7 through 9 later this year. As far as the spirit of the celebration is concerned, the search for a motto has made progress. Although no one has yet defined it, the motto will reflect this content: Everything for the Mother of the Church, everything for the Mother Church. Without doubt this expression reflects the feelings of the Father of our Family, which he himself expressed in various ways when he returned from Milwaukee. I remember that when we asked Father about his vision towards the Vatican Council II, he told us that his confidence was high, as "the council fathers have accepted Pope Paul VI’s proposal to honor Mary and by giving her the title ‘Mother of the Church’."

In the feeling and thinking of our Father, the guarantee of the spirit of the Council was Mary, the Mother of the Church. In this context, the phrase formulated by our the members of our Family on December 31, responds to this vision of our Father and Founder. And so, the motto is the same as at the beginning of Schoenstatt: "… It would be a sublime piece of worktask, worthy of the diligence and labor of the noblest, if … we could succeed in instilling a burning love of Mary and an ideal striving for …, such as it has never be seen." (Founding Document No. 3) Love for Mary! and thus, for the same reason, Love for the Church! The love given to Mary must every day be a love given to the Church. Mary and the Church are inseparable; from up on the Cross, the Throne of the King, Jesus bound His Mother to the Church and the Church to His Mother in an unchangeable covenant of love (John 19:26-27).

The symbol of our goal: the jars

This love, given to Mary, is our Capital of Grace. For that reason, the symbol that was used on December 8 would be the symbol to be used on September 8: the jars. In the Gospel of Saint John we read: "There were six stone water jars standing there… Jesus said: ‘Fill the jars with water…’ " (John 2: 6-7) Here it is what we hope to achieve! —to fill up the jars with the water of our love for Mary and for the Church. Only Jesus can transform the water of our love into the immeasurable wine of His love. For that reason we would like to be obedient to Jesus, and with Mary and with the Church to tell Him: "Here is our water; we need Your wine".

It would be our way to respond to our Mother Thrice Admirable, who is tells us again: "Do not worry about the fulfillment of your wishes. I love those who love me. Prove to me with deeds that you love me… Now you have a great opportunity to do so /Founding Document - see note before)". It would be our way to imitate our Father who wanted as his epitaph the affirmation that binds us: He loved the Church! And thus: Everything for the Mother of the Church, everything for the Mother Church!

Vigil, Blessing, Audience in Castelgandolfo

Regarding the program for those days, there are already some ideas emerging and coming together that we are trying to implement. The three main events would be: Tuesday September 7, at dusk: a vigil close to St. Peter’s tomb, possibly in the Vatican gardens. We must remember that our Father and Founder spoke about "building a Shrine in the City of the Popes".

Then, on the afternoon of September 8 the blessing of the Shrine in Belmonte will take place. We hope to have the attendance of Church authorities as well as members and leaders of ecclesial movements and new communities. After that, there will be dinner and a family celebration. On the morning of September 9 there would be the pilgrimage to Castelgandolfo for a private audience of the Schoenstatt Family with the Holy Father. Lastly, the closing Mass at a site nearby. The sense of this Mass sending us off (where the Holy Father will not be assisting) will be to renew our commitment with the Church to go out "to the ends of the earth" in order to make the spirit of what we have experienced present in every local church.

The organizing team for the German pilgrimage to Rome is looking into the possibility of offering the services of their travel agency’s Rome branch to groups from other countries, be they from Europe or from another continent. Information will be made available as soon as possible, as this will mean assured accommodation and transportation.

"Turn your Motherly eyes towards us, your merciful eyes, so that our love for Christ, for the Church, and for the World will resemble your immaculate and faithful love"

Yesterday, in the first general audience of 2004, the Holy Father spoke about Mary the Mother of God (the Divine Motherhood of Mary). Among the beautiful thoughts which the Pope shared with the more than 4,000 pilgrims, he offered his best wishes for the New Year, as follows:

"This is my wish for all of you…, that supported and comforted by the motherly protection of Mary, we would be able to contemplate with new eyes the face of Christ and that we would decisively walk on the path of goodness…"

We, who are committed in the "greatest apostolic action", the building of the Shrine in Belmonte, wish "to be students in the school of Mary". We beg her: "Mother, let us look at Christ, at the church and at the world with new eyes. Give us your motherly eyes, your merciful eyes, so our love for Christ, for the Church and for the world will resemble your unconditional and immaculate love".

Translation: Vera Gamez, Austin, Texas, USA/ Simon Donnelly, Rome, Italy
Translation of the First Founding Document from: Schoenstatt, The Founding Documents, Waukesha/Wisconsin 1993