Belmonte, 18 days to go…

"Our Shrine" awaits the pilgrims…

El Santuario de Belmonte espera a los peregrinos The Shrine in Belmonte expecting the pilgrims Das Heiligtum in Belmonte wartet auf die Pilger Foto: Tedeschi © 2004
Nivaldo E. Abram y su esposa Teresinha Cavicchioli, custodios del Santuario Nivaldo E. Abram,and his wife Teresinha Cavicchioli, the first guardians of the shrine Nivaldo E. Abram und seine Frau Teresinha Cavicchioli, die ersten Wächter des Heiligtums Foto: Tabor em Paginas © 2004

Rome, Fr. Alberto Eronti. "Here one already breathes an air of traveling and we wait anxiously and in prayer for the desired moment…", thus writes Paula LLaurens de Guernica from Córdoba on August 22^nd. In Rome, at the junction of Di Boccea and Santa Gemma Streets, one can see a large poster announcing the date and time of the blessing of the "Cappella della Madre Tre Volte Ammirabile di Schoenstatt" (Chapel of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt).

On August 20^th , Fr. Alberto Eronti went on pilgrimage (for schoenstatt.de of course!) to Belmonte and tells us the following: On the Roman firmament not one cloud could be seen and the intense blue gave one the sensation of a sheltering mantle. As usual, what I wanted was to see how far along things were coming. As I got off of the bus, the first thing which struck me was the old iron gate which was now completely repaired and once again in place. I hesitated in front of it, contemplating the Wayside Shrine of the MTA, the place where our Father and Founder prayed and expressed his thoughts about the place. I imagined that on the 8^th of September many people would pass through the gate following Father’s footsteps expressing their desire to walk in love for the Church and surrendering to Her and for Her.

Minutes before the end of the first century of Schoenstatt…

While I went up to the plaza I asked myself what this new Shrine will mean for the Schoenstatt Family? What new life will awaken? What new roads will we be asked to travel? Without a doubt we cannot separate this Shrine and International Center from the first century of Schoenstatt in 2014. What is more, I imagine that the MTA wants to descend on this place "minutes before" the end of this first century, but already at the start of the second century of Schoenstatt.

A great poster…

At the junction of Di Boccea and Santa Gemma Streets there is a great poster announcing the date and time for the blessing of the"Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable" (Cappella della Madre Tres Volte Ammirabile di Schoenstatt). Thus not only the residents of the area but the bus drivers as well know where the place is.. It would be wonderful if some day the busstop (which is right next to the Wayside Shrine) instead of being called "Boccea-Cellulosa" would be called "Boccea-Belmonte". Just as you cross the gate of entry, on the Plaza of the Castello di Porcareccia, one sees the progress made on what will be the park on the high ground of the property. The backhoes have really advanced and have moved an enormous quantity of earth. The hydraulic workers were finishing placing the pipes for irrigation and those responsible for electricity were setting in the wiring for the external illumination. There was a great activity all about. Walking toward the Shrine one can clearly see the leveling of the cobblestones and the two entrance steps. In the front, working on the widest platform, one could see three machines and a huge truck.

A Roman-style floor…

I entered the Shrine with a strange feeling as if someone were waiting for me. The first thing which impressed me was the windows with the panes already in place and then the lights in the ceiling and walls, and then the floor…beautiful!!! All in marble of three colors: in the center a grained white, two black lines and on the sides grained green. Being a Roman Shrine it could not be any other way… The interior and exterior painting is already finished. One of the engineers said that next week the altar and furnishings can be put in.

The first guardians of the Shrine come from Brazil

Inside the Shrine I found Nivaldo E. Abram and his wife Teresinha Cavicchioli. They belong to the Family Institue and are natives of Curitiba, Brazil. They have offered themselves to be the "guardians" of the Shrine of Belmonte in the first stage. They have the childlikeness and the wisdom of their age (which is not much), and a great disposition and desire to work for the Schoenstatt Realm. I met them on Thursday, August 12^th at the Cor Ecclesia Shrine. Our Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary offered them a nice welcome lunch in which several of us members of the Family were able to participate. Nivaldo and Teresinha both have Italian roots, del Veneto and del Friuli-Venezia Giulia, with which they have the feeling of "being at home". It is a sign that the first servants of the Shrine are a family of which the Father of our Family called "foundation and crown". They are called to be instruments of love in the hands of Mary so that in Belmonte these words can become a reality" "Do you know this land so warm and dear…? Welcome Nivaldo and Teresinha! What a good apostolate for the Kingdom!

Translation: Carlos Cantú, LaFeria, Texas, USA