 |
 |
19 de marzo, en la Isla Niederwerth cerca de Schoenstatt: los voluntarios se preparan... March 19, Island of Niederwerth near Schoenstatt: the volunteers prepare… 19. März, Niederwerth: die Voluntäre rüsten sich… |
|
 |
|
Todo listo, falta solamente el barco... All done, only the boat is missing... Alles parat, nur das Schiff kommt nicht… |
|
 |
|
El momento tan esperado The long-awaited moment Da ist es!!! |
|
 |
|
Saludar, gritar, llorar... Greeting, shouting, crying... Winken, Grüßen, ein paar Tränen… Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005 |
|
 |
|
Vista desde el barco View from the boat Und so sah es vom Schiff her aus Foto: www.kreuzbewegt-speyer.de © 2005 Más fotos |
SCHOENSTATT, Anita Doll. The path was empty. Tension grew with each quarter of an hour that passed. World Youth Volunteers, Sisters of Mary, families, participants of the press seminar were all at the edge of the Rhine. Many cargo ships pass through there.
After waiting an hour longer than planned, in the midst of the fog, something white was seen...A shout in unison: there it comes! It really was a big white passenger ship with an inscription on the prow: "Moved by the Cross", that came close to the Schoenstatters who were waiting for it - about forty - on the island of Niederwerth. It was 11:22 a.m.
Posters with greetings, flags were waving... Enthusiastic shouts of welcome. The wave like an echo from those who accompanied it on the boat. All of a sudden in the center, the World Youth Day Cross appeared. The faces transmitted a profound emotion and enthusiasm. A chorus of comments in different languages. the boat's siren greeted those on the island. The boat pauses. Is it going to turn around? Joy surpassed all expectations. The path was empty. " The cripple walk, the blind see".
Some handkerchiefs with the Schoenstatt logo greet the from the boat and hundreds of hands wave. Many say they become enlivened when they recall their encounter with the Cross and the Icon during the week in October or in their parish: they had an encounter with Jesus and His Mother. What a happy day!
One Sister of Mary said it was a shame that many did not have this experience. The World Youth Day Cross and the Icon would arrive in Cologne that afternoon. A Holy Mass for the youth was celebrated in the Cathedral. If this has been such an exciting and gracefilled moment, imagine how it will be in August!
Translation: Celina M. Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA
This is one of four articles written as part of an excercise in the Seminar for Public Relations, sponsored by PressOffice Schoenstatt.