ARGENTINA,Martha Liotti. "When little Patricio celebrates his 5th birthday in September of this year, there will be double reason to celebrate: not only the life of this child, who was born at seven months with very little hope of surviving, but also the birth of a new modality of the Campaign: the "little Campaign" for newborns and children at risk. Patricio, whose life was entrusted to the Blessed Virgen, inspired the idea of bringing the Blessed Mother close to other children born in difficult circumstances and to transmit this experience to the parents, inviting them to ask Mary to watch over and protect their children". That is how the first article published by schoenstatt.de in April 2001 starts, explaining this modality of the Rosary Campaign, and as a result of this article it expanded rapidly in Mexico and Portugal, and some coordinators in South Africa were also commissioned, Germany, Angola, and the United States along with a coordinator in Venezuela wants to start this modality... Patricia is now eight years old, and there are already 112 children that have received the visit of one of the "little Pilgrim MTA's" in Corrientes, Argentina, where this modality started.

The Covenant Masses that are celebrated every 18th of the month in Corrientes always have a very special feeling - not only for the great number of young families and children who attend, but also because many of the children are truly miracles of the "great missionary"...who at the moment that they were struggling for their life, accompanied them as well as their parents. During the Mass of February 18th, Valeria, from the city of Salta, where she was returning after living in Corrientes for several years, received a little Pilgrim MTA for babies to take to her city, along with this modality. Again it was the parents who gave testimony of the lives of their children..."How are our babies?", a pediatrician, from Colombia who lives in Germany, asked a coordinator. Since the little Pilgrim MTA was at her side during the long months of her daughter Isabela's illness, who died on September 15th, she prays daily for each child who receives the little Pilgrim MTA.

The Rosary Campaign for Babies and for Children whose Lives are at Risk is six years old

Last December 10th the 6th Anniversary of the beginning of the Rosary Campaign for Babies and Children whose lives are at risk was celebrated with a big feast. This celebration coincided with Joao Pozzobon's 100th birthday.

There were many days of preparation, telephone calls, mailing invitations to the families, whose babies had struggled to survive at the time of their birth or a few years later. The coordinators have always kept in mind that they are truly martyrs, who have suffered much pain and undergone medical treatments that are sometimes aggresive, they have been separated from their parents and siblings...and they struggled

like giants to win the battle for life. For this reason, they well deserve - in addition to the liturgical celebration - a feast filled with happiness.

In the period of six years, in the city of Corrientes, there are 112 children who have received the Pilgrim MTA, of which 34% are from the interior of the province or from neighboring provinces.

The idea surged to combine the Mass of Thanksgiving and the Mass at the end of the year for the Mothers' Branch through this celebration: All mothers, thanking the Mother.

Father Antonio Silva, of the Parish of Saint Theresa of the Infant Jesus, offered the church for the Mass and the parish hall for the children's feast.

Everything had to be splendid. Debora and Betty, the youngest coordinators, decorated the hall with balloons and allusive decorations; Teresita prepared a "spectacular" cake with the Shrine of the Blessed Mother and a candle for the six years. Many children along with their parents and relatives attended, some came from the province of Formosa, a distance of 350 kilometers from Corrientes. Martha Liotti relates: "The last time I had seen many of them was when they were in incubators, where some of them had been for many months, and others for only a few days; the mothers of children who had after effects also came as an expression of gratitude, that they had overcome their motor difficulties.

Personally, I was overcome with deep emotion... I recalled each little child that was born, some only weighed 600 grams, I also recalled each father, mother, sibling, granparent, friend. I saw before my eyes those expectant faces, with their eyes marked by the many nights of lack of sleep and with anguish in their souls.

Now we are all having a feast! Their faces, clothes, the happy children, smiling, restless, and in constant motion during the Mass."

To celebrate Mary is to celebrate Jesus, since we are celebrating life

To celebrate Mary is to celebrate Jesus, since we are celebrating life, affirmed Father Antonio Silva in the Mass offered for all at risk babies.

"An apostolate that was built with the life of each one of those persons who -dedicated their time, their desire, their energy - made this dream become a reality. This is a clear testimony of defending, caring for and valuing life, we should honor life. These children are a clear sign of the loving presence of God our Father.".

At the end of the liturgical celebration, in the atrium of the church, white balloons were released that the children followed with their gaze full of purity until they lost sight of them as the afternoon fell.

After, the feast.. the children blew out the candle with the number 6 and then the coordinators also blew out the candle.

Many memories, acts of thanksgiving, outstretched hands, kisses and embraces.

All of this was given to the MTA who lavished many, many miracles through her powerful intercession.

Contact persons (communication possible in English):
Martha Liotti
In Mexico: Marissa Benavides de Garza