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Visita del entonces Cardenal Ratzinger en Belmonte, 29 de septiembre de 2005 Visit of the Cardinal Ratzinger at Belmonte, September 29, 2005 Besuch des damaligen Kardinals Ratzinger in Belmonte, 29. September 2005 |
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Oración en el Santuario Prayer in the Shrine Gebet im Heiligtum |
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Bendición en el Santuario Matri Ecclesiae Blessing in the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine Segen im Matri Ecclesiae-Heiligtum |
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No muy probable que otra vez va con tan pequeño grupo... Not very probable that he will ever again be there with such a small group Unwahrscheinlich, dass er nochmals mit einer so kleinen Gruppe hier sein wird Fotos: Abram © 2005 |
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En el Santuario Cor Ecclesiae In the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine Im Cor Ecclesiae-Heiligtum Foto: Marienschwestern Mutterhaus © 2005 |
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Con miembros de la familia de Schoenstatt en Ecuador With Schoenstatt members in Ecuador Mit Vertretern der Schönstattfamilie in Ecuador Foto: Ycaza © 2005 |
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INTERNATIONAL, mkf. "With profound emotion and tears in our eyes we have received the much awaited announcement: We have a Pope! Thank you John Paul II for all your pilgrimage on Earth and welcome Benedict XVI as our new Shepherd" -the simple words of Ines Basterra de Vecchi, coordinator of the Pilgrim MTA Shrine, in Coronel Dorrego, Argentina, are a real synthesis of what the announcement of the 19th of April, meant and means for many people The affection that the new Pope has for John Paul II, is joined by the many persons who continue to love that Pope, and to whom the new Pope, in his first words, referred to him as "Great".After a few hours, memories and a very deep surge of joy : Pope Benedict XVI has visited and prayed in different Schoenstatt Shrines, he is a Pope who understands and knows the Movements very well and he values their contribution - as for Schoenstatt - his first words were directed to the one we venerate so much: " In the joy of the Lord and with his permanent assistance, we will work, and with Mary, his Mother, who is at our side".
On September 29th, he visited the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine, in Belmonte, Rome, Terzinha and Nivaldo Abram recall. A short time after the blessing, accompanied by his secretary, Sister Mary Birgit, and other Sisters of Mary from the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine, he arrived at Belmonte with a small group, where he prayed in the Shrine. He has also been at the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine of the Sisters of Mary, on Via Aurelia Antica - at the blessing in 1990 as well as the coronation of the MTA in 1994, and last March 25th he celebrated Holy Mass in the Shrine for a group of Sisters who had come to Rome on pilgrimage. Many will also remember the Mass that he celebrated in 1985 for the German speaking pilgrims during the pilgrimage of the Schoenstatt Family to Rome on the occasion of Father Kentenich's centennial. He wrote the prologue for Monsignor Peter Wolf's book about Movements and New Communities and also the novena, "Love of the Church" directed to Father Kentenich...In 1998 he visited the Schoenstatt Shrine in Bellavista, Chile, and he has also been in the original Schoenstatt... Sara Ycaza, from Ecuador who resides in Miami Florida, said: "I had the good fortune to meet him in Guayaquil, Ecuador, in 1978. He visited us during the National Marian Congress of Ecuador, in which the Schoenstatt Movement collaborated with Father Francisco Garcia, who was in charge. I have admired Cardinal Ratzinger since I met him. God knows which shepherd we need at this time. We are sure that God sent this great gift to Germany, since it has suffered so much, and that the Holy Father with his knowledge, his wisdom and - as he said so well - entrusted in the hands of Blessed Virgin Mary, he will be triumphant for the good of our Church".
We greeted the new Pope...with the Pilgrim MTA Shrine and the Unity Cross
The Pilgrim MTA and the Unity Cross greeted the new Pope "WE HAVE A POPE! During the news program I was watching, the first thing I saw was an older lady who held a Pilgrim Shrine in her hands and then the Unity Cross with a crown appeared several times, said Liliana Campisi from Cordoba, Argentina, enthusiastically. On September 7th, when she- with the Schoenstatt Family gathered in Rome for the blessing of the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine - they formed as Living Shrine in St. Peter's Square, they "flooded" the square with Pilgrim MTA's. Apparently, two of those Pilgrim MTA Shrines were present: The Pilgrim Shrine that was sent from Santa Maria for the blessing of the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine, that is in the care of the Abrams, and the second one was with an "anonymous" (for the moment) coordinator. Both form part of the innumerable albums on newspaper web sites, television stations, and even in several newspapers in Winnipeg, Canada, and the transmissions of CNN, Fox Channel, Vatican Radio, EWTN..."I wanted to inform you that during the coverage about the new pope on American News, from Fox, the cameras focused on a Schoenstatter, who was holding a very large gold and silver Unity Cross. I was very happy to see this distinctive sacramental unique to Schoenstatt on national television. God bless Schoenstatt and our new German Pope," commented, Matthew Ryan, from the United States. The beautiful photo of Sister Asuncion, (Superior of the Sisters of Mary in Rome) receiving communion from Cardinal Ratzinger appeared on several media outlets.
"What joy, congratulations for Benedict XVI! When it was announced I cried of joy for our Father and for Schoenstatt, and for all the Church. Now, as children, we continue praying for the Holy Spirit to guide him as Father and Shepherd of all Catholics.During the TV transmission of the announcement of the new Pope only two religious images were seen since the cameras were permanently focused on the faces of the persons or the windows of St. Peter's: those two images were first a Pilgrim MTA Shrine and then the Unity Cross that was crowned. Many rosaries were also seen.."shared Maia Hary, from Rosario Argentina, coordinator of the Rosary Campaign. Hearing her the words of so many coordinators of the Campaign resound in our ears, as we assume or renew the commitment with the Blessed Mother: "Today, we want to go out with your image...to proclaim the Gospel of Chirst,Mary; your Covenant of Love; your Rosary, and with faith in the redeeming power of the Cross and of the Eucharist..." Never before had so many rosaries appeared on German TV transmissions, even the logo, of one of big TV stations which was transmitting from Rome, was hands holding a rosary!
Our contribution to the Holy Father
Innumerable messages arrived at Schoenstatt, many of them also at the "meeting" of schoenstatt.de When the General Presidium of Schoenstatt, in his letter to the Holy Father, assumes the commitment to collaborate with him from Schoenstatt, it is not only empty words - the messages of the Schoenstatt people speak clearly of this commitment. That is how Irma Romero from Salta, Argentina, expresses herself: "Brothers and Sisters in the Covenant: we express our gratitude to the Good Father in Heaven with our Capital of Grace, that blesses us with a new Shepherd. He is close to Schoenstatt and he will need all of our collaboration as "children of the Church". May our Shrines be channels of communication for his magisterium, so that our Church will respond through the Gospel to the needs of modern man. MPHCEV! In Milwaukee, Christi Jentz took photos of the new Holy Father to the Exile Shrine: In Germany, a group of professionals offered a "heroic night", from Saturday to Sunday, each one praying one hour in her Home Shrine throughout the night. "We offer it for our Holy Father Benedict and in gratitude for John Paul II". The Rosary Campaign in Goya, Argentina, committed themselves to pray daily for him in their wayside shrine, which was blessed on the 18th of April, the day the Conclave began.: "You are present in our prayers, beloved Holy Father, in the daily rosary in our wayside shrine, so that She may protect you, transform you and make you a loyal and humble worker in the vineyard of the Lord. God bless you beloved Benedict XVI"!
"The fact that the Pope of today visited the Schoenstatt Shrines in Rome (while he was Cardinal) already tells us something, seen through the prism of providence. Family, always loyal to the Holy Father, let us be the Heart of the Church with Benedict XVI!!! writes Ramiro, of the University Boys Group from the Shrine of Montahue, Concepcion, Chile.
The joy of being Catholic
"We welcome the new Pope, and we ask God and the Blessed Mother to enlighten him and give him strength, so that he may lead all our Christian family throughout the world", writes Maggi Grillet, from Venezuela, while Monika Gensow from Bielefeld, Germany expresses: "When the white cloud of smoke could be seen yesterday and the bells began to ring, I felt a tremendous joy to be a Catholic. Congratulations and very, very welcome, Holy Father Benedict. I am happy!"
Ulrike Bertrand, from the Institue of Families, writes: "We want to congratulate you and to tell you that we are very happy that our youngest son was baptized last year with the name of "Benedict". We implore many blessings and graces for you and your task, and that you may find worthy and sincere collaborators in the Vatican, your vineyeard. We also implore through our prayers that your heart be opened wide for families, as a strength of renewal within the Church. Many Thanks, Benedict XVI, for assuming the task and placing yourself at the disposal of the Church".
One of the many manifestions of good wishes for the the Holy Father - in the midst of a sea of greetings which would take hundreds of clouds of smoke! Wishes to which he will surely respond with great joy. Another great wish, shared by many from the whole world, is the one from Maria Ines Bedatou from Mendizaba: "It was beautiful to see him in the Shrine! I hope he will visit us as Holy Father! It is impossible to know if he will be able to fulfill this wish, since he will have to beat the world record of travel throughout the world! There are so many children who yearn for his visit to their Shrines.
A German Pope
Amen! What a joy for Germany!" was the first message that arrived at Schoenstatt on the 19th of April, from the United States. While the media, particularly from the United States, Great Britain and Holland is fostering - and awakening - anti-German feelings, the reaction of the Schoenstatt Family even surprised the Germans...Some Germans who were in Schoenstatt, upon receiving congratulations from Schoenstatters from other countries, were enormously excited. " - "It is remarkable that the Lord has directed his Cardinals to elect a German...I can't imagine the joy that must reign in Schoenstatt! And I can imagine the joy that will be experienced in Cologne in a few months!" writes Raoul Meunier, from Chile and Pataricia Schelstraete from Cordoba, Argentina: I share the excitement and joy of all the People of God for the arrival of the new Pope, His Holiness, Benedict XVI, and in a special way because he is of the same nationality as our Father and Founder. I would like to greet all our brothers and sisters of the Schoenstatt Family in Germany, and to share this moment of joy.!"
His name is Joseph and he is German coincidents that encourage hope. Let's keep making contributions to the Capital of Grace, and may someone who is closer to the Holy Father, please advise him that this young man is at his disposal", writes Matias Lanusse, from Salta, Argentina.
Katharina Rossel experienced the 19th of April in Schoenstatt along with other students from the school of the Sisters of Mary, in Liebfrauenhohe.
"Yesterday, we anxiously followed the transmission of the announcement of our new Holy Father, and we were so, so. so very happy, when they announced that our Cardinal Ratzinger is our new Pope Benedixct XVI! I pray that the Holy Trinity will accompany him and that the Blessed Mother will be his loyal companion on that route that he will experience on the road which he started with full confidence in her. I am fascinated by the result of the Conclave and I eagerly await World Youth Day in Cologne, with great expectation, where I will see our Pope for the first time!"
There is a fundamental question from Austria. Is it possible to congratulate the Holy Father via e-mail? There certainly is!!! Benedictxvi@vatican.va