The love for the Church experiences a new springtime

Life around the "The Shrine that belongs to all of us", the Shrine that the now Pope Benedict XVI has visited

Nueva primavera de amor a la Iglesia New springtime of love for the church Neuer Frühling der Liebe zur Kirche
Corpus Cristi en el Santuario, momento de adoración Corpus Christi at the Shrine, moment of adoration Fronleichnam am Heiligtum, Anbetung Primera bendición de Corpus Cristi en el
Santuário First blessing at the Shrine Erster Segen am Heiligtum
Grupo de niños de la Catequesis parroquial A group of children of the parish religious education program Eine Gruppe Kinder, die am Religionsunterricht der Pfarrei teilnimmt
Homilía del Padre Ludovico Tedeschi durante la Misa de Alianza Fr. Ludovico Tedeschi, sermon in the Covenant Mass Pater Ludovico Tedeschi bei der Predigt in der Bündnismesse
Quema del Capital de Gracias Despite of the torrential rain, the act of “burning” the capital of Grace takes place Trotz des Regens fällt der Akt des “Verbrennens” als Zeichen für die Beiträge zum Gnadenkapital nicht aus
Peregrinos en el Santuario Matri Ecclesiae Pilgrims in the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine Pilger aus der Umgebung im Matri Ecclesiae-Heiligtum Fotos: Abram © 2005
More photos

ROMA, Terezinha and Nivaldo Abram. A spirit of a "new springtime in the Church" is experienced in our Matri Ecclesiae Shrine, of the International Schoenstatt Center in Rome. The fact that the then Cardinal Ratzinger, today Pope Benedict XVI, has visited the Shrine on the 29^th of September 2004, awakens more and more interest in the people to know about Schoenstatt.

There are already close to two hundred fifty families that are visited by the Pilgrim MTA. The coordinators organize groups of families to have experiences in the Shrine with the prayer of the rosary or a Holy Mass celebrated by the pastor, Father Federico. In Belmonte, Father Kentenich’s desire to be in the heart of the Church through the parishes is being accomplished.

The pilgrims receive sunflower seeds brought by Father Peter Wolf to spread the idea of the life stream of a "new springtime" in the Church.

Covenant Day

The month of Mary, the month of May, is experienced for the first time in the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine..This month, the Holy Mass was celebrated on Covenant Day for the second time. A meditated rosary was prayed under the direction of the Santa Gemma Parish, then the consecration to the Mother Thrice Admirable and the offering of the Capital of Grace took place. The Holy Mass was celebrated by Father Ludovico Tedeschi, who is responsible for the development of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in all of Italy. Approximately 70 persons participated. It rained a lot, but the burning of the Capital of Grace, outside the Shrine was carried out with the active participation of the pilgrims while they sang the hymn of the Pilgrim MTA.

The pilgrims are being introduced to the spirituality of the Shrine and they gladly adhere to the Capital of Grace, throughout the month, that they deposit it into the amphora (jar with two handles) that was donated by the Schoenstatters of Milwaukee that is placed at the communion rail.

Catequesis

The children who receive catequesis in the parish are also pilgrims of the Shrine. The catechists (ladies and Salesian Sisters) frequently take their groups to pray in the Shrine, then they gather them to converse with them or to play. At times something about the Shrine is explained to them, such as its origin and spirituality. The children receive this instruction with great interest.

Corpus Christi

The Feast of Corpus Christi was celebrated on Sunday, the 29^th of May, with a Holy Mass in the parish at 6:00 p.m., followed by a procession that crossed the square of the parish and passed through the interior road of the grounds, until arriving in front of the Shrine.

The surroundings were prepared with many, many flowers and stems similar to wheat, rose petals were strewn throughout the patio and also on the road. The pastor, Father Federico, who is profoundly spiritual and dedicated to the faithful, carried the Blessed Sacrament and there, at the door of the Shrine, after a beautiful moment of deep Eucharistic prayer, he gave the solemn blessing with the Blessed Sacrament. By his own initiative, he always invites the faithful to enter in the "little Schoenstatt chapel"

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, Texas, USA