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 published: 2005-08-23

Covenants of Love, tears, embraces, and….."going home"

Emotional farewells from the Original Shrine for Schoenstatt youths

 

Preparación a la Misa de Alianza de una delegación de Estados Unidos y Canadá

Preparation to the Covenant Mass of a delegation from USA and Canada

Jugendliche aus USA und Kanada bereiten sich auf die Bündnismesse vor

 

Despedida emotiva del Santuario Original: jovenes de Brasil

Emotional farewell from the Original Shrine: youth from Brazil

Bewegender Abschied vom Urheiligtum: Jugendliche aus Brasilien

 
 

Despedido de nuevos amigos en la alianza

Bidding farewell to new friends in the Covenant

Abschied von neuen Freunden im Liebesbündnis

 
 

Tumba del Padre con una variedad de banderas

Founder Chapel with a viariety of nacional flags

Landesfahnen in der Gründerkapelle

 
 

Misa de Alianza de la JF de Chile

Covenant Mass of the Girls’ Youth from Chile

Bündnismesse der Mädchenjugend aus Chile

 

... Yo me ofrezco todo a ti…

...my entire self without reserve…

…mich selber ganz und gar…

 
 

Entrega de medallas

The girls receive their covenant medals

Überreichung der Weihemedaillen

 
 

El Santuario Original rodeado de jovenes

The Original Shrine once more surrounded by young people

Noch einmal ist das Urheiligtum umringt von Jugendlichen

 
 

Misa de un pequeño grupo de Argentina

Mass for a small group from Argentina

Eine kleine Gruppe von Argentiniern bei der Messe

Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005

 

 

 

WYD – SCHOENSTATT, mkf. A girl from Brazil clings to the Original Shrine and cannot contain her tears. At the same time, a fellow countryman extends his arms on the wall of the Original Shrine as if he would never want to leave….. The day after the closing of WYD, some Schoenstatt youths returned to their respective countries via Schoenstatt. Several of them sealed their Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine.

On the background of the almost total collapse of the transportation system in Mary’s Camp, between Sunday afternoon and 6 AM on Monday morning, youths arrived in Schoenstatt from Chile, Canada, USA, Bolivia, México, Portugal, Australia, the Philippines, South Africa….. In the city of Koblenz alone, according to a daily newspaper, it was estimated that on that day alone there were one thousand taxi fares by pilgrims who had missed their trains, lost their group, or their strength. "The majority of them went to Schoenstatt," adds Sr. Lisann at Sonnenau.

On Monday morning, the Original Shrine is once again "arrayed by youths." It is surrounded by hundreds of youths who are singing, dancing, praying, crying….. A reporter from the daily newspaper "Rhein-Zeitung", searching for interesting testimonies on WYD, was left dumbfounded when all of the youths affirmed in unison that their strongest impressions were: "the Pope, the Original Shrine, the internationality of the faith." Around 10 AM, while Holy Mass is being celebrated in German for the feastday of the Queenship of Mary, the Original Shrine is surrounded by youths.

MTA’S Camp!

The youths from Brazil ask to bid farewell in the Shrine to the Blessed Mother and to their friends of these last weeks. Embraces and tears take place. Some share what they experienced in Cologne taking into account the entreaties of those who were not able to participate: "Yes, that’s how it was. The Auxiliary MTA was close to the Holy Father during the vigil and the Boys’ Youth (JUMAS) appeared in various newspaper photos with the Auxiliary Shrine on their shoulders….." The youths from Portugal jump for joy upon learning that during the televised Mass with the Pope, their giant MTA banner appeared fully for a couple of minutes. It was very close and very visible….. A young girl from Recife, Brazil enters for the last time into the Original Shrine with her Pilgrim MTA in her arms. They have to leave. The bus scheduled to take them has arrived….. It is really hard to leave….. Someone gives them leaves from the vine which is on the Original Shrine. Perhaps the Original Shrine also weeps after having received night and day the visits of so many young people? When will they return with their joy and vitality to fill the place anew with their freshness?

A love for the Blessed Mother tested by rain, sleep, cold, tiredness…..

On Father’s tomb "Father’s mountain" grows each time with more flags placed there: South Africa, Chile, Australia – the host country for the next WYD – Canada. It is the first time that a delegation of girls’ youth from Canada comes to Schoenstatt. Their two representatives sealed their Covenant of Love on the 12th of August before leaving for Cologne. At 11:00, youths from USA and other countries celebrated their Covenant of Love Mass in the Original Shrine. They were accompanied by some Schoenstatt volunteers who were just now returning. Two young men from the USA delegation sealed their Covenant of Love in the afternoon in the Tabor Shrine while a girl from Minnesota USA who had traveled with her school to participate in WYD arrived in Schoenstatt and sealed her Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine. Later, at 6:00 PM, several girls from the Girls’ Youth from Temuco and Santiago Cordillera Chile had their time. These girls are blessed in that they can stay for a few more days in Schoenstatt. They will make use of the time to meditate on their experiences, pray, visit the places most dear to each of them, purchase Schoenstatt literature and mementos for friends and relatives…..

"You have prepared yourselves for the Covenant of Love and have proved your love to the Blessed Mother during these days in Cologne through your joy, tiredness, lack of food, lack of sleep," Fr. Patricio Ilabaca encourages. "You have also demonstrated it with your testimony, the strength of your faith, your songs, your smiles….. Now is the time to seal it. Here, at the place where Father Kentenich and the pioneers sealed it on that 18th of October….." It is a very emotional celebration…..deep, loaded with joy and tears. Upon ending, as a priest from Argentina and two or three boys try to enter the Shrine to celebrate Holy Mass, the new Covenant partners do not cease receiving congratulations, greetings, songs…..

The father of one of the girls upon greeting her on the occasion of her Covenant of Love, sums up what many feel on that first day after WYD: "I pray that this pilgrimage and this encounter to adore Jesus renews in our Church and in our Sister Churches the strength and the desire to build in, for and with Christ a new culture….. a new man and a new community." May this Covenant of Love, sealed or renewed in the Original Shrine, give you, as one of the young women prayed: "the strength to change the World, yes, to change the World – with Her it is possible."

More photos
Photos Cologne

Translation: Carlos Cantú, LaFeria, TX, USA



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