Schoenstatt grows in Venezuela

Caracas: Wayside Shrines and Covenants have emerged from the Campaign

Bendición de la ermita en Chacao, Caracas, por el P. Sydney Fones Blessing of the wayside shrine in Chacao, Caracas, by Fr. Sydney Fones Segnung des Bildstocks in Chacao, Caracas, durch P Sydney Fones
Misioneritos de Chacao Little Missionaries from Chacao Kleine Missionare aus Chacao
Misioneritos de Caracas Little Missionaries from Caracas Die kleinen Missionare aus Caracas
Entrega de Peregrinas en Cristo Rey Commissioning of Pilgrim MTA’s in Cristo Rey Aussendung in Cristo Rey
Alianza del grupo “Madre admirable” Covenant of the group “Mother admirable” Liebesbündnis der Gruppe “Wunderbare Mutter”
Ordenación sacerdotal de P. José Gregorio Ordination of Fr. José Gregorio Priesterweihe von José Gregorio Fotos: Blumers © 2005

VENEZUELA, Konstatntin and Teresa Blumers. Next Ocotber 18^th, the children will pray the Rosary for peace and for unity throughout the country and afar, as an initiative of the National Council of the Laity with the support of the Episcopal Conference of Venezuela. The Rosaries will be prayed in schools, parishes and kindergartens in Venezuela as well as throughout the world. The dream is that one million children will pray together. This will take place precisely on the 18^th of October…although it should not be considered unusual since the idea surged on the 18^th of August when a Rosary was prayed in the wayside shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt in Caracas. Schoenstatt is just beginning in Venezuela after many small starts. But it has gained strength in the last few years above all through the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign.

On the 27^th of August, the small Schoenstatt Family commissioned some Pilgrim MTA’s. This time the Blessed Mother opened the way in a poor neighborhood in the east side of the city, where 16 persons have been commissioned as missionaries to take the Blessed Mother to other persons. The pastor escorted the Blumers , because it is not advisable for strangers to go into the area unaccompanied. They arrived at the parish of Christ the King and they saw that this urban area located on a hillside is very beautiful. The people of the parish are very cordial and joyful.

Since the Campaign started on the 18^th of October of 2003, there have been 13 commissionings in Caracas, with a total of 205 Pilgrim MTA’s traveling in the area of Caracas. There was also a commissioning in Valencia, one in Colonia Tovar and another one in the island of Margarita.

Two of these commissionings were especially for children. On the 6^th of December 2003 the children of Petare, a very poor area, were commissioned as little missionaries; and on the 12^th of December of 2004 children and youth from Chacao were commissioned.

The Schoenstatt Movement emerges

The Schoenstatt Movement is emerging .A group of professional women and two mothers’ groups have emerged from a mixed group. The group of professional women sealed their Covenant of Love on the 18^th of October of 2004, a month later on the 18^th of November many mothers sealed their Covenant. The Mothers’ Group, "Admirable Mother" sealed its Covenant within the Schoenstatt Apostolic League on the 25^th of June of 2005.

On Saturday, the 10^th of September Deacon Jose Gregorio Gonzalez, who was present at the Youth Festival in Schoenstatt with a group of students, was ordained as a priest. He chose the picture of the Blessed Mother for the prayer card commemorating his ordination. His motto is: "Father, I place myself in your hands".

Meanwhile, there are four wayside shrines in the area of Caracas. The Schoenstatt Family has experienced that the Blessed Mother wants to attract many young hearts and to give many blessings from these shrines.

The Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign started in the 80’s , when Father Esteban Uriburu, a Schoenstatt Father from Argentina, decisively collaborated in the worldwide expansion of the Campaign. Father Uriburu died on the 12^th of October 1998.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA