Today heaven has touched earth

Golden Anniversary of the Immaculate Shrine, Quarten, Switzerland

Procesión al Santuario Procession to the Shrine Prozession zum Heiligtum
Misa Jubilar Jubilee Mass Festgottesdienst
No pueden faltar: trompas alpinas A must in Switzerland: alpenhorns Das darf nicht fehlen: Alphörner
Peticiones en Kirundi Petitions in Kirundi Fürbitten in Kirundi
Coro latinoamericano Latin American Choir Lateinamerikanischer Chor
Peregrinas de Suiza Pilgrim MTA’s in Switzerland Neu-Aussendung von Bildern der Pilgernden Gottesmutter Fotos: Duvoisin/Zimmermann © 2005
Más fotos – mehr Bilder – more photos

SWITZERLAND, Claudia Zimmerman. It has been more than a year that this celebration has been a goal that was much desired. And not only for the Sisters of Mary, who are responsible for this Shrine. Since last May a commission was formed and numerous persons have worked. The leaders "were on fire" and here and there the tranquility of some homes have been momentarily in danger, because the mother, the father, the daughters…were always working on something related to the great celebration of the Shrine. And finally the moment has arrived: September 10^th, Golden Anniversary of the Immaculate Shrine in Quarten!

"Is it almost time?" a small child asked continuously. Nobody responded and he asked the question again with the insistence that is so common in children. Is it almost time? He had been holding a balloon for ten minutes and he was waiting for the moment when he could release it into the blue sky of the day. But the adults had not finished talking. At the end the Pilgrim MTA’s had to be blessed in an orderly manner before traveling to all the corners of Switzerland. The participants also wanted to consecrate themselves to the Blessed Mother one more time, before bidding farewell to the Shrine that was crowned with flowers with the number 50 which also made of flowers. Just as he had said during the program, the Bishop blessed the people with a lot of holy water, above all in the direction of the Pilgrim MTA Shrines.

Some children had already lost their patience. So some of the balloons touched the low clouds, finally Sister Monia Schnider, expressed her gratitude on behalf of the organizers and the guests asked that the candles be given to everyone. Everyone who was present received a small candle imprinted with the logo, about 200 candles were distributed. Other balloons rose to the sky while the Father Rene Klaus, Director of the Movement, expressed his gratitude to everyone.

A long day

It was a long day for the children. It was also long for the helpers. "I can’t tell you exactly how many helpers there are, said Bruno Armstutz, someone who should have known. He along with his wife Nina had organized the collaboration of the volunteers, something that was fulfilled at the designated time and with a designated task. He had some 250 persons on his list, "But, so many came to help at some place that I wasn’t able to see all of them". For example, one lady that was not on the list spent two hours cleaning tables. Others helped later without being asked.

It was also a long day for the man who was on the street since 6:00 a.m. until the evening directing traffic along with the local firemen and many volunteers. It was a long day for both doormen, who had to improvise because rain had not be anticipated and it rained. In the morning it not only rained, it poured. And everything that had been planned to do serenely before the people arrived had to be done in torrential rain and in a different way than had been planned. "Under difficult conditions" is a term used in skiing. The work continued and all the inconveniences were offered to the Blessed Mother: everything was done for the celebration of the Shrine. The work continued and meanwhile they were praying pressuring heaven to listen to their prayers, said Arnold B. Stampfli who was a reporter for the day, "if you have a motto like this one, it has to rain…"

Surely nobody wanted it, but everyone had to experience it. The opening was held with a torrential rain. Only some of those who arrived risked walking over the slippery ground, to the tent where the stage was set-up. The rest followed the ceremony from a protected area of the restaurant –the terrace. The dance that Sister Beatriz Lingg had prepared related to the motto and the logo: "in the midst of the day, in the midst of the year: heaven has touched the earth" was a phrase of the hymn for the celebration, that the children not only sang, but danced.

Something that was unusual for the Swiss Schoenstatters was the presence of a charming lady who translated the event into French. Not that we do not have charming ladies among us (and of course charming gentlemen) but because it is not usual to be in a bilingual atmosphere. In this case, French was a compromise: there were persons from 28 countries, the majority of them from the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign. It was not only necessary for them to speak with others, but they wanted to share their vitality, joy, music and their dances.

A short day

But the day was too short to enjoy such a great variety of events. There were forty workshops on the program for the celebration! It was a challenge just to get a panoramic overview. It was also a miracle to be on time and at the correct place. In the first place, they not only had to go through the vast grounds, but on the way they encountered friends and acquaintances that they had not seen in a long time, so getting from Point A to Point B required more time than usual.

Once in while the most intelligent thing to do was to be guided by providence: that is abandon what was planned and sit in a tent, in the restaurant or outside after getting some sausage or a sandwich. After all, the best thing was to enjoy the place. At some point it stopped raining, perhaps to lighten the spirits of the committee of the celebration who did not want to change the Mass to the Church.

A course on make-up and the recitation of the Rosary

Surely you cannot say that this celebration was partial or tiring. All you had to do was to see the many children with their faces made up with bright colors and a new hair do. The theater did not attract as many people as the Latin American dances that they wanted to see…Under the roof, many were laughing, some floors below you could admire the work of rosaries being made. The "Bar of Roses" offered some original drinks such as "Dry Rose" or "Jubilee Drink". The workshop called Young Sisters of Mary made a strong impact. For those who stayed home we recommend that you borrow a program of the celebration to read it and be astonished.

We have been touched by heaven, thanks go God!

The final words of the homily took up the theme of the choreography presented in the morning. The Diocesan Bishop, Monsignor Kurt Koch said that is had not been a mere exercise of obligation for the participants in the celebration of the Shrine. He again expressed gratitude in the homily by saying: "You have an admirable motto. And the texts you so ably presented to me are very beautiful". The homily was presented during the Holy Mass that evoked the elements of the day. The children presented the burning bush with resplendent faces and great serenity. The songs and petitions were presented in several languages. The choir and the orchestra also presented Polish and Latin American songs….

The offertory procession was a procession of gratitude for the harvest: the branches and communities took symbols of their work for the anniversary to the altar. Then the altar looked like never before, heaven touched the earth.

After the Holy Mass the adults went in procession from the tent to the Shrine. But the children—who felt the ceremony was too long –went through a mysterious hall to the underground garage of the House of formation where there were balloon in the colors of the celebration. The yellow and blue balloons were distributed… and you already know about the rest.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA