First birthday of the Shrine which belongs to all of us

The Belmonte Shrine in Rome was blessed one year ago on September 8^th

Jovenes de Nigeria y Burundi en el Santuario de Belmonte Youth from Nigeria and Burundi at the Shrine in Belmonte Jugendliche aus Nigeria und Burundi beim Heiligtum in Belmonte
Parte de la vida parroquial: Via Crucis en el Santuario Part of the parish life: Stations of the Cross at the Shrine Teil des Gemeindelebens: Kreuzweg im Heiligtum
Corpus Cristi Corpus Christi Fronleichnamsfeier
Grupo de catequesis Religious education Katechese-Gruppe im Heiligtum
Jornada de la Familia de Schoenstatt de Italia Meeting of the Italian Schoenstatt family Treffen der italienischen Schönstattfamilie Fotos: Abram © 2005

INTERNATIONAL, Mons. Dr. Peter Wolf. It is incredible! With a multitudinous international participation, the Belmonte Shrine was inaugurated one year ago. During the days of the Youth Festival and on the eve of WYD in Cologne, the internationality of our Movement was experienced in a similar manner in Schoenstatt.

The first birthday of our Shrine was especially celebrated by the parish community and the Italian Schoenstatt Family. Throughout this first year, a true love for the Shrine has grown in these two communities. Continuously, there are: meetings, Holy Masses, catechetical meetings, and the recitation of the holy rosary. These are organized by the neighboring parish and those who live in the area. There are 24 images of the Pilgrim Virgin visiting in the neighborhood of the Shrine and many of the people who receive the Pilgrim Virgin come to the Shrine to thank the Blessed Mother for her visit. After WYD in Cologne and the Youth Festival in Schoenstatt, many youths from all over the world came to visit Belmonte. The youths from the parish of Santa Gemma where the Shrine is located, left for Cologne from the Shrine.

A decisive contribution for the foundation of the Boys Youth in Rome

The celebration which will have taken place over a three-day period will again consist of a triduum:

• September 8^th, Birthday of Mary and anniversary of the blessing of the Shrine. At 6:30 PM, Holy Eucharist in the Shrine with the parish community of Santa Gemma. Concelebrants, Bishop Dr. Ignazio Sanna (member of the Institute of Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests) and Fr. Federico, pastor of Santa Gemma. The youths of the parish are in charge of the music and the entire parish community is invited. The Roman Schoenstatt Family will have the joy of celebrating with everyone.
• September 10^th at 5:00 PM, celebration of the Holy Eucharist presided by Fr. Ludovico Tadeschi and accompanied by the Schoenstatt Family from the North of Italy.
• September 11^th at 5:00 PM, celebration of the Holy Eucharist and again presided by Fr. Ludovico Tadeshi with the participation of the Schoenstatt Family from the South of Italy.

The Blessed Mother expects the very special visit in the Shrine on the day of the anniversary : the university students from the Boys Youth from both Spain and Portugal who will reside in Rome for one year. They chose to study there – motivated by their apostolic spirit – and to seek open doors to also establish the Schoenstatt Youth Branch in Rome. As a result of their commitment to the missions – an apostolic action of the Spanish Schoenstatt Youth to evangelize the parish communities in Northern Spain and which follows the proven model used in Argentina, Chile, Brazil, and Mexico – they count on most valuable experiences. With our prayers we want to accompany the young missionaries.

Fill the jars!

One year ago, from all parts of the world, we arrived in Belmonte bringing our jars. In the meantime, the jar from Belmonte is filled each month. Beginning in October, approximately, the possibility will exist – via the internet – to fill this jar with contributions from throughout the world. Belmonte will have a special site for this. On the other hand, the construction for the "Casa della Alleanza" ("House of the Covenant") continues advancing. The roof will be completed in the next few days. Many pilgrims have already announced their intention to participate on the day of the inauguration on the next 8^th of December (information on the pilgrimage at: secretariat.generalrektor@moriah.de). Even if it is not totally completed by then, the house will be available around February of 2006. Next to the house of the family that takes care of the Shrine, two small apartments and a pilgrims’ hall with bathrooms will be built. In this way, pilgrims who come individually will be able to stay overnight in Belmonte as well as youth groups with their sleeping bags. To begin with, on Easter of 2006, boys from Espira, Maguncia and Limburgo will arrive in Belmonte. All pilgrims are cordially invited. (To stay and/or celebrate Holy Mass in the Shrine, please contact the Abram family: abramnt@tiscali.it).

The Shrine of Belmonte in relation to Pentecost 2006

Shortly after his election, Pope Benedict XVI invited the Movements to celebrate with him the Feast of Pentecost next year, connecting with this invitation the unforgettable vigil which took place with his predecessor, John Paul II, and the Movements on Pentecost of 1998 in St. Peter’s Square. Seven years have passed since this vigil which was a strong motivation for the Movements . At that time, the deceased pontiff affirmed that the Movements are the response of Providence to the challenges of the Church, gathering them to participate in the Church in the new millennium, to have a mutual openness and to work together. The visit to Schoenstatt by Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, and Andrea Riccardi, founder of San Egidio, was a fruit of this meeting initiated by the Holy Father on the vigil of Pentecost 1998.

The President of the General Presidium of the International Schoenstatt Movement has received with great joy this new invitation from the Holy Father Benedict XVI. In this can be seen a clear and eloquent sign that Pope Benedict also entrusts the future of the Church into the hands of the Movements and that he follows the footsteps of his predecessor.

Our Shrine in Belmonte and our future Center have followed this line from the beginning. The Shrine of Rome desires to be a Cenacle for the Church of the future, following St. Vincent Pallotti and our Father…..to interiorly unite and concentrate all apostolic strengths of the Church into an active commitment for the evangelization of the world. In this we see in the next Pentecost an event completely attached with our Shrine. In a certain way we want to see ourselves as the first to accept the invitation from the Holy Father and begin our journey filled with hope toward Pentecost 2006. It was discussed in the General Presidium that we should collaborate in our parishes and dioceses to motivate the other Movements to celebrate Pentecost 2006 in Rome. As soon as the Vatican has the program for the vigil ready, the panorama will be clearer and we will then see how we will celebrate Pentecost, either before or after in the Shrine in Rome. On www.schoenstatt.de information will be provided with plenty of time on dates and times so that as many as possible may gather in Belmonte or participate spiritually if it is not possible to come to the Shrine.