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 published: 2005-10-11

Our ideal, to guard your legacy!

How I experienced Vigil 2005 in Guayaquil, Ecuador

 

Alegría contagiante

Contagious joy

Ansteckende Fröhlichkeit

 

Vigilia Juvenil 2005 en Guayaquil, Ecuador: „concierto“

Youth Vigil 2005 in Guayaquil, Ecuador: „concert“

Jugendvigil 2005 in Guayaquil, Ecuador: „Konzert“

 
 

José Engling, el Hermano Mayor

Joseph Engling, our “Older Brother”

Josef Engling, unser „Großer Bruder“

 
 

Compromiso

Commitment

Wir machen ernst...

 
 

Misa

Mass

Messe zum Abschluss

Fotos: Galvis © 2005

 

 

Mas fotos – more photos – mehr Bilder

 

ECUADOR, Isabel Galvis. Saturday, the 1st of October, it was almost 7:00 p.m. in Guayaquil, when the lights of the Shrine were lighted, at the same time that groups of boys and girls arrived for the vigil to commemorate the second year of the Joseph Engling Memorial. Most of them were pioneers and allies and they arrived with sleeping bags that reminded us of the recent images of World Youth Day and the Festival in Schoenstatt.

Boys ran with cables, microphones, boxes, testing the sound system. Girls decorated with posters, candles and they tested the equipment. The moment for the vigil was arriving and everything had to be ready. This encounter promised to be marvelous, full of fun, but also with much prayer and quiet time.

Recalling the conquest of the Joseph Engling Memorial

Everyone met in the Pilgrim’s Church close to 8:00 p.m. when Vigil 2005 formally began, the emcees, Lore Sanchez and Samir Abudeyer, gave the welcome, and they enthusiastically encouraged the boys and girls to participate in the songs and dances.

Then there was time to recall some of the history of the conquest of the memorial through a video that was taped in the vigil of October 2003, where everyone looked much younger. They also had time to share with the boys and girls who participated in the conquest of this Memorial, some are still in Ecuador, and others who no longer with us: Male Vilches (Sister Maria Elena) Meli Alava (Postulant of the t Institute of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary) Magdalena Cedeno (Leader of the Girls’ Youth in 2003), Francisco Alavarez (Leader of the Boys’ Youth in 2003), Juan Escobar (Noviate of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers) and Daniel Chong (Current Leader of the Boys’ Youth). Some dances and fun followed this profound experience. The girls from the Girls’ Youth sang and danced the song Graces of the Shrine, but since it was a night for both youth groups, they taught the boys the dance steps and then they all danced together.

A living flame

After the welcome, the participants went on pilgrimage with the Youth flags, to the area where the Blessing of the Fire was to take place. Thanks to the help of some colored powders, the fire changed color after the representatives of the Youth groups threw them into the flames, which ended with a beautiful liturgy with the symbolism of each color. The living flame accompanied us throughout the night representing God’s presence among us. Inside the balloons that were distributed there was a name of person for whom each one should pray throughout the vigil, after the blessing they popped all the balloons and each participant found the name of that person, whether they knew them or not, they would pray for the intentions of their hearts. Then they lighted candles with the holy flame and they took them to the Memorial and to the Shrine, the two places they had chosen for the Vigil.

No one slept! It was a Gethsemane experienced in honor of Joseph Engling.

While the boys and girls chose the schedule for the visit to the Holy Sacrament, the emcees motivated us to participate in some of the workshops that would take place that night, since the motto was: No one will sleep! We wanted to make a live Gethsemane in honor of our Older Brother! The workshops were: Experience of World Youth Day and the Festival of Schoenstatt, Jospeh Engling’s Letters, Text Message from God (one of the workshops from World Youth Day) Painting T-shirts, Design the windows of the Memorial, Composition of the song for Vigil 2005.

During the night, the participants were offered delicious refreshments, sandwiches and coffee, which was much appreciated on a cold night. It was beautiful to see so many youth accompanying Jesus in the Shrine and Joseph at the Memorial, as if to say: "So many youth are celebrating today, dedicated to fun and absorbed by the pleasures of the world, but I want to offer you this night as a symbol of my commitment with you and with the youth". The Memorial and the Shrine were never empty; rather, you could hear songs and groups praying with an Adoration booklet that they were given. Beginning this year a notebook will be kept with the signatures of the boys and girls, who attend the Vigils, a group of boys painted the mural of the vigil that already had several pictures and phrases of gratitude, mottoes, names of the groups, etc.

"An ideal is born in me, I should believe that I will be able to reach it…"

Close to 4:00 in the morning they bid farewell to Jesus present in the Consecrated Host to start another of the most entertaining moments of the night, almost morning, a surprise concert! The band made up by Francisco Martinez, Xavier Andrade, Fausto and Francisco Ruiz, made them sing and dance with some new versions of the songs that they always hear but had never danced! With this time of integration finished, they began to calm down in order to begin the "Death Walk of Joseph Engling". More than liturgical it was experiential, they walked through 5 stations that represented the 5 important times of Joseph’s life, they were:1)Totally Mary’s 2)To be everything for everyone 3) Go and inflame the world 4) I want to be a saint 5)We will guard your legacy. With the help of some entertaining skits they were able to better understand Joseph Engling’s desire to be a saint each moment of his life and to be loyal to each sacrifice the Blessed Mother asked of him, even the most difficult one, the giving up of his own life. At the last station they burned the letters that each one had written to Joseph.

A testimony of heroism

The vigil was ending and the sky was awakening. They prepared to celebrate Holy Mass. Father Eduardo noticed the sleepiness on everyone’s face, so he gave a short homily, but it was beautiful since it encouraged them to go out and take Jesus and Mary to every front where there is a battle to be fought, just like their older brother. Then they enjoyed the traditional breakfast after Mass and they shared their personal impressions of what this night of prayer and interaction with other youths had meant to them.

Vigil 2005 was undoubtedly a fruitful experience for each one that attended, it was a time of encounter with God, and also a time to fill ones heart with hope. Joseph Engling left us a testimony of heroism urged by the love of the Blessed Mother, even in the most adverse situations. Perhaps we will not find ourselves in Joseph’s situation, in a war, but we feel called to give a response of heroism in the midst of the world every day, this is our battle field, the day by day.

"An ideal is born in me, I should believe that I will be able
to reach Sanctity, to accomplish my goal, close to You, I will reach it"
Song of the Joseph Engling Vigil 2005

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX


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