SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "Here in Gonzales Chaves, a small town, we will do everything possible so that Mary will be better known and loved. Thanks to 72 missionaries, the Pilgrim MTA already visits some 1100 families. Today, the 18^th, we will go to our Wayside Shrine and we will offer her a Rosary…"writes Antonia Goytino. It was from this small town some 280 kms. from Bahia Blanca, Argentina, that the greatest number of stars arrived to be taken to the manger of the Child Jesus, in the Bethlehem of our time, the Original Shrine and to Father’s tomb this last Christmas. In Schoenstatt, as in all of Germany, Christmas is celebrated until almost the end of January, so the first 18^th celebration still had a touch of Christmas.

All the stars that were sent with the names of loved ones and the thousands and thousands of stars written by the 11,000 participants at the "Ten Minutes at the Crib" were again in the manger of the Adoration Church for the Covenant celebration, where once again we prayed for the persons whose names are written on the stars.

At the end of the celebration the contributions to the Capital of Grace and the stars were burned in a flaming bonfire.

To reach the heart of God more quickly

During the celebration, Father Elmar Busse spoke in view of the 20^th of January, anniversary of the decision Father made to leave all human intervention aside that would prevent him from going to the concentration camp of Dachau. Father Busse made an interesting comparison: He said that in order for large boats to go through a narrow passage it is necessary to dig so that it will get deeper. If it does not go deeper the boats will not pass and they would have to go around it –it would be easier –but it would take longer…The 20^th of January and each new 20^th of January is if with his heroic decision for the family, Father had asked and he asks the MTA "dig deeper", giving the Covenant of Love of all the family more depth, so that it will reach the heart of God more quickly and for the total freedom of giving itself completely, without reserve, to the mission that God the Father has entrusted to it.

"First I have to go to the Original Shrine"

Cecilia a young girl from Chile’s Girls’ Youth arrived one day before just in time for the 18^th. She was in Hawaii working as a babysitter and when her contract ended, her employers, who work for an airline, gave her a trip wherever she wanted to go. "Of course I decided for Europe", she said, "and first of all, I came to Schoenstatt!". She arrived at the airport of Franfort where she asked how to get to Schoenstatt. Since no one knew the place, she went to print a Schoenstatt text on the Internet…Finally she arrived by train to Koblenz, where she again asked about Schoenstatt.. and again no one knew of the place! Finally she found someone who gave her directions and that is how she was able to arrive at Schoenstatt – in the midst of a torrential rain…"First I have to go to the Original Shrine", she said. "Everyone wants to be represented in the Original Shrine by me!" – "It is incredible", she commented as she went out. "I felt the presence of thousands of persons although there were only 10 people praying here…"

The joy of the Covenant

The grace of loyalty and of profound growth. Alegria, from the Girls’Youth from Ecuador, sealed her Covenant of Love with the Mother Thrice Admirable in the Original Shrine on the 18^th of January of 2006. At the time she lives in Schoenstatt where she works as a volunteer in the Mother House of the Institute of the Sisters of Mary. Her name goes very well with the very touching ceremony that Latins and those who are not Latins shared with her at that moment, in which all renewed their Covenant in the place of origin. Father Kentenich was present there…his paternal presence was felt in the atmosphere and his invitation was for us to launch ourselves fully to live in the plenitude of the Covenant. "We ask the Blessed Mother and the Founding Father to give Alegria the grace of loyalty andfruitful growth in her interior life, open to grace", says Antonella Cerini, of Parana, a volunteer in the Press Office, who experienced this celebration with a very special joy.

For just a couple of hours in Schoenstatt

"Some friends of my wife’s sister, who is from Mendoza, belong to the Movement": this is how a man from Germany introduced himself by telephone. "We are travelling to Mendoza on Sunday and they recommended that we visit Schoenstatt, which I know nothing about!. Could we go on the 18^th, which they told us was a special day in Schoenstatt, and on which they go to a small chapel or whatever you call it…to the Shrine!" Just to be in Schoenstatt a couple of hours, to find out something about the Movement and to get information about how to raise funds for a "school that Schoenstatt has in Mendoza or close to Mendoza…", they traveled three hours by train (because of the weather it was impossible to take the car)…The important thing: to visit the Original Shrine and to buy souvenirs to take to Mendoza!

Guillermo and Mari Luz Montero arrived from the largest wayside shrine of the world in Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia to visit their daughter, who is an exchange student in Schoenstatt. What a surprise for them to see the Third International Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign in the Press Office, that before coming to Schoenstatt had been in Santa Cruz de la Sierra in the time of the foundation of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign there. It was a strong motivation to fulfill their promise of sending material about the marvels of the MTA in Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

Prayer Chain for the Family Missions

On the 23^rd of January, the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement of Argentina Marian Missions for Families began anew in Oliveros (of Santa Fe) and Bovril (of Entre Rios). A group of couples wit their children and other youth of the city of La Plata and surrounding area went there to go as missionaries as a family and for the families, giving up part of their vacation to this noble apostolic task. Their mission was to take the word of Christ and of the Blessed Mother to each of the families in these areas.

Many members of the family of La Plata and further away have accompanied them for seven years with prayer and daily Mass, united in a Chain of Prayer for its success and for the fruitfulness of the Family Missions. As every year, Lilita and Carlos Ricciardi asked for prayer at a designated time of the day for the Family Missions, be it with the Holy Rosary or attending Mass or some offering that each one can make for the missionaries. For their part, at the end of the day of mission, during the night prayer, all those who have prayed for the missions will be mentioned, within a deep framework of gratitude and spiritual unity. Father Dario Gatii, from Rosario, Rector of the Schoenstatt Shrine in that diocese, is the pastor in Oliveros, where a group of missionaries from La Plata visited. He writes: "Thanks for transmitting this notice (through) to our Family and to unite ourselves in prayer so that God and the Blessed Mother will reach the depth of the hearts of the people who went as missionaries and those who will be evangelized."

Family day of encounter

The 18^th is the day of family encounter in the Shrine. Writes Carmen Codas, of Asuncion, Paraguay: "I am in Mar del Plata, Argentina and on the 18^th I went to the Shrine of Nuevas Playas with my daughter, my brother –in-law and my brother. We traveled by a bus that departs from the Cathedral every 18^th for the pilgrims who want to visit the Shrine on this day; we met many people with whom we have so much in common that we really had a good time. Among them we met several ladies from the Mothers’ Branch and a young girl with whom we could share. Everything was good, the Mass and the visit to the Shrine. Again it was a gift of the Blessed Mother, who always accompanies us".

To pray with and for those who sent their petitions for prayer in the Original Shrine and the tomb of the Father