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 published: 2006-01-10

The Pilgrim MTA on a motorcycle

History of the "Motorcycle Missionaries"

Puerto Rico: Escoltando a la Mater con la motos

Puerto Rico: the motorcyles  escorting the MTA

Puerto Rico: Motorradeskorte für die MTA

 

Bendición de la Peregrina en moto

Blessing of the Pilgrim MTA at the motorcycle

Segnung und Aussendung der Motorrad-Pilgermutter

 
 

Edgardo con la Peregrina

Edgardo with the Pilgrim MTA

Edgardo mit der Motorrad-Pilgermutter

 

Misioneros

Missionaries

Motorrad-Missionare

 
 

La moto se converte en un burrito de la Gran Misionera

The motorcycle becomes a donkey of the Great Missionary

Das Motorrad wird zum “Eselchen der Gottesmutter”

 
 

Entrega de la Peregrina

Commissioning

Übernahme der Pilgernden Gottesmutter

Fotos: Rivera © 2006

 
   

PUERTO RICO, Edgardo L. Rivera/mkf. "Did you see the Pilgrim MTA on that motorcycle?" Many Puerto Ricans are asking that question when they see a motorcyclist with the Pilgrim MTA as co-pilot. If you were to ask the motorcyclist, surely this person would respond: co-pilot? No, she is the great Missionary, who goes out on missions to reach other motorcyclists, she goes through the streets of Puerto Rico in search of persons who need her presence, and "My motorcycle and I are only her little donkeys".

The "Pilgrim MTA on a Motorcycle" or the "Motorcycle Missionaries" are the fruit of an inspiration that emerged in June of last year based on an article in schoenstatt.de about the first motorcycle pilgrimage to the Original Shrine. Edgardo Rivera tells about this new modality.

The First encounter with the Pilgrim MTA

To understand the importance of the Motorcycle Missionaries it is necessary to tell a little bit about the history of how the Pilgrim MTA of Schoenstatt came into my life. During the summer of 1999, three years after learning about Schoenstatt, I said two novenas along with one of my colleagues at work. One was to Mario Hiriart and the other one was to Joao Luiz Pozzobon. I knew very little about Joao and his mission. I didn’t even know that there were thousands of Pilgrim MTAs on pilgrimage in Puerto Rico. It was through this novena that I learned a little bit more about the mission of the Pilgrim MTA. In fact, during the third or fourth day of saying this novena, I felt that I had been given a mission, but I did not know what it was.

Several weeks later, I felt the desire in my heart to make my own Pilgrim MTA, thinking that it would be the first one in Puerto Rico. I finished it during the month of September of the same year and it was blessed on the 12th of October in the Cenacle Shrine of the Immaculate Mother of the Redeemer, in Juana Diaz, by the then Director of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement in Puerto Rico, Father Guillermo Esters.

I have carried out many things since then. Among them we could mention, talks about "Joao" and the importance of "praying the Holy Rosary", in cooperation with my group we produced radio program called "Paths of Light: Joao, Apostle of Hope", and we made more than 10 Pilgrim MTAs to be commissioned for new missionaries of the Blessed Mother.

The mission

During the month of June 2003, the desire to get a motorcycle again came into my heart, a desire that was dormant for many years. After one year of evaluating and meditating, I got my Honda Shadow Ace 2003 motorcycle. That was in May of 2004 but all the time praying to God that he not allow me to buy it if it was not his will. Since Jesus teaches us to be humble, I felt I was doing the opposite by buying the motorcycle. Trying to justify this, I decided to use it as another instrument of making the Blessed Mother known to many Puerto Ricans at the same time that I am enjoying a ride. That is how the idea to make a Pilgrim MTA that could be installed on a motorcycle was born. I could also use it to attract many motorcyclists to come closer to Jesus through Mary.

During the month of March (or April) of 2005, while on a business trip to San Diego, California, I received two phone calls telling me about a news item that was published on the official website of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement informing readers about a motorcycle pilgrimage to the Original Shrine in Germany. It was held during the month of June of that same year. Both friends who knew about my desire to carry out a motorcycle run with the Pilgrim MTA, commented on how this story was Providential.

I prepared the Pilgrim MTA for the motorcycle during the month of August, in preparation for the "Return of the Pilgrim MTA", which is an annual event where the missionaries and the pilgrims from all of Puerto Rico gather in the Shrine of Solidarity in Cabo Rojo to celebrate Puerto Rico’s mission and to renew commitments with Mary, our Mother and Queen. I had coordinated with Sister N. Nilda Pagan to attend this activity along other companions. We arrived on our motorcycles with the "installed" Pilgrim MTA onboard so that all could be blessed.

The blessing of the motorcycles

On the 21st of August 2005, I went with two other motorcyclists to the Shrine of Solidarity for the long awaited "Return of the Pilgrim MTA". The organization of this event was excellent.

The trip from Rio Grande, the town where I live, to Cabo Rojo is approximately three hours. We arrived at the Shrine around 10:30 a.m. and we were received like heroes. When we drove to the parking lot, the Sister who was directing traffic received us with a beautiful smile and a joyful expression, just like when someone whom we are waiting for with great yearning arrives. I greeted her in the manner in which Father Kentenich taught us, "Nos Cum Prole Pia..." and she lovingly responded "Benedicat Virgo Maria."

After we parked, a woman from the registration table came to greet us and to show us the procedure to follow. She happily took several photos. After the program, we drove to the House of the Father to wait for our turn to go into the Shrine for the blessing of the Pilgrim MTA and the motorcycles. I left my companions waiting while I went in search of Sister Nilda (who was in the Shrine) to tell her that we had arrived. When she saw us, she was visibly excited and announced through the loudspeakers the arrival of the motorcycles with the Pilgrim MTA. After she finished with the group she was attending to at that moment, she came to meet me, and she told us to get on the motorcycles and go the carpet in front of the Shrine. We did and when the deacon arrived, he blessed the Pilgrim MTA, the motorcycles and us. After resting for a little while, I took my companions to the Sisters’ Chapel for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

After the commissioning renewal of all the participants, a Pilgrim MTA about three feet tall was taken in procession to the Pilgrims’ Center where the Holy Mass would be celebrated. They asked us to escort her with our motorcycles. This surprised me very much since I did not expect it. During the Mass, they also asked us to take the "Motorcycle Pilgrim MTA" as an offering and for me to do the second reading. At the end of the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, my companions and I joyously left the event.

It was truly a marvelous day. I do not have the words that can describe the emotion that I felt with everything that happened. I always thought that the mission of the motorcycles was big, but the manner in which were received and what happened during the day let me know that it is bigger than I thought.

Description of the Mission

It has always been very difficult for me to determine with certainty the mission the Blessed Mother has given me. Until now, I have carried out four missions, including the blessing (the founding) of the Motorcycle Missionaries. In all of them, the Blessed Mother has visited many towns and many persons have seen her, but she has also attracted several motorcyclists to herself. Could it be that they will become a part of the "Motorcycle Missionaries?" I don’t know, but we will continue working for Her and contributing to the building of the Kingdom of God.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA - Christi Jentz, Milwaukee, WI, USA


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