Pentecost of Movements

The congress and the vigils are being prepared with much anticipation

ROME, Father Alberto Eronti/mkf. "Thank you very much for all the coverage on the web. Without it, I would have never known about the invitation from the Holy Father Benedict, for Pentecost in Rome. I knew that I had to go and that I will go, as soon as I read about it on Schoenstatt.de. I will go with Mary Moore. We have worked together for Schoenstatt in Oregon for five years, and we are happy that we will be able to go," says Margaret Rolen, who founded Schoenstatt in Oregon some years ago through the Rosary Campaign. Just like her, in many countries of the world – Germany, Argentina, Chile, United States, Ecuador, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Poland… - the members of the Schoenstatt Movement are preparing to go to the encounter with the Holy Father and other movements.

The preparations are well underway. On April 22^nd, representatives of 18 Movements and New Communities met with five representatives of the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The Congress will take place in the area of Rocca di Papa, close to Lake Alabano, at the "Migliori World Center". Cecilia Sturla, from Argentina, who is one of the four Schoenstatt representatives for the congress, just informed us in a genial way that in reality there will be five persons in the group of delegates, and not four: "I am not going alone, since I am pregnant with my 5^th child and by that date I will be in my 6^th month…"

Other Schoenstatt representatives for the Congress are Juan Enrique Coeymans, from Chile, Father Michael Marmann, and Sister Nuria Stosiek, both from Germany. The Federation of Women will also have two representatives.

Vigil on June 2^nd at Saint Andrea Della Valle

Nineteen vigils are already organized, in different churches, all with the motto which the congress will also use: "The beauty of being Christian and the joy of communicating it". The Vigil for the Schoenstatt Family will take place in Saint Andrea of the Valle, and it will begin at 8:00 p.m. Entrance to the church will begin at 7:30 p.m.

The testimonies and the text for the liturgy for these days are translated in four languages so that everyone can participate and feel "at home", as a family.

As you already know, the Third International Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign will preside at the Vigil. It will travel by bus with the Sisters from Brazil from Schoenstatt to Rome, where it will be transferred to representatives of the Rosary Campaign from Argentina, who will be in charge of solemnly taking it to the Vigil and to St. Peter’s.

 Encounter of Pope Benedict XVI with the Movements and New Communities

It was announced that that the Italian Council of Ministries declared the Encounter on June 3^rd as "A Great Event" providing part of the money to pay for the services and logistics that the city of Rome will offer: Civil Protection, Police, Parking, Public Transportation, etc.

The "great event" will fill St. Peter’s that is the reason everything is being organized now so that everything will go well:

• St. Peter’s Square will be divided into sections which can be accessed with a ticket that each participant will receive from his own Movement
• The sick people who arrive in wheel chairs should enter through the Pilgrim’s door, which is behind the Paul VI Hall. Each sick person can only be accompanied by one person. The plans include space for 700 sick people, and if there are more, up to 900 can be accommodated.
• Those with preferential tickets and sections of St. Peter and St. Paul will enter through the Square of the Holy Office, columns on the left. Sections I and II and the rest, will enter through the right columns.
• At the entrance to the Square, each participant will receive the book with Vespers and the 20 songs that will be sung during the encounter.
• There will be 900 volunteers that will help and guide.
• Costs of the event. A good portion will be provided by the Italian Government, the Pontifical House will provide all the printed materials: book and tickets, the Viafriaro of Rome will provide the posters. The PCL is asking for an contribution of 1,00 Euro per participant (in 1998 the amount was $5.00). This Euro should be paid when each group receives its tickets as a gesture of co-responsibility.

Schedule for June 3^rd:

• The square will be opened at 2:00 p.m. During the morning traffic will be restricted within the perimeter, but entrance to the Basilica and the Crypt where Pope John Paul II is buried will be allowed.
• The rehearsal for the songs for the Encounter will begin at 3:30 p.m.
• The program will begin at 4:00 p.m.
• The Pope will enter at 6:00 p.m. traveling by auto through the aisles of the Square.
• It is planned that Vespers will begin at 6:30 p.m. followed by the talk by the Holy Father.
• The plan is that everything will conclude around 8:00 p.m. or 8:30 p.m.
• It is calculated that it will take 30 to 45 minutes to vacate the Square.
• The ticket that each person will receive to enter the Square can be used to travel free of cost by Bus Tram and Metro throughout the day of June 3^rd.
• To travel from the Roma Termini station to St. Peter’s Square: Bus 40, Express, get off at the final stop, Via Traspontina. Bus 64, get off at the second stop after crossing the Tiber River. Metropolitan "A" at "Battistina", get off at "Octaviano" station.
• Metropolitana "A" will reinforce its services before as well as after the encounter. The last train will depart from the "Octaviano" station to Termini at 11:00 p.m

The PCL will have a team working beginning on May 8^th (during the working hours of the Council) and during the last week before the Encounter they will work all day. Email for the Council: pcpl@laity.com

The tickets for June 3^rd can be obtained by the director of each group of the Movement before the Schoenstatt Vigil, on June 2^nd beginning at 5:00 p.m. at Piazza Vidone, number 6 (entrance of the rectory of Saint Andrea Della Valle).

Mass on Pentecost Sunday, June 4^th

Tickets will be needed to enter. These should be requested, as it has already be announced, at the Pontifical Prefecture and they will be available on June 2^nd at the "Bronze Doors", at the beginning of the right "columns". The Mass will begin at 10:00 a.m.

Vespers in Belmonte, Matri Ecclesiae Shrine, June 4^th

On Pentecost Sunday, Vespers will be prayed at 5:00 p.m. at the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine.

Presentation of the General Statute to the Pontifical Council of Laity

The General Presidency of the International Schoenstatt Work will be present in Rome for the vigils, and it will meet in Rome on June 5^th. On this day the General Statute, which was written recently, will be presented to Monsignor Rylko, President of the Pontifical Council of Laity.

Contact in Rome:

Father Felipe Bezanilla will be in charge of providing information for Pentecost. He is the contact person for groups that arrive in Rome, especially for those who are not from Germany.

Father Felipe Bezanilla fbezanilla@gmial.com Cell phone: 389.16.13.997