Bringing Mary to the Church

Pentecost Vigil of the Schoenstatt Movement, at Saint Andrea della Valle

Australia esta presente! Viajó a Roma, sola, para estar en la vigilia de Schoenstatt y la vigilia con el Papa! Australia is present! She travelled alone from Australia to be in the vigil of Schoenstatt and with the Pope! Australien ist da! Sie ist allein von Australien aus angereist, um in der Vigil der Schönstattbewegung und beim Papst zu sein!
Entrada de la Auxiliar de la Campaña del Rosario Entrance of the Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign Einzug der Auxiliar der Kampagne
La Iglesia colmada de schoenstattianos The church filled with Schoenstatt members Gefüllte Kirche
Repartiendo la luz Passing on the light Das Licht wird weitergegeben
Rumbo a San Pedro On the way to Saint Peter’s Auf dem Weg zum Petersplatz
Santuario de Luz – canciones, gritos, banderas… Shrine of Light – songs, flags, excitement... Heiligtum aus Licht auf dem Petersplatz – und Lieder, Rufen, Fahnen... Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Video

ROME ’06, mkf. Flags on high, waving softly, all eyes on Her, the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt, in the picture of the Great Pilgrim MTA, who entered in procession –carried by hand by two missionaries of the Campaign – to Saint Andrea de la Valle Church, transforming it into a Shrine. This is what Schoenstatt wants to do, what each Schoenstatt person is committed to live and die for: To take Mary to the Church – and from the Church, to the world! When the Auxiliary reached her place, which was marvelously decorated with yellow and white flowers placed very colorful over the white tablecloths, she is seen surrounded by many Pilgrim MTA’s…among them, one installed in a special place, destined to be presented to the Holy Father. At this time the Schoenstatt Family, who was present in this monumental church, is "at home", it is in the heart of its spirituality and its charisma: all hearts are beating for her, the Blessed Mother, the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt. Judging by the shouts with loud voices that were later heard at Saint Peter’s, because of the affection with which the missionaries take their Pilgrim MTA’s to the altar, or by the profound commitment with which they all pray the Consecration Prayer, "My Queen, My Mother" – it is certain that the love of the Blessed Mother is the heart of Schoenstatt, it is what makes these 1500 or more people, a family, who on that wet and cold afternoon congregated at Saint Andrea de la Valle for the Vigil.

The rain that was forecast for Saturday – the day of the Vigil of the Movements with Benedict XVI – where some 500,000 people attended at Saint Peter’s, came the day before, on Friday. It was the rain that caused many Schoenstatt pilgrims to arrive at the San Andrea de la Valle Church hours before the start of the Vigil. Some time after the first pilgrims entered, Sister Thomasine, Sister Mariagnes, Augusta Maria Duran-Ballen and her daughters were beginning to decorate the place: white cloths, an abundance of flowers, the Schoenstatt Flag. A high place was prepared for the International Auxiliary of the Campaign (whose arrival was late because of the afore mentioned rain and other bothers that make great contributions to the capital of grace, and causesd many rosaries to be prayed during the preparation). With just a little bit of timidity and much affection, first the missionaries from Uruguay, then from Chile and Argentina placed their Pilgrim MTA’s on the altar…Cristina White spoke to Sister Thomasine about the Pilgrim MTA for the Pope, and fascinated about this, she brought a stand to place this Pilgrim MTA in an outstanding place. In passing Cristina White also commented about the modality of Serenity and Confidence, "of Sister Emilie’s charisma" – without knowing that she was speaking with the postulator of the process of Sister Emilie! "In this way I will place a photo of Sister Emilie besides this Pilgrim MTA", she charmingly says. Raquel Puch from Uruguay carried a flag from her country to the altar...opening the special "procession" of flags from Chile, Argentina, Germany, Ecuador, handkerchiefs from Spain, little flags, pictures, more Pilgrim MTA’s are carried to the altar. Schoenstatt is here. Many tourists begin to ask questions…

A Family celebrating

While the altar is becoming more and more into a "Shrine", the back part of the church is becoming a great entrance hall where the Schoenstatt Family meets and greets each other. Bavio and Ivone Sallustro, of the Family Federation from Paraguay, arrive – in this way adding another country to the long list of the nations that are present at this Schoenstatt encounter. A lady from Australia traveled on her own to Rome, to attend the Schoenstatt Vigil and to the one with the Pope – and she is radiant with happiness to be among more than 1,500 Schoenstatters. Lorenza, a Philippine lady, who lives in Germany with her husband, a German, greeted friends from Germany whom she had not seen in some time. Cristina and Guillermo Tagle from Chile come and they bring with themselves the commitment for the "cause" of Mario Hiriart.

What a great joy when one encounters a Schoenstatt Father, who is now working in another country, but still "ours". How many memories, news to share, greetings to transmit…It is beautiful uproar typical of a real family celebration!

Within all of this, there is a more silent and profound encounter. On the bench the Auxiliary, is "waiting" for the start of the vigil. Men, women, Schoenstatters, tourists…stop, to greet her, to touch her…they kneel to pray…

The Holy Spirit is present wherever Mary is

The vigil began at 8:00 p.m., at the tone of the organ the Blessed Mother Thrice Admirable enters …followed by the priests, lectors, and youth with candles in their hands. Everyone rises, flags flutter, they greet HER…"The Rosary Campaign takes Mary to church, all the doors open for the Great Missionary", says Susana Hernandez excitedly. When the Auxiliary is in her place, Monsignor Wolf invites everyone to greet her. Youth from several countries take candles, while the "Ave Maria" is sung…Ave Maria, mother of the Church, Ave Maria, resplendent shrine…The choir of the Girls’ Youth sang devoutly to the joy of everyone. All the texts are read, in turn, in German, Spanish, and Italian, the reading about the vigil of the first Feast of Pentecost is heard. In his homily, Father Heinrich Walter relates the experience of this moment to the vigil on Saturday, stressing the desire that all the Movements will be enthused for a covenant of love among themselves. The youth distribute candles to everyone…The testimonies prepared by the youth and couples from several countries are impressive. Everyone applauded the little son of an Italian family, who could barely reach the microphone and in a clear voice he says: we are also missionaries, like Saint Paul, the only difference is that we do it with the Schoenstatt Pilgrim MTA! Gerhard Proß, from the Reformed Church, who gladly accepted Schoenstatt’s invitation, gave a testimony about the road that led to a covenant between the Catholic movements and those of the Reform, and he stressed that in Schoenstatt he discovered the action of the Holy Spirit in a very profound way…and that he understood that is was because of the love of Mary and her presence in Schoenstatt.

A sea of flags

At the end of the testimonies, some youth sang in Spanish…The flags accompanied them, and suddenly the church seemed to be moving with all the little flags waving…A sea of little Schoenstatt flags filled the church, a sea of candles illuminated it. After the Our Father and the final blessing, everyone sang the Hymn of the Family…and then they went out with the Auxiliary in front to Saint Peter’s, where the youth had already prepared everything to again make the "Shrine of Light" in the center of the Church.

Two little Germans with little flags go forth, very proud to open the way for the Auxiliary. A large procession goes through the noisy streets of Rome. A taxi driver stops to greet the Queen of all hearts, tourists look with astonishment, a young person says: Oh, look, the Madonna of Schoenstatt! The Auxiliary changes hands very often or it changes "little donkeys": youth from several countries, two Sisters of Mary from Germany, German Schoenstatt Mothers, a recently married couple from Texas, a man from Spain…everyone wants to carry her for a while.

Long live the Blessed Mother! Long live the Pope!

Once they arrived at Saint Peter’s, everyone gathered to form a Shrine of Light. A Schoenstatt Father had spoken with "a Cardinal" in order to use his window to take pictures…Long live Schoenstatt! Long live the Pope! Father Ludovico invited everyone to pray, here at Saint Peter’s for a new Pentecost for the Church. The windows of the Holy Father’s apartment were lighted. "Benedict!" Songs and more songs: Emmanuel, Protect Us With Your Mantle, Spanish Schoenstatt songs…It was a jubilee, an incredible joy. Those who did not go for fear of arriving home too late missed a spectacular experience. Now everyone is young with the youth, who shout: All for one, one for all, long live the Church!

At the end, the Holy Father did not appear in the window. But today, Saturday, he will see the Schoenstatters, he will see the flags, he will see the Pilgrim MTA’s, he will see the Auxiliary that received a "preferential" place very close to the Pope’s altar…She will take the graces of the Shrine to Saint Peter’s, which tomorrow will be filled with hundreds of thousands of people… the graces of the Shrine fruit of the contributions to the capital of grace, for a new Pentencost.

Translation: Celina M. Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA