A place in Rome that is "ours"

Before the vigil: Pilgrimages to the Shrine of all of us in Belmonte, to St. Peter’s, and to the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine

Terezinha y Nivaldo Abram hablando sobre la misión del Santuario de Belmonte Terezinha and Nivaldo Abram speaking about the mission of the Shrine in Belmonte Terezinha und Nivaldo Abram sprechen über die Sendung des Heiligtum in Belmonte
Peregrinos del sur de Alemania en el Santuario Cor Ecclesiae Pilgrims from Southern Germany at the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine Pilger aus Süddeutschland im Cor Ecclesiae-Heiligtum
Misa en el Santuario Cor Ecclesiae Mass at the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine Messe im Cor Ecclesiae-Heiligtum Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006
Misa en San Pedro, presidida por el P. Heinrich Walter Mass at St. Peter’s, presided by Fr. Heinrich Walter Messe im Petersdom, Hauptzelebrant Pater Heinrich Walter
Peregrinos de Ecuador en San Pedro Pilgrims from Ecuador at St. Peter’s Pilgergruppe aus Ecuador auf dem Petersplatz Fotos: Santos © 2006
El viento del Espiritu Santo... The Holy Spirit’s storm... Im Wehen des Heiligen Geistes... Foto: POS Fischer © 2006 Albúm de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Vídeo

ROME, mkf. Teresinha and Nivaldo Abram, custodians of the Shrine at Belmonte, arrange flags, microphones, flowers…The strong wind on this June 1^st is a challenge, the yellow tent in front of the Shrine "blows" toward the Covenant House (Casa dell’Alleanza) while they show the jars to a group of pilgrims, the jars that were (and are)a symbol of the contributions to the capital of grace of all the Schoenstatt Family in preparation for the blessing of the Shrine in 2004. "How beautiful that we now have our own place in Rome", says Cristina White, as she approaches the Shrine with the group from Uruguay and Argentina. "Yes, a place that carries my contributions, my memories", comments her friend. "It is the Shrine of all of us"

On May 31^st youth from several countries gathered in Belmonte, on June 1^st the group from Argentina and Uruguay had a Holy Mass here, the greatest influx is expected on June 2^nd , when the group of some 800 Germans, who arrived in Rome on May 31^st, is scheduled to "invade" Belmonte. "For two years we are now living with this site of construction, with noise and the dirt", commented Terezinha Abram. "It is beautiful every time that pilgrims from several countries come, so that the people from the parish will understand what this Shrine is about". Smiling, her husband shares the "stories" that are heard: that the wayside shrine is a memorial to a Sister who was assassinated, or that a German plane crashed here during the war..." It is a strange vGerman thing", is what many also commented, but step by step, pilgrim by pilgrim, they realize that it this is not "a German Shrine in Rome", but rather, a Shrine that attracts pilgrims from the entire world. With joy, the Abrams relate that the Campaign has been present in the parish for two years, and how the Shrine is incorporated into the life of the parish. "It is the Shrine of love of the church. Therefore we have to make it popular through love of the parish", explains Nivaldo Abram. Father Guillermo Mario Cassone recalls how the symbol of the jar united all the Schoenstatt Family in the spiritual construction of the Shrine. "The popularization was unprecedented", he said, "in this way it became the Shrine of all of us".

Schoenstatt in the heart of the Church

The Holy Mass being the highlight of Christian life, and St. Peter the center of the universal church - that made for Schoenstatt really being in the heart of the Church on Thursday morning, June 1. At 9,00 AM, the group of German pilgrims, together with some smaller groups from Ecuador, USA, and Canada, that had joined them, celebrated Holy Mass in St. Peter's, under the impressive picture of the Holy Spirit. Father Heinrich Walter, President of the General Presidium of the International Schoenstatt Movement., presided the Holy Mass. A beautiful Unity Cross was on the altar, as well as some Pilgrim MTA's.

Cor Ecclesiae

Many of the pilgrims will also visit the first Schoenstatt Shrine in Rome, the "Cor Ecclesiae" Shrine of the Sisters of Mary. Many attachments with bishops and cardinal of the curia have been woven here. A group from Germany, traveling with Sister Marie, begins the pilgrimage through Rome on the morning of May 31^st at this shrine. "It is a paradise in the midst of the noise of this city", said a lady from Uruguay after the Mass in the Shrine for her group. "How generous of the Sisters, to offer us water", she adds.

Everyone who comes wants to visit St. Peter’s and especially the tomb of John Paul II. After the general audience on Wednesday morning, St. Peter’s was full of people. The line to enter reached the Via de Conziliazione. Many large groups from the different Movements were seen: Jeunesse lumiere, Christian Communities of Life, Charismatic Renewal…"The line did not move for an hour", says Mercedes McDonough. "When we started to pray the rosary, the line began to move, and when we finished the last Hail Mary, we entered St. Peter’s!"

The wait, the heat, the aching feet –all for the capital of grace for the great vigil of Pentecost. Come, Holy Spirit, come and renew everything!

Info

EWTN and other will do live transmission of the Vigil on Saturday.

The team of schoenstatt.de will do the best to provide photos, articles and more as soon as possible. Watch the photoalbums and schoenstattblog.blogspot.com