A sea of Pilgrim MTA’s, handkerchiefs, and flags in the Vatican Gardens

Closing of the Month of Mary in Rome: Hundreds of Schoenstatters praying with the Holy Father for the Pentecost of the Movements

Schoenstatt se hace presente: Aqui estamos, Santo Padre, aqui estamos, Madre Iglesia, aqui estamos, con nuestro amor a la Iglesia, aqui estamos con el carisma del Padre Kentenich Schoenstatt present: Here we are, Holy Father, here we are, Mother Church, here we are with our love for the church, here we are with the charisma of Father Kentenich Schönstatt ist da: Wir sind da, Heiliger Vater, wir sind da, Mutter Kirche, wir sind da mit unserer Liebe zur Kirche, wir sind da mit dem Charisma unseres Gründers!
Un mar de banderas y pañuelos A sea of flags Ein Meer von Fahnen und Tüchern
La procesión comienza The procession begins Die Prozession beginnt Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006
Pasando por San Pedro Passing by the St. Peter’s Vorbei an der Kuppel des Petersdoms
Rumbo a la gruta de Lourdes On the way to the Lourdes grotto Auf dem Weg zur Lourdesgrotte Fotos: Santos © 2006-06-02 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Vídeo

ROME 06, mkf. It was a bit like in September 7, 2004, during the Vigil of the Blessing of the "Shrine of all of us" in Belmonte: a long line on the left side of St. Peter’s, a sea of Pilgrim MTA’s, handkerchiefs, flags and little Schoenstatt flags, greetings, smiles, encounters, faces radiant with joy and expectancy: Schoenstatt pilgrims from Germany, USA, Canada, Argentina, Ecuador, Italy, Chile and other countries were present at the night of May 31^st, to unite themselves to the traditional rosary in the Vatican Gardens on the Feast of the Visitation, thus closing the month of Mary.

The pilgrims from Germany with organization from Germany had already planned ahead of time to participate in this very family-like event in the Vatican Gardens, going up in procession, praying the rosary, to the Grotto of Lourdes at the top of the Vatican hill. Each year the Holy Father joins the pilgrims at this grotto, to pray with them to the Blessed Mother, then giving a short talk and a blessing. Many other Schoenstatt pilgrims, without knowing whether they needed a ticket or not, just went to St. Peter's to try their luck, some even took a taxi at the last minute,– and they all entered.

The Third Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign greeting the Holy Father

At exactly 8:00 p.m., the procession began, hundreds and hundreds of people with candles in hand praying the Rosary. Flags and handkerchiefs from various movements and new communities, and many bigger and smaller Schoenstatt flags, and the customary handkerchiefs could be seen…for a moment it seemed that it was the Vigil of September 7^th, with the Pilgrim MTA’s on high and the Third Auxiliary of the Campaign that replaced the picture of the Shrine in Belmonte that fell and broke at the beginning of that Vigil.. You could also imagine seeing the Auxiliary at a distance, on high, on the shoulder of her missionaries…What a beautiful "vision"…The darkness of the night, the candles and the desire made it seem for a moment that the Auxiliary was traveling with the pilgrims. But…when the procession turns a corner and it was easier to see, there was no doubt: It is Her. It is true! She is present – the Auxiliary that will preside at the Schoenstatt vigil on Friday night, this Auxiliary blessed by John Paul II, the International Auxiliary so attached to Rome, to the Shrine of Belmonte…She had arrived by bus on the afternoon of May 31^st. Carried on the shoulders of Joao and Daniel, of the Boys’ Youth from Brazil, she arrived to the Grotto of Lourdes, very close to the Holy Father, who saw and blessed the "Great Missionary"…For them it was not a load, rather it was an honor and a joy, Daniel and Joao commented, radiant with happiness. Sister Elke, from Germany, carried the cover and helped a little along the way. "I did it for Sister Regina, my course sister, from Santa Maria", she said. She died in January, "missionary to the bone" and a great protagonist of the Campaign. "But for me it was truly a great honor", the Sister added, saying farewell to the Blessed Mother: "See you at the vigil". Daniel and Joao later again carried the Auxiliary to St. Peter’s Square, where she departed with the missionaries of Argentina and Ecuador by taxi.

The love of Mary does not diminish the love of Jesus, on the contrary

The Holy Father’s arrival was accompanied by hundreds of digital cameras held on high…and with many, many Pilgrim MTA’s also held on high, and with the strong waving of little flags: Holy Father, we are here, you can count on us, count on the graces of the Shrine, count on the love of Mary and of the Church, of the Schoenstatt Family in all the world…

In his talk the Holy Father recalled his visit to Poland, and he spoke about the Visitation of Mary to Elizabeth, which is celebrated in all the Church, on this day, May 31^st. He invited everyone to open themselves to Mary, and he stressed: The love of Mary does not diminish the love of Jesus, on the contrary. He invited everyone to especially pray to her for the vigil of the Pentecost of the Movements, so that this encounter will bring many blessings to the whole Church.

After returning from the grotto to St. Peter’s, there were encounters and greetings again…"I had never seen so many Sisters of Mary in all my life", commented a lady from Uruguay. "How beautiful that there are so many!"

A little before 11:00 p.m. the Auxiliary arrived at the house where the group from Argentina and Uruguay is staying. Some missionaries along with Father Mario Guillermo Cassone prayed a rosary in the chapel, in thanksgiving for all they received during the day. It was the closing of the 31^st of May which is a gift and a mission.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA