Yes Queen, my giving of self is your victory!

75^th Anniversary of the International Girls’ Youth

Flores para la Reina Flowers for the Queen Blumen für die Königin
Equipo de servicio The „Service Team“ Das “Service Team”
Participantes del congreso Congress Teilnehmerinnen des Kongresses
Cardenal Errazuriz durante la Misa Cardinal Errazuriz during Mass Kardinal Errazuriz bei der Messe
Todas reunidas en el Santuario de Bellavista All united in the Shrine in Bellavista Alle versammelt im Heiligtum von Bellavista Fotos: Bahamondes © 2006

CHILE, Lorena Bhohamondes. In the middle of August, the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth experienced a historic Congress and Coronation of Mary in Chile within the framework of the 75^th Anniversary celebration of the international branch. It took months of preparation, prayer and contributions to the capital of grace that culminated with the congregation of more than 300 leaders and advisors, representatives from Chile, Ecuador, Portugal and Columbia during the days of the Congress, in the Shrine of Bellavista, and of more than two thousand women of all ages on August 15^th, Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Mother and the celebration of Mary as Queen of the Youth.

The joy and jubilee spirit could be felt in the atmosphere since the beginning; it was difficult to measure the importance and the meaning of the predilection of living such an experience. However, it was not a coincidence for anyone to be there, and every minute was lived to the maximum.

As the journey progressed it captivated and renewed the mission that had been entrusted to the Girls’ Youth 75 years ago: To be little Immaculadas.

Through the talks that stressed the innermost essence of woman, the Immaculate Ideal and the reality of this mission was made clear and concrete. The young girls could discover how they could live and educate themselves to this ideal and to relate it to each of their realities in their roles as leaders.

Some of the presenters were: Sister Maria Carolina, of the Institute of Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, and other outstanding women on the national level such as the philosopher, Carolina Dell’Oro, and the psychologist, Pilar Sordo.

A small crown for each one

The experiences continued: on the night of August 14^th, Mary crowned each one of her leaders as little Queens. This moment surpassed all expectations upon acknowledging that the Immaculate ideal is a double victory on earth, it belongs to Her and also to each one of the participants of her kingdom. Each one received a small crown formed with the initials RTA as a symbol and souvenir of this act of love.

"Accept the small crown…it should not only be a gift, rather it should also be an exhortation to be worthy of it each new day, to extend your hand toward the stars each day" Father JK.

This is how the countdown to the great celebration on August 15^th progressed, when the spirit of the youth, the mission and the awareness of guarding this inheritance for the coming generations would be renewed.

Queen of the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth

On August 15^th, the Blessed Mother surprised them with a radian sun, on the feast day marked by the encounter of women of many generations of the youth –from the past and the present – united by the same ideal. It was truly a joyful celebration that developed between testimonies, songs, flags and hymns from all the eras, with Mary always in the center, since She was the great honoree.

The Holy Mass was presided by Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz and all the gifts that were conquered during this time and that the youth wanted to offer the Queen on her day were presented. Afterwards, and in the shadow of the Shrine, it was time to crown the Blessed Mother as the Queen of the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth. The Yes that they gave as a promise of not giving up this great task was renewed. It is a Yes that implies an awareness of belonging totally to Her, making their victory the giving of self, in the world, of their youth as immaculate women.

"but you should also try to carry this crown until the end of your life, not only as a gift rather as a great mission" Father JK.

Impressions and testimonies about the Jubilee Congress

In relation to the Jubilee Congress, Josefina Greene, from Campanario, relates:

"There were two great things about the congress that touched me: the first was the crowning experience, since it was something very touching and where I could place myself in her hands as an instrument, allowing her to act and reign in my life. The second thing was to see so many women gathered, all willing to struggle and to die for the same ideal, the immaculate ideal, the ideal that can change the world. To me, at least, it makes me very happy to know that throughout Chile there are people who continue to struggle for this and that we are a youth that gives itself to the Blessed Mother to be her instrument and that each one is not alone in this struggle, rather, we are all united in the same world struggling but confident in the victory of Mary".

In regard to the service team, Francisca San Martin and Astrid Galdames gave their impressions:

"For me, one of the key moments of the Congress was "the moment of the crowning",

When the Blessed Mother called us as her small immaculate daughters to help her with her Kingdom here on earth and to offer it all for Her and for Schoenstatt".

"In general, for me, this celebration was something unforgettable, I feel that I experienced each moment with much intensity, because I would tell myself: this will be repeated in 25 years, and I am not going to be in the youth!...I feel that it was a milestone in the Girls’ Youth, as a chosen generation and a milestone in my life, since I especially served the Blessed Mother in gratitude for all that she has reigned and conquered in my life. Some of the representatives of the Congress that were in charge of the 75^th Anniversary preparations tell what it meant to them:

"For me it was the awareness that I was chosen and that I was a favorite one, as I discovered all the gifts that the God and the Blessed Mother were giving me during the months of preparation. And also of becoming aware of how they were preparing my heart to learn how to be a better instrument, to trust and to offer more when things did not work out and to believe that the Blessed Mother is always crowned by the Girls’ Youth":

Trini Vergara. "It was truly a gift to pre-live the spirit with so much anticipation, to capture the meaning and the importance of this year and to see how the Blessed Mother manifested herself so clearly in our lives was an experience of being a chosen one that will always remain etched in my heart": Ceci Orellana

A living crown

In relation to the crowning on the night of August the 14^th, Trini Vergara says: "it was a precious moment, it was a moment of intimacy with the Blessed Mother, when she called us to her Shrine to receive the crown that she had personally prepared for each one, to remind us that we are her Living Crowns and that the Immaculate One is in each one of us. It is a great gift, to feel like her daughters, to feel loved, to feel chosen for her mission, and also to know before all this greatness, that She is the one who will do everything but only with a Yes from us, She is the great Queen, who needs instruments, and who has chosen us in this Congress to be her pillars. And in gratitude and as sign of love, she wanted to place a little crown on our forehead so that we will never forget that we are also, thanks to Her – little queens and that we are in this together".

"As the Blessed Mother’s victory in us, it was day of happiness and joy in which all the generations could renew our ideal and return to tell our Queen to crown herself in our Youth, that we are willing to give ourselves until death, so that she will be victorious and that she will triumph using us as her small instruments": Ceci Orlellana

What would have become of us without Schoenstatt?

In conclusion, Claudia Arratia of the Ideal Generation writes:

"Girls’ Youth: It was very touching to celebrate this August 15^th will all the Youth…there was much life, history, songs, experiences, encounters that are part of the history of each one and that have marked us strongly. The re-encounter with the childhood friends, with whom we shared our Ideal and that now we meet as adults and in a new life that we each created: with children, with a family, with work, and we ask ourselves, as Father Joseph reminded us: "what would have become of us without Schoenstatt?" This week my generation has continued to sharemails with those we saw and those we didn’t see…with the hope of extending this anniversary and this joy of re-encounter with our roots. I profoundly appreciate this invitation. You can count on the "youth" of the older generations…we remain loyal"

Translation:Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA