I always told the Blessed Mother that I wanted to go to the Original Shrine…

Pilgrimage of 15 Schoenstatt Mothers from Paraguay to Schoenstatt

20 de agosto: en sintonia con Tuparenda, coronación en el Santuario Original August 20: in union with Tuparenda, crowning in the Original Shrine 20. August: in Verbundenheit mit Tuparenda Krönung im Urheiligtum
Saludos a la familia de Paraguay Greetings to the Schoenstatt Family in Paraguay Grüße an die Schönstattfamilie in Paraguay
En la Casa Sonnenau At House Sonnenau Abschiedsfoto in der Sonnenau
Recuerdos... Sharing the most funny moments... Gelächter am letzten Abend, als die Anekdoten der Fahrt zum Besten gegeben warden
Regalos para todos: algo de Paraguay queda en Schoenstatt... Gifts for all: a piece of Paraguay stays in Schoenstatt... Geschenke für alle: etwas von Paraguay bleibt da... Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

SCHOENSTATT, MKF. "I always told the Blessed Mother that I wanted to go to the Original Shrine…"said Ermelinda de Vero, from San Fernando, Paraguay. "I do not how to express the emotion that I felt when I arrived to this holy place, it was impressive to me. Blessed Mother, I want to ask you to bless my family and my group of the Mothers’ Branch; grant all of them and also Paraguay many blessings". It is August 23^rd, the last night of the stay of the 15 mothers from Schoenstatt Paraguay in this place that they love so much. "To say farewell this place is the hardest thing", said Carmen Codas, from Asunción. They are gathered in the vestibule of House Sonnenau, celebrating the birthday of one of them. They share their experiences between tears of emotion and tears of laughter…

"I feel profoundly moved and happy to be in this holy place, to go through it and to visit the places where a man, who was truly a prophet lived and died, he was in love with God, he was the founder of this wonderful work that grew over time", said Berta Ayala, from Asunción. She arrived on August 17^th along with 15 mothers and the Sister of Mary, Sister Maria Marta Lluis O’Hara, and the first they did was to visit the Original Shrine. In their country, the Schoenstatt Family prepared for August 20^th, the day on which they gave the Blessed Mother the crown for the Shrine and they left their "deeds of founding" (all the Schoenstatters from Paraguay were invited to write their own, personal act of founding as a symbol of the beginning of a new stage after the Silver Anniversary of the Shrine) in the corner stone of the altar of the Holy Mary of the Trinity Church, within the framework of the celebrations for the Silver Anniversary of the National Shrine in Tuparenda. They left their documents with other mothers, and they showed all of Schoenstatt that Paraguay is celebrating a Holy Schoenstatt Year with their jubilee handkerchiefs. They proudly showed them at the Covenant Mass, and they also carried the flags from Paraguay and their branch!" The Mass on the 18^th with its pilgrimage and the flags waving! The beautiful burning of the capital of grace contained in the jars, my encounter with the brothers from Burundi, friends of Father Deo, singing their songs…" Carmen Codas is not the only one who is enthused.

We recovered the flag

On August 20^th at 2:00 p.m., almost simultaneously with the opening of the celebration in Tuparenda, they gathered in the Original Shrine to pray the crowning prayer as a group, united spiritually with their Schoenstatt brothers and sisters in the place of grace. Gloria Ruiz Diaz relates:

"Do not worry about fulfilling your desires. I love those who love me…This is what we thought we heard the four mothers say, who came from Cuidad del Este with the delegation of mothers from Paraguay, when we sadly confirmed that our flag, embroidered with the crown, fruit of the work of the Mothers’ Branch, had not arrived at the airport in Frankfurt. We had brought it to offer to the Blessed Mother in the Original Shrine on August 20^th, when the Blessed Mother was again being crowned in Tuparenda. After carrying out all the bureaucratic procedures at the airport in an attempt to recover the flag, we began the pilgrimage with the heartfelt hope of recovering the flag. We told the Blessed Mother: If You want us to crown you, we offer you this anxiety so that we can recover the flag by the 20^th". We experienced the celebration of the 18^th intensely, in this place that gives honor to its name ‘Beautiful Place’ with capital letters. We consecrated the love of our hearts: our spouses and children in each corner that we visited. On the 19^th we visited the Father Kentenich House where we relived all the richness of the Father’s life. We were touched and felt admiration in the Mothers’ House, where we felt profoundly sheltered and we could identify with the symbols of the branch.

When we returned to House Sonnenau on the afternonn of the 19^th, which by the way, also gives honor to its name, Mrs. Sinnhuber welcomed us carrying a familiar package. The surprise, which at first was incredibility, was suddenly transformed into a beautiful reality. The Blessed Mothers responded in the clearest way possible: Yes, I want you to crown me. It was the flag with the crown that had arrived a few hours earlier than the 20^th! Then we answered her: Yes, Mother, my life for your crown!"

Crowning of the Queen of the Nation of God in the Original Shrine

The mothers from Ciudad del Este placed the flag from Paraguay on the communion rail, and suddenly there were small crowns, photos, symbols…on it. They presented the branch flag and they united themselves with four thousand Schoenstatters that were in Tuparenda. Sister M. Elisa, Provincial Superior of the Sisters of Mary from Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay and Sister Maria Teresa were also present. Together they sang, with all their hearts, "Mother of Tuparenda", and immediately afterwards they prayed the coronation prayer. The Blessed Mother was crowned in the Original Shrine as Queen of the Nation of God! It was a simple and profound moment… Afterwards they emailed greetings to the Schoenstatt Family of Paraguay and their loved ones.

Through the Covenant of Love, I know that you are asking for my heart. Yes, I give to you.

"Each moment that was experienced was full of emotion" relates Carmen Codas. "Beginning with my first visit to the Original Shrine; when we entered after the youth from Schoenstatt Summer exited, and we began to sing. At this moment I was overcome with emotion and I began to think about my children, my grand-daughters, and about all the people that I brought in my heart to this place".

Many of the mothers were at the Holy Mass in the Original Shrine everyday. It was in German, but what does that matter if it is about Jesus and of this place of grace? The highlight for all of them; however, was the Holy Mass with Father José Maria Garcia (the former novice master in Tuparenda!) on August 21^st, when Gloria sealed her membership consecration. A privileged gift!

"I have mixed emotions about coming to Schoenstatt", said Gloria. "On one hand, the temporary separation from my children and my husband has not been easy, above all because we are going through a time of trial as a family. On the other hand, the Blessed Mother, sweetly invited me to this beautiful to give me her graces. So I gave the "Little Mother" my most precious treasures, and I allowed myself to be filled with emotion and expectancy to arrive at this much longed for place. All expectations were surpassed. The experience in Schoenstatt is impossible to relate: it can only be experienced. It is a blessing and an enormous privilege that makes us fall in love with the mission we inherited from the Founding Father once again. The beauty of the place as well as the historical richness that we have discovered commits us and attaches us to the work of Mary even more. The thought that overcame me in a permanent manner is: Blessed mother, you bless me abundantly! Through the Covenant of Love, I know that you ask for my heart. Yes, I give it to you."

It is a call from the Blessed Mother

As usual, the Paraguayans are giving little gifts to everyone, and they are gifts that they brought from their beautiful country…they feel spoiled by the Blessed Mother and they want to express their gratitude to everyone who reflects a little of her tenderness in Schoenstatt. The Blessed Mother also works through them.

"I consider that this pilgrimage to Schoenstatt has been a gift to me from the Blessed Mother", says Maura Benítez de Allende, from Ciudad del Este, who had a birthday on the 22^nd. "I feel that it is call from the Blessed Mother for me, through this pilgrimage I understand the breadth or the immensity of the marvels of Schoenstatt, of the great work of Father Kentenich."

Patricia Vázquez has to express her gratitude, "for being at the tomb of Father Joseph Kentenich, all the places where he worked and also suffered. I was moved so much to see the places of his daily life…"It was also the strongest impression of the many others.

"This was the most longed for trip of my life", said Gerómina Jara de Villalba. "To personally be in the Original Shrine…It was a great surprise to discover paradise on earth. Then I was at Father’s tomb. And my greatest surprise was when Sister Maria Marta said that those who had not yet made the Filial Covenant, could make it there. I was thrilled! I could not speak and I shed some tears…"

And now, where were we?

In addition to all these profound experiences, on the last night, there were also moments that provoked laughter. Like when the lady from Ciudad del Este was so interested in Father’s room that she did not go out with her compatriots and suddenly she found herself alone with Father.. Great!...but after a while she asked when the others would return. To top it off, after going through the house a little lost, when she went out, the great disillusion: "No one had looked for her! They left! No one missed me!" or when all the group was at the bus very punctually…the ones who were late were the two Sisters! Or the most famous phrase of all the pilgrimage: when after Sister Maria Julia had explained with great detail the history and the mission of the Shrine for an hour, when we went out, a lady innocently asked: "Now, where were we?"

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, Texas, USA