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Unos 4000 schoenstattianos asistieron en la re-fundación
de Schoenstatt en Paraguay
Some 4,000 schoenstatt members participated in the act
of re-founding Schoenstatt in Paraguay
Über 4000 Schönstätter kamen zum Akt der Neugründung
Schönstatts in Paraguay
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Todo el jubilo y alegría: globos en los colores nacionales
Joy and commitment: Balloons in the national colors
Freude und Jubel pur: Luftballons in den Landesfarben
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La Reina recibió su corona
The Queen has received her crown
Die Königin mit ihrer neuen Krone
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Colocación de la piedra fundamenta
Corner stone blessing
Grundsteinlegung
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Todos entregaron su Acta de (Re-)Fundación
All placed their (Re-)Founding Document
Alle brachten ihre (Neu-)Gründungsurkunden
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La nueva corona
The new crown
Die neue Krone
Fotos: Pardo © 2006
Albúm
de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum |
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PARAGUAY, Father Antonio Cosp/mkf "9:00 a.m. The procession begins
in Tupárenda. 700 flowers on cardboard marked the road. The Queen
waited in front of the shrine, ready to receive her crown. The corner
stone, that sustains and represents the building, is in its place of honor
to be blessed and to shelter the thousands of founding documents that
the members of the Family brought. There were almost 4,000 of us that
came ready for the great celebration…but every expectation was surpassed.
The blue sky, the radiant sun, the cool climate, the desire to again found
Schoenstatt. For this we crowned the Blessed Mother again and we incorporated
ourselves as living stones in the corner stone, beneath the altar of the
Mary of the Trinity Church. We truly experienced an anticipation of October
18th, the 25th Anniversary of the national shrine.
The celebration continued afterwards. A part of the festival from a few
days ago was repeated and we shared a luncheon at tables that were perfectly
set. Thank Lord for your kindness!"
A few hours after the great celebration of the Mother of Tupárenda,
Father Antonio Cosp, National Director of the Schoenstatt Movement in
Paraguay, wrote a summary what was experienced this day that was more
than a great feastday of a growing, solid and committed Schoenstatt Family.
"I can assure you, that it has been a long time since we have a celebration
like this one. Perhaps never. Half were elite, half were missionaries
and pilgrims. But everyone greeted each other, the majority knew each
other. It is one great family. You can not imagine the intimate and profound
joy of everyone…It was a milestone!" continues Father Antonio. Yes, a
milestone. For Paraguay and perhaps beyond. Perhaps?" "Can it be that
what took place in Tupárenda: could also apply to everyone and
for each one of us? I believe that it is a very real message for Códoba
and surely for other communities also…"commented Juan Barbosa when he
sent the article about
the re-founding of Schoenstatt in Paraguay to his friends in Argentina.
We all want to be a part of this great jubilee
Everything was anticipation. "Tomorrow is the great day for our Mother
Thrice Admirable and Queen in Tupárenda!" wrote Clara Benitez de
Pardo. "In the Young Shrine in Asunción: there are posters with
the announcement. In all the country: all of the Schoenstatters are prepared
with the heart and with our documents of re-foundation. Example: The missionaries
of the Rosary Campaign of Itacurubi del Rosario prepared for the great
pilgrimage and coronation. We all want to be a part of this great jubilee.
We do not want to be left out."
Just like them, thousands arrived with their documents of foundation,
of re-foundation, that would be placed beneath the corner stone of the
Church, a symbol of commitment with Schoenstatt and with Paraguay for
the next 25 years; they arrived to again offer the Blessed Mother the
crown that was stolen some years ago. There is nothing better, nothing
more adequate of transmitting the experience of this day than the spontaneously
written testimonies that vibrate with life.
The whirlwind of love that is awakened in us when we see the great devotion
of so many people and to discover this same devotion in our own hearts
"After a morning that was charged with so much emotion we joyfully gathered
to better savor the time of "unction" that was given to us by our Mother
Mary on this day", writes Clara Benitez de Pardo a few hours after returning
from the celebration. "Perhaps there are not adequate words to describe
the gifts that we have received throughout these 25 years, the whirlwind
of love that is awakened in us when we see the great devotion of so many
people and we discover the same devotion in our own hearts."
"It is not easy to describe what we can give her, we are moved by a commitment
that leads us to tell the Blessed Mother in a simpler language: "My Mother,
I simply give you all my life and all that I am". It is the acknowledgment
that in this short time of our road in Schoenstatt (5 years) you ask many
things of me. She, the Blessed Mother and Jesus give us many more things.
We had to meet before the end of the day, to also collect all the photos
of three different photographic cameras. I say farewell with the joy of
having experienced a very full covenant day…"
Day of crowning, of living stones, of great giving of self
They just could not wait to share what they experienced. In the afternoon
of August 20, Mirta Patino and her husband wrote their testimony:
"Today, August 20th, was a day of celebration in Tupárenda.
We are truly blessed because the Blessed Mother wanted us to be present
on this day that was so moving. We crowned the Blessed Mother again after
a long time; Father Antonio asked us: could it be that the Blessed Mother
truly wanted her crown to be stolen so that today we would come in mass,
all together to crown her anew and to commit ourselves for ever with her
Work? There were about 4,000 people, mixed without distinction of social
class, it did not matter whether they were from the organized family,
if they were pilgrims, if they were missionaries of the Rosary Campaign,
etc., the only thing that mattered was that at this time of grace we were
all children of Mary, Schoenstatt children, children of a Great Work.
And we cannot fail to mention the placing of the Corner Stone of our
Holy Mary of the Trinity Church, what a beautiful moment!!! What a wonderful
strength was felt!! What a blessing!! Each child of the Blessed Mother
could deposit all that they had in his heart, in their feelings, filling
the Documents of Re-founding, committing themselves with the Great Educator,
giving their ‘YES’. That ‘YES’ that leads us to show her how much we love
her every day. That "yes" that has to lead us to build the Nation of God
in the Heart of America day by day.
Today the Lord has again gone out to sow, and he found some "living stones’
in Tupárenda, "stones" that will be the response for the Nation
of God that all Paraguayans want".
When Raquel Beltran began a new work day for the Dequeni Foundation on
August 21st, she had to communicate her experience by summarizing
the experience of everyone: "Sunday, August 20th in Tupárenda,
was a wonderful journey, charged with emotions and of much renewal for
the next 25 years… In which we are all called to be protagonists".
Yes, it is possible to experience heaven on earth. In Tuparenda.
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA
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