The "little donkey" of Mary

Testimony of Marinés Garda, missionary from Adolfo Gonzalo Chavez

En el auto de los bomberos Riding on the car of the firefighters Auf dem Feuerwehrauto zur Pfarrkirche
Entrada Entrance Feierlicher Einzug
La Auxiliar en el templo The Auxiliary in the parish church Die Auxliar in der Pfarrkirche
Ella es la gran misionera She is the great missionary Sie ist der große Missionar Fotos: www.chavesdigital.com.ar  © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

It was July 2005, and Father Daniel Jany was visiting us. As usual, we were delighted to see him because he is always open and available to his brothers and sisters, and he blesses us all. During that visit, Fr. Daniel presented us with the wonderful idea of participating in a pilgrimage that would bring the fourth Auxiliary of our Blessed Mother to our diocese.

Immediately, there was great enthusiasm and excitement. This enthusiasm was consolidated and confirmed in the area encounter that was later held in August in Tres Arroyos, where we made the list of people who had a strong desire to go to the Tabor Shrine in Santa Maria, Brazil.

From that moment on, we placed it in the Blessed Mother’s hands, knowing that during the year of waiting, there would be many obstacles that would make us lose the desire to go and to give up. But we trusted her, and while our trust was precarious at times, it was still trust. And that trust triumphed.

All was pure joy

As the date neared, we wanted to unite ourselves as a group and offer our Mother a small seed of our preparation. We accomplished this by praying a Novena in the home of each future MTA, as well as at the parish, the Firemen’s Headquarters, and at our monthly meetings. Other missionaries joined us in these prayers, and this bonded us together in a special way. As we prayed, peace and serenity grew in us, in spite of our anxiety over having to leave our loved ones. The Blessed Mother was stronger than our fears, and in the end, we were all there: Muñeca, Angélica, Susana, Antonia, Gloria, Marita, Gladys, Marinés, Nancy, and su Camilo (our male missionary).

From the time we departed on Sunday, the 23^rd, at 11:00 a.m., all was pure joy, as we shared together, experienced each other as true brothers and sisters, and met pilgrims from other communities (Pringles, Bahía Blanca, Saldungaray, Dorrego, Oriente Pigue, Punta Alta, Sierra de la Ventana and Tres Arroyos).

With the help of Diana, our beloved coordinator, and her warm and joyful disposition, we were able to thoughtfully and purposefully organize ourselves, set guidelines, and respect each other.

The doors of Tabor Shrine

And then the moment came—on Monday, July 24^th, at 3:00 p.m.—we arrived at the door of the Shrine. There, with indescribable emotion, we realized that the Blessed Mother had opened her loving arms to us and had waited to receive us in this marvelous encounter, unique in our mission and unforgettable in our hearts.

Tears of gratitude flowed for a dream fulfilled and for all those who had stayed at home, offering their petitions, desires, and a bag full of contributions to the capital of grace. All of these, along with our Pilgrim MTA, were placed at the foot of the altar beneath the tender gaze of Mary.

From that moment on, we shared encounters, talks, visits, Eucharistic celebrations, experiences, and reflections. We learned from and shared with Sister Rosequiel, Father Argemiro (postulator of the cause for canonization of John Pozzobon), Ubaldo Pimentel (missionary friend and companion of John Pozzobon). We also met John Pozzobon’s children, grandson and great granddaughter , as well as his last pastor. The community from Riberao welcomed us with fireworks, and there, we renewed our baptismal promises at the fount where John Pozzobon was baptized as a child of God.

Time of prayer, meditation, and adoration in Tabor Shrine, where the Auxiliaries were blessed and commissioned.

During our pilgrimage, we were always protected and illuminated by the spiritual presence of the Blessed Mother, but also by the presence of our Father and Founder, Joseph Kentenich, and his little pupil John. Although no one really felt ready to leave, we departed for the return trip to our country filled with innumerable graces and conscious of our mission. From this point on, we are starting anew, and our commitment to share our faith in and love for the Blessed Mother has been greatly strengthened and encouraged.

We had been blessed already beyond belief, but she always has something more for her children, and we were then able to go to the Shrine of Our Lady of Luján, patron of Argentina. There, the four Auxiliaries, along with many Pilgrim MTAs that were placed at the foot of the main altar, led our procession as we entered to participate in the celebration of the Word and of the Eucharist.

The Auxiliary was welcomed

At the end of the day and beneath a cold drizzle, we arrived at our destination, Adolfo González Chaves, where the missionaries, our relatives, and the volunteer firemen waited anxiously to welcome us, but especially to receive the first Auxiliary of the Community of Coronel Pringles with the due honor and respect. And through a wonderful gesture of brotherhood, offered by Clara Bernardini and her husband, the Auxiliary will remain in our area for one month.

Afterwards, we traveled in a caravan that was escorted by two missionaries to the Parish Temple; it was illuminated and waited for the Auxiliary that, to the "Hymn of the Pilgrim Mother," was transported to a place of honor on the Altar.

With Hail Marys and the expression of our renewed consecration, we offered our most profound thanks to our Lord for all the blessings given to our community and diocese.

We also wish to extend our gratitude to all those who made this pilgrimage possible. Especially, we wish to thank Edda and Pocho Fournau of Coronel Borrego, who did not go on the pilgrimage but were present at each moment with their prayers, daily Masses, and contributions to the capital of grace; they, along with our families who understood our intentions, were always with us.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, Texas, USA / Amy Peebles, Austin, Texas, USA

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