September, month of spring, month of the youth, month of the "Young Shrine"

9^th anniversary of the Shrine in Asuncion, Paraguay

Flores y más flores... es el Día de la Primavera Flowers and more flowers ... it is Spring Day Blumen und noch mehr Blumen … es ist Frühlingsanfang!
La Juventud con su bandera The Youth with their flag Die Jugend mit ihrer Fahne
Un hito: nueve chicos con nueve antorchas para los nueve años del Santuario A climax: nine children with nine torches, for the nine years of the Shrine Ein Höhepunkt: neun Kinder mit Fackeln für die neun Jahre des Heiligtums Fotos: Vera © 2006

PARAGYAY. Javier Vera. "It has already been nine years since the small Tabor in Asunción was born, Mary has distributed her three enormous graces from the Young Shrine for nine years, and this year was truly different, it was full of something that we could not explain, which is, that it was kept different from the rest, and now we are already preparing ourselves for the 10^th Anniversary", that is the summary given by the youth about the celebration of the 9^th Anniversary of the Young Shrine in Asunción on September 21^st.

September is always the month of spring, of youth, and of the Young Shrine. The Boys’ Youth and the Girls’ Youth began the Masses at dawn every Thursday and a capital of grace that Father Cruz proposed since the first days of the month: 21,000 minutes in the Shrine, for two weeks. He also suggested the idea of filling the Shrine with photos, phrases, ideals, to make it their own.

The Shrine was built nine years ago with living stones, with the hope that Mary would use the youth as instruments to build the Nation of God here on earth. She desired to attract young hearts to her Shrine to conquer and transform them. That is the only way that a new and different society can emerge.

The celebration began on Sunday, September 12^th. A Novena was prayed every day until Tuesday, September 21^st at 7:00 p.m. and the Holy Mass was at 7:30 p.m.

Pilgrimage around the House of the Father, the wayside shrine…

On Wednesday night the youth gathered to participate in a vigil, in which they made a pilgrimage around the House of the Father, the wayside shrine, the Joseph Engling Stone and the Immaculate, the places that surround the Shrine. A grace was found in each corner, the grace of shelter, transformation and apostolic zeal. The saw a sketch or some presentation that showed how the MTA had given them each of the graces, and then to be in the shrine at 12:00 a.m. they entered the Shrine at 11:45 p.m. where with the sound of songs and the shout of ideals they were full of joy to be able to share with each other, Mary, and the Shrine.

Then, at 6:00 a.m. the youth were ready to begin the Mass of the Brave Youth and in this way begin their spring day with great blessings. Later, at 6:45 a.m., A Mass for Work was celebrated, at 12:30 p.m. a Mass for the sick and at 7;30 p.m. the main Mass was held as usual, everything was filled with flowers. The best thing of the night arrived: the candles, the torches that were carried by 9 children. The novices of the 2006 course, Father Francisco, Father Pedro, Deacon López, Father Nicolás (in the audience) were also present. Father Cruz Viale, presided the Mass as Rector of the Young Shrine. And of course Choir 21 had to be present, that sweetened the ears of everyone once again, and also those of the listeners of Radio María.

An Oasis in the Shrine

In his homily Father Antonio Cosp spoke of finding an oasis in this Shrine, that is a small refuge in the midst of the so much noise and of the problems of the city. In spite of difficulties or in times of joy one can always count on this Tabor that transforms the soul and the depth of one’s heart.

"Congratulations Young Shrine! May you continue building an Asunción filled with the voice of Mary and of its fruits, and may many men women consecrate themselves entirely to you from here"

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA