October 18, 2006 at the Original Shrine

The trip of Schoenstatter from Paraguay to Schoenstatt, Germany during the jubilee week at the Shrine of Tuparendá

Afiche del jubileo y estampillas conmemorativas en el Santuario Original Jubilee poster and commemorative stamps in the Original Shrine Jubiläums-Plakat und Sondermarken im Urheiligtum
Enrique Molas en el Santuario Original Enrique Molas in the Original Shrine Enrique Molas im Urheiligtum
Encuentro con Mons. Peter Wolf Encounter with Mons. Peter Wolf Begegnung mit Mons. Dr. Peter Wolf Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006
A la hora de la Misa de Alianza en Schoenstatt, ya llegaron los primeros peregrinos a Tuparenda At the hour of the Covenant Mass in Schoenstatt, the first pilgrims arrived in Tuparenda Zur Stunde der Bündnismesse in Schönstatt kamen schon die ersten Pilger nach Tuparenda
Piedad popular schoenstattiana Schoenstatt popular piety Volksfrömmigkeit im Liebesbündnis Fotos: Cabral  © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Schönstatt Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Tuparenda

SCHOENSTATT, Enrique Molas. I am Enrique Molas, from Asunción, Paraguay. I am at the introductory level of the Schoenstatt Movement; my group name is "United by the Sacred Hearts". Our group leaders are Lidia and Fredy Agúero. It all began when I was designated at work to participate in a meeting in Geneva on October 16^th-20^th, 2006. By chance our introductory group is going to makes its commitment with the Blessed Mother on October 21^st, so I was worried about how I would arrive in time for this date since at the moment I could not find a return flight from Geneva. It was then that the Blessed Mother with her divine light gave me the idea of visiting the Original Shrine.

Aha I said: Since I will not be able to be in Tuparendá on 21st with my group, I will try to go to Schoenstatt in Germany. It was then that I made contact with people who had been in the original Schoenstatt, even some who commented that here in Germany there was a Sister who spoke Spanish, named Kornelia, and I began a campaign to contact her and to ask her for help to reach Schoenstatt. She told me what I had to do to reach Schoenstatt from Geneva, and she even secured lodging for me in the international House Sonnenau, which was a miracle. Why a miracle? I’ll tell you why: because during this time of the year it is not easy to find a place to stay, but the Blessed Mother wanted it, and I obtained lodging in the wonderful place: Sonnenau. Other things happened, like I had meetings all week and I did not know if I could be in Schoenstatt on the 18^th, but the Blessed Mother is so wonderful that the meetings I had on the 16^th and 17^th were cut short to the 16^th, then the Blessed Mother told me: "Come to visit me" and I could not miss this opportunity. So I began the trip to Koblenz, a city that is very close to Schoenstatt, that is seven and one half hours from Geneva by train, but the long trip was worth it to realize a dream: "to be in the Original Shrine on October 18^th.

I felt like the happiest child on earth

And what is more, the Mass that was celebrated at 10:00 a.m. was in Spanish, what else could I ask for. At this moment I feel like the happiest child on earth, because the Blessed Mother is giving me the best gift that a child can wish for, to be in the Original Shrine on October 18^th participating in Mass. You can’t imagine how touched I was when Sister Kornelia told me that a poster commemorating the 25^th Anniversary of Tuparendá and the commemorative stamps that Paraguay issued for this celebration would be on the altar. In other words, all of Paraguay would be represented here. It was so emotional for me, it is really indescribable, only the Blessed Mother can do these things and in such a wonderful manner. The Mass was celebrated by Father Ángel Strada, from Argentina, and at the beginning he said that today we were also going to pray for all the Schoenstatt people in Paraguay and that we would have a special blessing because we were celebrating the 25^th Jubilee of Tuparendá. I was so happy because the Blessed Mother had used me as her instrument, and me, who is just beginning in the Schoenstatt Family, to represent all the Schoenstatt Movement where there are people who have lived through and for the Blessed Mother since the beginning of the Movement.

A call that united the Original Shrine with Tuparendá

I will tell you that I was so happy that I called my wife to tell her about it and our group leader (Fredy Agúero), who was celebrating his birthday, answered the call; he was surprised because he did not expect a call from Germany and much less from Schoenstatt…and he also surprised me because he said that at that moment he was working in Tuparendá in preparation for the 18^th. It was so beautiful that at the same time and in different places of the world two people were surprised and very touched by a simple phone call, but this phone call had many blessings from the Blessed Mother, that is the difference. There was a very deep covenant connection between the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt and Tuparendá. This was my perception from the depth of my heart.

Well, beloved brothers and sisters of the Schoenstatt Movement, the message I want to leave with you is that the Blessed Mother always works and we just have to give her our heart and she will protect and use us with her maternal love in the most wonderful manner that you can imagine. I, Enrique Molas, can confirm it today with a testimony of life from this Original Shrine of Schoenstatt in Vallendar, Germany.

THANK YOU BLESSED MOTHER FOR OPENING YOUR HEART TO ME.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA