An encounter with Father Kentenich in the most arid desert of the world

The Schoenstatt Family of Calama, Chile, invites all the Schoenstatt Family to share in their joy and their hope

Ermita en Calama Wayside Shrine in Calama Bildstock in Calama Fotos: Pereira © 2006

CHILE, Alfonso Pereira O. and Patricia Colina M. Calama is 1,800 kilometers from Santiago, the capital of Chile, and it is located in the most arid desert of the world, the desert of Atacama, in the northern part of the country. There is a Schoenstatt Shrine in the closest city, 210 kilometers from Calama. The Blessed Mother can be found in a beautiful wayside shrine in this "remotest land", and Father Kentenich is also there since a short while ago.

A few days ago the Schoenstatt Family from Calama celebrated the inauguration of its Father’s Corner. This was possible thanks to the great effort of the Family and with the help of the loyal Monsignor Guillermo Vera, bishop of this place, who after learning about the Movement, gave the Schoenstatt Family a lease on some land so that they could have a wayside shrine. This has allowed them to reinforce the apostolic work that the Mother Thrice Admirable entrusted to them. "We hope that this article will allow us to get close to the international family , and that they may learn about the efforts the Family from Calama is carrying out for the growth of the Movement in this far away land", they commented, with much hope and with healthy pride.

The hope: A Shrine in Calama

The original idea that Schoenstatt Family of Calama had when they found some land, was to build a Shrine. The date they have chosen to fulfill the dream is the year 2010, the year that Chile will celebrate the bicentennial of its independence. They want to give the city a Shrine as a Family.

Since its beginning the Family from Calama has had wayside shrines in different places and they thought that as the Family grew, it would be necessary to obtain a definite place.

As the Diocesan Bishop, Monsignor Guillermo Vera Soto, began to know the Schoenstatt Family he began to believe in the work that the Schoenstatters were developing. He knew about their restlessness and he gave them a long term lease on some land so that they could build a wayside shrine in the center of the city. With this they have obtained more stability and the different branches of the Movement can meet in this place. It gave them the freedom to think about greater things. The land is not very large, but they consider it immense for its purpose.

Two groups of couples (Christmas Portal of Welcome and Living Shrines of Mary ) took charge of building the Father Joseph Kentenich Corner with the enthusiasm that moves them. With this they want to motivate the rest of the couples so that they will imitate their contribution and that they can continue to grow in the original idea: the Shrine! They hope that in a not too distant future they will be able to inform all the Schoenstatt Family that a Shrine is being built in the city of Calama.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA