"If it were not for Her, it could not be done"

Youth pilgrimage from Mendoza to Santiago, Chile

SCHOENSTATT, Tomás Garzón. On January 13^th the fourth edition of the Crusade of Mary will begin, it is a pilgrimage of 400 kilometers on foot through the Andes Mountains. 101 youth from seven Latin American countries will participate and many more, who want to go, remain on a waiting list. The pilgrimage begins at the Shrine of Mendoza, Argentina, and it ends in the Shrine of Bellavista in Santiago, Childe. "If you are at the end, why wait to arrive", reads the hymn that will accompany the pilgrims.

The delegations from the different countries began to arrive at Mendoza between January 11^th and Friday, January 12^th, to begin the Crusade of Mary. There will be 16 journeys during the walk; it is an average of 25 kilometers per day. But the challenge is greater when you consider the Andes Mountains, since the altitude and the weather conditions –cold at night, hot and with a strong sun during the day, and wind, take a physical toll. However, each time more youth want to offer this pilgrimage to Mary, there were so many that it was necessary to establish a limit of participants. The most enthusiastic ones want to do this every two years, inspired by the dream of Mario Hiriart of building a shrine for the Blessed Mother at the peak of the Andes.

Manuel Álvarez, of the Boys’ Youth from Cordoba, offered his personal testimony about his participation in 2001 through the pilgrimage website. "The Blessed Mother was in charge of showing me through every talk, and during the training, that if I did not plan to walk in her name I was not going to get very far", he explained, convinced that the physical preparation was not enough. "I am very sure about something he affirmed, and that is, if this is not "for and by the Blessed Mother", it cannot be done, he stressed.

Experiencias que nunca se olvidarán Experiences that can never be forgotten Erlebnisse, die keiner mehr vergisst Fotos: www.cruzadademaria.com.ar  © 2007

Stones in the backpack

The mid point of the pilgrimage is reached at 4,200 meters with an encounter with Christ the Redeemer.. We celebrated Mass there and burned the intentions and offerings to elevate them to heaven, which is usually a very special moment for the pilgrims, at which point the descent begins. The desire to arrive at the final destination grows, at the same time as the pains and the physical weariness. But the "stones that each pilgrim carries in his backpack, encourages each step towards Bellavista.

Anyone who wants to send their own petitions to the Blessed Mother to be taken by the pilgrims can email them to cruzademaria@hotmail.com. These will be printed and taken from Mendoza.

Solidarity of destinies

Jumas (the Boys’ Youth from Brazil) will have 11 representatives, in addition to three priests, who will accompany the pilgrimage. They will present the topic of the 31^st May that is intimately linked to the Shrine of Bellavista. Furthermore, they will take a chalice to offer it to the Blessed Mother on the occasion of the Golden Anniversary of their branch. Each day they will pray a prayer in which they ask Her for physical strength and spiritual depth for the Crusade. Youth from Paraguay, Mexico, Chile and Argentina will also participate.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, USA