6,159 kilometers with the Pilgrim MTA by motorcycle

The "Motorcycle Missionaries" have already traveled to 51 of the 78 cities of Puerto Rico – A new dream is in its early stages: at trip by motorcycle to the Original Shrine

Puerto Rico: La Mater en motora Puerto Rico: The Pilgrim MTA riding a motorbike Puerto Rico: Die Pilgernde Gottesmutter auf dem Motorrad
Edgardo con la Hermana Nilda Edgardo with Sister Nilda Edgardo mit Schwester Nilda
El grupo dentro del Santuario The group in the Shrine Die Gruppe im Heiligtum
José con la Hermana María José with Sister Maria José mit Schwester Maria
Motociclistas llegando al Santuario Bikers approaching the Shrine Biker auf dem Weg zum Heiligtum
Fotos: Edgardo L. Rivera © 2007 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

PUERTO RICO, Edgardo L. Rivera. The small island of Puerto Rico (PR), the lesser of the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean in America has 78 cities of which 51 gave been visited by the Blessed Mother by the Motorcycle Missionaries. In this way, thousands of Puerto Ricans and foreigners, Christians and non Christians, have looked into Mary’s eyes along the 3,827 miles, approximately (6,159 kilometers), that we, She and us, have traveled together.

We still need to visit 26 towns but we are planning how we will cover them in the next runs (motorcycles rides). But this is not all: we are also thinking about reaching Germany to run with the local motorcycle missionaries (what about other countries?) to the Original Shrine. This is beautiful! Isn’t it?

The news has reached the world

The first anniversary of the founding of the Motorcycle Missionaries was August 21, 2006. The news of the founding of the Motorcycle Missionaries spread through several media outlets such as the official web page of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement (January 10, 2006) which was translated into four languages (Spanish, English, German and Italian), the Catholic weekly El Visitante (The Visitor) of Puerto Rico (June 2006), and in a parish bulletin in Texas (according to information from a Schoenstatt friend from Puerto Rico).

Celebration for the first anniversary: my plans and God’s plans

Sister Nilda, who is charge of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Puerto Rico, invited the members of the Motorcycle Missionaries to the traditional celebration The Return of the Pilgrim MTA 2006. During this activity missionaries from all the island visit the Blessed Mother in the Shrine of Solidarity to renew our commitment with Her and to regain the necessary strength to continue with such a beautiful, but sometimes difficult mission.

Because of the number of missionaries in Puerto Rico this activity is divided into two consecutive Sundays. I coordinated with my brother Roberto and my friend Pedro, co-founders of the Motorcycle Missionaries, so they could attend both activities, but they could only go to the first one. There we met another motorcyclist, José, who immediately showed interest in joining the group since we have the same interests. He accompanied me on the second Sunday of the activity and we had a very pleasant time at the Shrine of Solidarity and we rode through the mountains of Puerto Rico.

New members have joined the group

During this time, the Blessed Mother has attracted three new members. They are the following:

1. José O. Javier, from the town of Aguadilla, who had read an article about the Motorcycle Missionaries in The Visitor. We met him in the Shrine of Solidarity after he saw us on the highway on August 20, 2006, the day of the first anniversary celebration.
2. Rubén Ramos, from the town of Arecibo, whom we met in the Magnificat Shrine in the town of Hatillo, on December 8, 2006, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
3. 3. Edwin Ramos, from the town of San Sebastian and Ruben’s brother, whom we met on January 21, 2007 at the Magnificat Shrine, where along with two others, he was commissioned as a missionary of the Blessed Mother.

First formal meeting

Since I am a husband and a father of two children, a 13 year old girl and an 8 year old boy, it is difficult to ride the motorcycle with the other companions during the weekend. However, during Christmas 2006 I felt the need of gathering the group since it has been growing and I had to maintain this small flame in their hearts. In this way we could share, get to know each other better and to make the group more formal.

So, on January 21, 2007 all of us gathered in the Magnificat Shrine, with the exception of my brother Roberto. Hector and his companion, who are Pedro’s friends, also joined us. They had attended the first anniversary celebration which was a great joy for me.

During the meeting I spoke about Schoenstatt, Joao, and the Pilgrim MTA. I gave the new members a summary of the founding of the Motorcycle Missionaries and I offered them the opportunity of becoming missionaries for the Blessed Mother. The three accepted without hesitation. Afterwards, we went to the Blessed Mother’s little store (which is located in the same parking lot as the Shrine) where Pedro gave a Pilgrim MTA to each one of the new missionaries. Then, we went to the Shrine to ask for the Blessed Mother’s blessing for the new missionaries and of the Pilgrim MTA’s.

Later, we departed on our motorcycles to ride through the fields and mountains of our beautiful island with the blessing of the Blessed Mother through Father Marcos, who belongs to the Slaves of the Eucharist and of the Virgin Mary, and who are custodians of the shrine.

Definition of the mission

Four months after their founding, the objectives of the Motorcycle Missionaries are still not very clear. Now, one year and six months later, I can say that the objectives of our most holy Mother Thrice Admirable Victress of Schoenstatt with the Motorcycle Missionaries are:

1. a silent evangelization, as we ride with the picture of Mary on the motorcycle, and
2. the preparation of new missionaries, attracting other motorcyclists to join the group

Whatever our mission may be we will continue to say to the Blessed Mother’s call to proclaim the mission of the Blessed Mother, as Father Kentenich said:

The origin: the current between Germany, United States, and Puerto Rico

I consider that the founding of the Motorcycle Missionaries was a return current between the Original Shrine, the daughters shrines of Puerto Rico (PR), and of course, of my Home Shrine

• In the middle of the year 2004 the idea to place a Pilgrim MTA on my motorcycle was born in my heart.
• At the end of the year 2004 I heard the news that in the United States some motorcyclists joined the organized walks through the Schoenstatt Movement in this country.
• In March of 2005 I was informed that in Germany they were organizing the first motorcycle pilgrimage (June 2005) to the Original Shrine, which was a confirmation for me about what I was doing.
• In August of the year 2005 I prepared and installed the Pilgrim MTA on the motorcycle and on the 21^st of the same month it was blessed along with two other motorcycles and motorcyclists in the Shrine of Solidarity by a deacon who is a friend of the community.
• Several months after the news about the founding of the Motorcycle Missionaries was published on the Schoenstatt.de web page, the same web published the news about the second motorcycle pilgrimage to the original shrine (May 2006), photos were shown of the first two German motorcycles with the pictures of the Blessed Mother mounted on them. In this news release they explained how the Motorcycle Missionaries had been an inspiration for this action. That is how Divine Providence works!

May our Lord Jesus Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary bless everyone!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA