A Beautiful Dream Fulfilled

Pilgrimage from Brazil to Schoenstatt

Se quedaron toda una semana en Schoenstatt They stayed a whole week in Schoenstatt Eine ganze Woche verbrachten sie in Schönstatt
Santa Misa en el Santuario Original Holy Mass in the Original Shrine Heilige Messe im Urheiligtum
Los nuevos aliados A dream come true: Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine Ein besonderer Traum wird wahr: Liebesbündnis im Urheiligtum
El Hno. Germano Arendes les habló sobre Mario Hiriart Mr. Hermann Arendes spoke to them about Mario Hiriart Herr Arendes sprach über Mario Hiriart und führte durch die Ausstellung
En la expo Mario Hiriart At the Mario Hiriart expo In der Mario-Hiriart-Ausstellung Fotos: Aleida Montalvo © 2007 Albúm de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

SCHOENSTATT, Aleida Montalvo. The Pilgrimage of the Apostolic Schoenstatt Movement from Brazil filled the land of Schoenstatt with joy! Their week ended here with a great Covenant of Love celebration in the Original Shrine.

Every morning the Brazilian pilgrims woke up in Sonnenau House (Girl’s Youth House) and after an excellent breakfast, they went eagerly directly to the Original Shrine where Father Gildo, a Brazilian, celebrated Mass in Portuguese, their native language. Pilgrims from Santa María (Where Joao Pozzobon, Schoenstatt hero, the initiator of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, used to live), Porto Alegre, Río Grande, and Aracaju were accompanied by Sister Fátima and Sister Graudete. From afar the large group could be seen singing, praying, and visiting different places together in Schoenstatt’s beautiful land: including Gymnich, Father Kentenich’s birthplace, Dachau concentration camp where Schoenstatt’s Founder was imprisoned, visiting Metternich the site of Sister Emily Engel’s Tomb, Koblenz, and Vallendar. The Shrine of the Families was a very talked about place, a meaningful place, but above all was the wonderful feeling of being in the Original Shrine for the first time, where after many years of wanting to come, they felt that inexplicable inner peace that brightened up their faces.

A Double Covenant of Love

The grand finale of the pilgrimage was on July 6^th with another mass in the Original Shrine. This time however, the couples, Silvia and Gerardo together with Ana María and Vicente, made their Covenant of Love with our MTA. United with the Rite of the Covenant, they expressed their love, their thanks, and commitment towards our Immaculate Mother. At the end of the Rite, the new partners wanted to share the moment with their friends by offering words of gratitude. As a symbol of being part of this special event, the couples gave their friends a little medal of our MTA, which was received with great joy and thankfulness.

Following that, the pilgrims had a free day in Schoenstatt where they had time to return to their favorite places or just walk around. After dinner, everyone decided to return to the Original Shrine and sing to Our Lady. The goodbyes were sad, but the pilgrims definitely returned home filled with joy. Hoping one day to come back to this beautiful land.

English edition: amj