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Un matrimonio feliz... con la Virgen Peregrina como madrina del casamiento A happy couple on the day of their wedding – with the Pilgrim MTA as maid of honour Ein seliges Brautpaar – mit der Pilgernden Gottesmutter als “Ehepatin” |
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Dos jóvenes misioneros de la Campaña – se enamoraron de la Peregrina y uno del otro Two young missionaries of the Campaign – they fell in love with the Pilgrim MTA and with each other Zwei junge Missionare der Kamnpagne – verliebt in die Pilgernde Gottesmutter und ineinander Fotos: www.maeperegrina.com.br © 2007 |
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BRAZIL, Sr. M. Nilza P. da Silva. "The maid of honour and the best man accompany and support the couple and for this reason, the Pilgrim Mother had to be the maid of honour," explained Rodolfo José and Priscilla H. M. P. dos Santos, from Taubaté, São Paulo, who were married at the end of May after a six-month engagement.
Rodolfo tells us how the Mother of God brought them together. When he 14 years old, he helped out at the São José Operário Parish in Taubaté, by doing all sorts of odd jobs, but mainly secretarial work. At that time, the Pilgrim Mother Campaign began operating in other parishes in the city and the parish priest became interested. He gave the teenager the responsibility of finding out more about this new movement and implementing it in his parish.
"So, I began coming to the Shrine, writing letters and making phone calls. I really liked the spirituality and began training people to become missionaries. But it was a lot of work, I was only 15 years old and I needed help. That is why I spoke to Priscilla. She was a catechist and I asked her to help me!" said Rodolfo. His wife continues: "I began to help by compiling lists with the missionaries’ details. I also enjoyed the spirituality and we realised that the missionaries should meet. We set the dates and they came. We were two teenagers guiding all the adults!"
The desire to bring the Pilgrim Mother to the Parish was successful.
60 missionaries currently take our Mother and Queen and her graces from the Shrine to approximately 1800 people in the parish. The relationship between the two teenagers was also successful, but they encountered many challenges. "People just couldn’t believe that two teenagers like us could "date" according to the Church’s teachings and many people spoke badly of us," said Rodolfo. "Who could possibly believe that two teenagers could be parish co-ordinators and seriously work towards the accomplishment of this apostolic project?" Priscilla asked. "Our parish priest always believed in us as did Sr. Doralice and the co-ordinators in our city," her husband replied. "Our engagement happened here at the Shrine in 2004. Everything happened in the presence of our Mother and Queen, and for this reason, she had to be at the wedding," he continued.
The MTA led the way out of the Church
In fact, she was there on the altar throughout the entire ceremony, as a witness to the marriage. She was not alone. With some emotion, Rodolfo recalled that all 60 Pilgrim Mother missionaries were also there. "The Pilgrim Mother brought everyone together at the Church, in some cases, people who had not met together in a long time," he said. "Thinking about all this, it suddenly crossed my mind that the Pilgrim Mother should be given the honour of leading us out of the church. And so I took her off the altar! We walked out of the church, Priscilla with her wedding bouquet and me with the Pilgrim Mother," he recalled.
After their wedding, the couple had to change parishes, after having served as co-ordinators for six years. The parish is now looking for a couple who will take their place. But they have not left the Schoenstatt Movement – Our Mother and Queen who brought them together is now opening new doors for them and they are ready to serve her!
Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa