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| Primer aniversario de la ermita en Villa Elisa, Argentina First anniverary of the wayside shrine in Villa Elisa, Argentina Erster Jahrstag des Bildstocks in Villa Elisa, Argentinien |
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| Dos Auxiliares, rodeadas de peregrinas... Two Auxiliaries, and many Pilgrim MTA’s Zwei Auxiliares, umgeben von vielen Bildern der Pilgernden Gottesmutter |
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| Alianza de amor Covenant of Love Liebesbündnis |
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| Un lugar lindo A beautiful place Ein schönes Plätzchen |
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| Quema del capital de gracias Burning of the capital of grace Die Zettel mit den Beiträgen zum Gnadenkapital werden verbrannt |
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| La familia de Schoenstatt de Villa Elisa saluda al mundo entero The Schoenstatt Family of Villa Elisa greets the world Die Schönstattfamilie von Villa Elisa grüßt den Rest der Welt! Fotos: Maria Emilia Campo de Alonso © 2007 |
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ARGENTINA, Maria Emilia Campo de Alonso. A festive celebration was held on the First Anniversary of the Wayside Shrine of Our Lady of Schoenstatt in Villa, Elisa, Enre Rio. There was a procession, Holy Mass, Covenants of Love, and the visit of two Auxiliaries surrounded by many Pilgrim MTA’s! It was a happy anniversary for the Blessed Mother.
At 2:30 p.m. the two auxiliaries arrived to the Parish the Child Virgin, in Villa Elisa , one of the auxiliaries was from the Diocese of Concordia and the second one was present because of the affinity with Concepción, Uruguay. The Auxiliaries were received with much love, faith and hope and they were given a place of honor until the ceremony began. They departed from the parish in procession to the wayside shrine led by the two Auxiliaries, when they arrived, the people who had been waiting at the wayside shrine came to meet them, and they celebrated Holy Mass together. The first two Covenants of Love from this city were sealed by a lady who takes the Pilgrim MTA to the sick and by Lorena, a 17 year old girl.
A pine tree as a symbol of the first covenants
The families of Concordia brought a pine tree that symbolized these first two Covenants of Love with Mary that were sealed in this wayside shrine, which was erected last year. Each wayside shrine has its beauty and originality; the one from Villa Elisa is outstanding by the gigantic trunk that holds the picture of the MTA, framed with a bell tower and a cross, reminding us of the Shrine. The Shoerder –Bourlot Family donated a plaque with the consecration prayer and the prayer of confidence. The couple, Hilda and Elvio made a contribution to the Capital of Grace which they had elaborated by hand and it was blessed here. At the end of the celebration the Happy Anniversary was sung to our Blessed Mother for having established herself among us one year ago. All of this was experienced in an atmosphere of celebration, of giving of self, of devotion, and interior peace that was motivated by the two Auxiliaries that were present, and by the six Pilgrim MTA’s.
As for the preparations, the trunk that shelters the picture, the benches and table that are at the side were painted three days before, and then everything was cleaned so that it would be beautiful. "A wonderful group of people was formed", they commented, "and everyone worked equally without any distinction, which is how our Blessed Mother loves us: "We are working through Her and for Her and later we will enjoy the joys that will come".
On september 16, a big pilgrimage is scheduled from Villa Elisa to the National Shrine, the Shrine of the Father, in Florencio Varela, and in October the missionaries join in a pilgrimage to Santa Maria, Brazil, the cradle of the Campaign.