Educating with the Blessed Mother around the Shrine of Terruño

A large student pilgrimage to the Shrine of the Schoenstatt Land. One million children praying the rosary

Estudiantes participando en la gran peregrinación Students who participate in the “big pilgrimage” Schüler, die bei der großen Schülerwallfahrt mitmachen
Niños rezando Children leading the prayer Kinder beten vor
Un rosario vivo de niños A living rosary of children Ein lebendiger Rosenkranz aus Kindern
Cada Ave Maria un globo... Each Hail Mary a balloon Jedes Ave Maria ein Luftballon
Con la peregrina... With the Pilgrim MTA Mit der Pilgernden Gottesmutter Fotos: Cristina Lasalle © 2007 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum Video

PARAGUAY, jcg On October 18^th more than ten schools from Ciudad del Este participated in a large student pilgrimage to the Shrine of Terruño. They participated in Holy Mass and then at nine o’clock in the morning, they joined the campaign of One million children praying the rosary. Everything was very nice and well organized. With the help of the Boys’ and Girls’ Youth it was a beautiful experience. The children formed a human rosary in the esplanade, wearing different colored t-shirts and releasing balloons as the mysteries progressed.

Mater Dei School from Ciudad del Este received the Pilgrim MTA’s for the missionary children in the year 2005, and we faced the challenge of taking the Blessed Mother and the Rosary to children and youth in other schools. That is how the desire to have a large pilgrimage of students to the Shrine of the Blessed Mother began. We invited the neighboring schools to share their graces and their response was an enormous YES.

At the same time, a beautiful stream originated in Venezuela, it was given impetus by the Mothers’ Branch and the Rosary Campaign of Ciudad del Este: One million children praying the rosary for world peace.

This year both streams of life were joined. We issued a joint invitation for the Third Largest Student Pilgrimage and for the prayer of the Holy Rosary in the schools.

We distributed a drawing in the shape of a Rosary so that it could be used by the smallest children and we provided a guide to direct the Rosary in the different institutions.

The children formed a human rosary

The beautiful corollary of all the activity took place after Holy Mass, and according to the established schedule, we formed a human rosary with children from five different schools who wore the colors of the missionary Rosary representing the five continents. All the students carried a balloon and a balloon was released with each bead of the rosary.

The intentions that were expressed at the beginning of each luminous mystery were:

1. Thank you Jesus for living in me.
2. Mother Mary, bless my parents and teach them how they should educate me.
3. Jesus, we ask that all the children will have the opportunity to know you.
4. Jesus, help me proclaim the truth.
5. Jesus, send us holy priests who will celebrate the Eucharist for us.

The angelic voices of the children who led the rosary united with the youth choir created a special atmosphere and as incredible as it may seem, all the children and youth who were present participated attentively.

All of this contribution of graces is the best gift that we, as a school that is committed to form autonomous personalities following the Kentenich pedagogy, could receive.

The students of Mater Dei School were a testimony of solidarity, responsibility, and cordiality. And they demonstrated, with their great spirit of service, that it can be done. "Attached to Mary, let us forge a united family."

Diana Alborno de Gill Morlis, Principal of Mater Dei School

When children pray…

The young priest from the cathedral, who accompanied us, prepared a sermon in which he even spoke about Joao Pozzobon. Afterwards, he asked how he could become a part of the Movement.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /amj