Missionaries of Tabor in Mary’s school

October Congress of the Schoenstatt Family in Santa Maria Brazil

Momento de oracion en el Santuario Tabor Moments of prayer at the Tabor Shrine Gebetszeit am Tabor-Heiligtum
Misa en la capilla de casa Holy Mass in the House Chapel Heilige Messe in der Hauskapelle
El P. Pedro Cabello, Director Nacional del Movimiento de Schoenstatt en Brasil Fr. Pedro Cabello, National Movement Director in Brazil Pater Pedro Cabello, Leiter der Schönstatt-Bewegung in Brasilien
Envío Mission Aussendung
Las banderas de las ramas y comunidades The flags of the branches and communities Die Fahnen der Gliederungen und Gemeinschaften Fotos: Ir. Nanci Meister © 2007

BRAZIL, Sister M. Raquel Mainardi. The October Congress of the Schoenstatt Family was held on October 26^th-28th. About one hundred ninety leaders of the Movement participated. The motto for the congress was: Missionaries of Tabor in the school of Mary. An atmosphere of much joy and enthusiasm reigned among the participants, who arrived from several dioceses of the Southern Region of Brazil. The presence of Father Cabello, National Director of the Movement, who greeted the Family during the Mass on the 27^th, was also pleasant; he presented very good ideas for the preparation of the Schoenstatt centennial.

Everyone was happy to have the presence of Father José Maria Garcia, Assistant of the Schoenstatt Fathers in South America. He resides in Schoenstatt. He stated that the topics of the Congress were rich and he was surprised to see that they are already preparing for the centennial of the Covenant of Love.

The Marian mission from the Shrines

Sister M. Fatima gave an excellent opening presentation for the Congress. With the use of a slide show, the participants were shown "a beautiful travelogue" of the centers of the Region, demonstrating how the Blessed Mother works and the activities that have been carried out in the first triennium of the centennial preparation. She also presented the basis for the formulation of the motto for the new triennium: Missionaries of Tabor in the school of Mary.

The presenters were enormously successful in demonstrating their topics, which led to the navigation in the ocean of greatness and the virtues of Mary, and the broadening of Father Kentenich’s Marian mission.

Father Rodrigo Cabrera, a diocesan priest, presented his topic with much depth, in a vital and convincing manner; he spoke about the person and the mission of Mary within the framework of salvation. It was good to hear about Mary in such depth. He vividly brought to life that now is the hour of Mary and that it is very important and necessary to deepen in the knowledge of her person and her mission.

Father Ottomar Schneider presented very rich and wonderful information showing the depth of the Schoenstatt Marian mission that comes from the Shrine.

Sister M. Rosequiel explained how to actually apply the Marian spirituality in daily life that Schoenstatt received from its Founder as an inheritance of Tabor Shrine, during his last visit in 1952.

Towards the 60^th Anniversary of Tabor Shrine and the Centennial of the Covenant of Love

With the 60th anniversary of Tabor Shrine on April 11^th, 2008 in mind, a presentation was made about the history of the Schoenstatt Shrine in Santa Maria. Through comments, parts of the chronicle, songs, and stage productions by artists from the Movement, the beautiful development of the events that led to the construction of the first Shrine on Brazilian soil were made known. The hand of God, who led this history so full of grace, was obviously seen in everything that occurred.

The torch light procession that proceeded to the Shrine in silence also touched everyone deeply.

Another beautiful aspect of the Congress was to see the Holy Masses, the morning and night prayers, and the Eucharistic blessing were so well prepared and correlated to the motto of the new triennium. Another positive aspect was the way in which each area assumed the task assigned to them with responsibility. The growth in leadership was also noticeable. The night prayer presented by the Boys’ Youth on the first night of the Congress deserves special mention.

Surely this Congress was an important event in the history of the Movement in view of the centennial of the Schoenstatt Shrine in 2014 and the 60^th Anniversary of Tabor Shrine on April 11^th, 2008.

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