A Peace March from Shrine to Shrine

The International Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign comes to the first Schoenstatt Shrine in Burundi

Entrada de la Auxiliar Entrance of the Auxiliary Einzug der Auxiliar
Baile liturgico Liturgic Dance Liturgischer Tanz
Quema del capital de gracias Moment of the capital of grace Die Beiträge zum Gnadenkapital werden gebracht
Por la paz... For peace... Für den Frieden...
El “carro de triunfo” de la Reina The Queen’s mobile throne So reist sie durchs Land
Alabanza Praise Lobpreis Fotos: P. Deogratias Marakuhiro © 2008 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

BURUNDI, P. Deogratias Marakuhiro. Last Sunday, February 17^th, was a special day for the parishioners of the Mutumba parish. They received a visit from the International Auxiliary of the Rosary Campaign. The Pilgrim MTA came to Burundi last November to accompany the Schoenstatt family in the preparation of the Crowning of Mary as Queen of Peace in the country. The pilgrimage to Mutumba was the first of many visits in Burundi, as well as in the neighboring countries. It was the grand opening of the Prayer Campaign for Peace in Burundi and the countries that border the Great Lakes.

After the Apostolic Nuncio officially opened the Auxiliary’s mission on December 8^th, 2007, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, in the Shrine in Bujumbura, the concrete preparation of the various initiatives, visits, and evangelization efforts began, and a preparation team was formed. Their first goal centered on Mutumba as the point of origin in establishing Schoenstatt in Burundi. The Auxiliary was able to acquire a source of grace from the Shrine of Trust that enabled the Peace Mission to begin in full trust and hope.

No one wanted to miss the meeting with the Auxiliary

The big day finally arrived on February 17^th, 2008 – exactly one day before the Founding Day. What a liaison or better: what a gesture of Divine Providence! The large number of people who had been invited to the meeting was also impressive. One could simply count the buses arriving with 30 passengers each; the cars were, in the truest sense of the word, uncountable! It was the first time that so great a number of people from Bujumbura participated in a pilgrimage to Mutumba.

Impressive too was the prayerful atmosphere; a youth group had held an Adoration Vigil beforehand to pray for the pilgrimage - that it would produce rich fruit. The auxiliary itself was a feast for the eyes. The throne was decorated with an abundance of yellow roses and shrouded with fine draperies, appearing much more elegant than else wise!

After the Blessing over the Auxiliary, the festivities of the pilgrimage began – a long line of cars and buses with the decorated "delivery truck" on which the MTA was enthroned at the very front – everyone who saw this train were very impressed! From every car and every bus rang songs of Mary. It was truly a small triumphal procession!

Along the street on the way to Mutumba, one saw many people with Schoenstatt handkerchiefs going in the direction of the parish church. No one wanted to miss the meeting with Mary!

The residents of Mutumba greeted the pilgrims with joyful songs - yes indeed; it was the most heart-warming greeting than ever before! Everyone crowded around the vehicle that the Auxiliary was riding in. Melodic joy and praise rose up to heaven. It created a climate of absolute blessedness.

The families: A "Cultivated Field" of Peace and Reconciliation

The Mass began with a prayer of praise from the pilgrims who had come from Bujumbura. One noticed that the people from Mutumba were well prepared for the visit – well prepared to ensure that the Queen and her message would be received. Everyone praised God that Mary had come to give them the message of peace that is so simple: The Queen wants everyone to work together to spread the Kingdom of her Son, His Kingdom of Peace, Joy, and Love.

The homily also entirely revolved around this theme: Let Mary enter into the homes of the families so that she can transform our families – that we venerate her presence like a crown, thus becoming a cultivated field of peace. Mary would like to be the Queen of Peace in every family; she would like to sow peace in each family that opens its door to her. There can be no peace in a country when it is not maintained in the families. This is all that is necessary for Burundi to banish hatred and to bury the hatchet. This is all that is necessary for Burundi to win peace

The families transform in and through Mary’s presence in which families pray together for peace and through each family’s veneration of Mary – these actions are the weapons in the battle for peace.

It was recommended that every family should pray a decade of the Rosary together. A family that prays together stays together and can, with the help of Mary, win every battle. One decade of the Rosary, day after day, should be the contribution to the Capital of Grace; like the water that was necessary for Jesus to work his miracle in Cana, the Rosary is necessary for the entire family to achieve peace. Jesus rains down peace and reconciliation upon each family, and He wants to give every family and all of Burundi the Blessing of Peace.

Peace and Reconciliation for every family and the entire country

The Mass closed with a beautiful liturgical procession to the Shrine of Trust. Thousands of people moved to the small Shrine to renew their Covenants of Love. The entire area in front of the Shrine was full of people. The Founding Day was just celebrated one day earlier, which made it a fitting opportunity for the pilgrims to recite the Covenant of Love with one another.

Joy was written on all the faces: it was a fire that never before had burned in Mutumba, and everyone praised and worshipped the Lord for this great gift.

The celebration closed with a festive blessing that proclaimed the official entrance of the Mission into the families. Every family was invited again to pray one decade of the Rosary every day for peace and reconciliation among families and throughout the entire country.

In a climate of festivities and joy, the pilgrims said their good-byes to the people of Mutumba. It was truly a day of grace, a feast day, a joyful day, and everyone was full of thanks.

On the way back, the caravan made one more stop in Kabezi to bless the plot of land where the Queen of Peace Center of Mary’s Beneficence (Mary helps) will be built.

Let me sincerely thank everyone

This article may not be ended without thanking everyone who participated in the pilgrimage, especially thanks to the team, who spent a great deal of time and energies preparing for the event.

A very special thank you goes out to everyone who has prayed and prayed and prayed. A very special thank you to everyone from Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Paraguay, Germany, Schoenstatt, Switzerland, Austria, and the other countries in Europe for all of your prayers that Burundi through the intercession of Mary will be a country where one can live in peace.

The next pilgrimage of the Auxiliary takes place on March 2nd and will journey inland to Muramvya, the old King’s city.

May Mary show the way to victory in all battles and build a Kingdom of Peace in Burundi!

Translation: Melissa Schmid, Rochester/MN, USA