A Pilgrimage from Shrine to Shrine…with the Eurocup

A group of Mexicans visits Madrid, Toledo, Lourdes, Paris, Rome, Assisi, and Schoenstatt

Roma: San Pablo Extramuros Rome: St. Paul outside the wall Rom, St. Paul vor den Mauern
Madrid, Serrano Madrid, Serrano Madrid, Serrano
Lourdes Lourdes Lourdes
Gruta de Lourdes Lourdes grotto An der Lourdes-Grotte Fotos: Hna. Lourdes Macías © 2008
Santa Misa en el Santuario Original Holy Mass in the Original Shrine Heilige Messe im Urheiligtum
Alianza de Amor Covenant of Love Liebesbündnis Fotos: POS Fischer © 2008

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "We were on pilgrimage with the Eurocup," Claudia Resendiz Rosa, laughed. "We arrived in Madrid, and there was great jubilation because Spain had won! We were in Paris, and everyone was crying because France was eliminated. And in Rome, we had to wait until the break to check in since everyone was watching the soccer match. Now in Germany, the entire country is happy because they reached the semifinals! Surely everyone thought that we were soccer fans, but no! We are pilgrims, with the exception of the men who were glued to the TV screen when there were games!" From June 8^th to the 24^th a large group of pilgrims from several cities of Mexico – Mexico City, Querétaro, Taxco, Torreon, Celaya – went on pilgrimage to Lourdes for the 150^th Anniversary of the apparitions. They went to several places and pilgrimage places in Europe and they crowned this time of spiritual renewal in Schoenstatt.

On June 8^th they departed from the Shrine of the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico City to Spain. They visited the Schoenstatt Shrines in Pozuelo and Serrano and the city of Toledo. They traveled by bus to Lourdes. The place impressed everyone very much. The visit to the grotto of Lourdes was the most impressive part of this pilgrimage for Lila Arteaga de Celaya. "The candlelight procession and being at the grotto where the Virgin Mary appeared to visiting the home of Little Bernadette were moments that I will never forget," she said with emotion. "Since my name is Lourdes, the visit was something very touching for me," said Lourdes R. De Méndez, "I was touched by the parade of wheelchairs during the pilgrimage to the grotto."

They went through Paris and they traveled by plane to Rome. The large poster that the group from Mexico City brought was very visible during the TV transmission of the audience with the Holy Father. The Shrine of Rome – the international one in Belmonte, and the one of the Sisters of Mary at Via Aurelia Artica – were the next stops on their pilgrimage. "To be at the Vatican was a unique experience in my life. Now I love my Church more," said Lucio Lugo L. from Taxco.

The time I was alone in the Original Shrine…

On June 19^th they arrived at Schoenstatt from Assisi. They stayed at House Sonneanau. From there, they went on pilgrimage to Gymnich – Father Kentenich’s birthplace – and at Metternich they learned about the life of Sister Emilie. The highlights of their time at Schoenstatt were the private time at Father’s tomb, and almost all of them said: "The Mass in the Original Shrine with the Covenant of Love." "The beauty of the place and to know that our Founding Father was here touched me very much," said one of the pilgrims. "To be at the tomb of the Founding Father, the encounter with him and with the Blessed Mother, and to feel sheltered," this was the most profound experience for her. Several of the pilgrims stayed in the Original Shrine for a long time. "The time that I was alone at the Original Shrine," was the highlight for Diana Lechuga. I am impressed by the great work that was born from of Father Kentenich’s life," said Cristian Jiménez, from Satélite. For her, "To learn in depth about the people who helped Father Kentenich and to know that all of them offered their life in spite of so many difficulties or illnesses such as Sister Emilie," was a very profound experience. At the age of 78, Angelina Jiménez Rosales, from Satélite, is one of the oldest in the group, "My faith has increased," she said summarizing her experience.

"There was a different surprise at each place," said Lucio Lugo L… "and now I can say: The Lord has done Great things for me. I want to learn how to defend my faith and always allow God to take me where He wants. I am very grateful to God and Mary. Everything awakened a great love for Mary." "When I arrived here, I felt at home," said Francesca Soto de Ramos, from Torreón. "I felt welcomed since I arrived."

"All the Shrines were an encounter with God the Father and the Blessed Mother. But arriving at Schoenstatt was the most important, the crowning, and that I accomplished my goal. The Blessed Mother allowed me to arrive here, that is an immense gift," said Maria del Pueblito Montes Balderso.

From Shrine to Shrine there is a road that takes us toward the Father with joy…

"I think the entire pilgrimage was beautiful and very touching. But definitely the encounter with the Blessed Mother of Lourdes, the encounter in the Shrine with the MTA, and with Father Kentenich is something that I will never forget, and I will always carry it in my heart," says Ana Luisa Avilés de Garcia, and her husband David Garcia Ortiz, from Taxco, both of them are 39 years old, and it is their first time at Schoenstatt. We now know, they said, "That the love of the Virgin is extravagant, and we can all be transformed if we trust fully in her and if we allow her to educate us." "I want to live the Schoenstatt mission more in my daily life," is what Diana Lechuga wants to take home after these three weeks of pilgrimage.

Miracles of love

"I would like to say that this place has given me some experiences that will mark my life forever," said Gabriela Selene Diaz, from Taxco, one of the youngest participants. "Here I found a great peace in a heart full of sadness, of loneliness, of anxiety, of fear. My life was always confused until I arrived at Schoenstatt. I always asked myself: why did God create me since I am a good for nothing? I asked myself this when I committed many mistakes. But being here and knowing the personality of Father Kentenich, I realized the great love that Jesus gave me by allowing me to live for these 32 years. How many masks I have worn during my life, but here I discovered that within me there is a voice that is inviting me to be an original person and to fulfill the mission that God has entrusted to me. What is that mission? To give my true and filial love to Jesus and to my Mother, Mary in order to be an obedient child to do their will. Today I asked my Founding Father to be with me starting now; I asked him to be my ears to listen to those who need to vent, that my thoughts express his message, that he be my mouth so that they will listen to his words, but above all that my heart may become like his to be able to offer the peace that I felt, with an embrace, and that selfless, carefree love that he offered our Mother. I leave very happy, I hope to return some day and to be close to Father again, at his tomb, where I felt his spirit, and to say to him: Father Joseph Kentenich, your message, your work reached Taxco with great love, our Shrine calls a great number of people everyday, may generation after generation grow in the love of Mary and may all of them seal the Covenant with Mary…"

The song that a "spiritual pilgrim" wrote for the group still resounds:

From Shrine to Shrine there is a road
that leads toward the Father with joy.
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
We are missionary disciples in Mary.

Refrain:

By plane, by train and on the bus
we happily go on pilgrimage day by day.
Madrid, Lourdes, Paris, Rome and Assisi
we will arrive at Mary’s Schoenstatt.

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