A Paraguayan in New York: how to visit the Blessed Mother for two dollars!

On the MTA to the MTA...

Ermita A wayside shrine indicates: „Shrine inside“ Ein MTA-Bild „verrät“:  „Heiligtum inside “
Interior del Santuario Interior of the Shrine Inneres des Heiligtums – der Zugang ist vom Haus aus
Altar Altar Altar
Sala del Padre Father Kentenich Room Pater-Kentenich-Zimmer
Con la Hna Iraida en la sala Padre Kentenich With Sr Iraida in the Father Kentenich Room Mit Schw. Iraida im Pater-Kentenich-Zimmer

UNITED STATES, Javier Cabral. Many people travel to New York. If you go, be sure to visit the Blessed Mother. How can you do this? Easy, you purchase a Metro card for two dollars; it can be used on the subway or the metro. The acronym for the metro is MTA, not for the Blessed Mother, but for the company’s name that administers the trains and buses for the city.

Take the"W" line to White Hall station. You will not get lost since it is the last station. When you arrive, don’t throw away your Metro card, because it can be used for two hours for transfers or combinations, and you will need it later.

When you exit White Hall station, there is a very large building for the ferry to Staten Island, where the Shrine is located. Take the ferry, it’s free, (yes, free!) and it takes thirty minutes to arrive to the island.

During the trip, you will have the best view of Manhattan, and you will pass in front of the Statue of Liberty. Notice that a twenty-minute trip on the coast of Manhattan costs about twenty-five dollars. Consider giving this to the Blessed Mother, if you visit her.

Upon arriving at Staten Island, follow the signs; exit the building and take Bus 44 of the same MTA Company. Use the same Metro card; it is not necessary to pay for another fare.

The bus will travel on Lafayette, Anderson, Bemen, and Cary Streets. Upon turning onto Cary Street, you should get off at the first stop. This takes about ten to fifteen minutes from the ferry.

The New York Shrine, The Shrine with a scepter

The Sisters’ house is a half block from the stop; the address is 337 Cary Street. Don’t look for the bell tower, since you will not see one. Inside you will find a Shrine that is a twin of the Confidentia Shrine in Buenos Aires. It is a Shrine inside of a house.

The Shrine’s name is Candlemas or The Light.

The Blessed Mother’s scepter

The Shrine has a pretty altarpiece with a large crown. Father Kentenich gave this crown to Sister Petra telling the MTA: "This is your crown, you will get it when we have a Shrine in New York."

Sister Iradia, who lives with two other Sisters of Mary in the house, explained that the Family of the United States had given the MTA a scepter. This was something new to me; I had never seen a scepter in a Shrine.

The Father’s Room is in the basement; there you will find different objects that Father Kentenich used on his brief stay in New York during September 1965, on his way to Rome. There is a set of plates, a scarf, etc. There is also a hall for meetings and a dining room with a shop of religious objects.

A challenge

Walking through the streets of New York, you see thousands of people walking very fast, except for the tourists. It is a great challenge to bring Schoenstatt into a world with so many nationalities, so many languages sharing the common denominator of haste to earn a daily living. You run the risk that in seeking the material things you forget to seek for the spiritual things…meanwhile the Blessed Mother will continue to wait for everyone..for a two dollar trip.

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