In the simplicity of instruments who generously go forward

Renewal Celebration of the missionary commitment at La Loma, Paraná, Argentina

Las Auxiliares de las diócesis The Auxiliaries of the dioceses Jede Diözese hat ihre Auxiliar dabei
Procesión Procession Prozession
Las peregrinas... adornadas con todas las muestras del cariño The Pilgrims MTAs... with all posible signs of love Die Pilgermadonnen sprechen von der Liebe ihrer Missionare…
Santa Misa presidida por el obispo auxiliar de Paraná, Monseñor Cesar Fernández Holy Mass with Auxiliary Bishop Cesar Fernández Heilige Messe mit Weihbischof Cesar Fernández
Entrega de peregrinas Commissioning Überreichung der Pilgermutter

ARGENTINA, Marina Gonzales. On Saturday, November 8^th, in the shadow of the La Loma Shrine, there was a large renewal celebration for the missionary commitment to the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, with the motto: John Pozzobon, model of a disciple and missionary.

The day was a very warm one, but there was more warmth in the souls on fire for the mission that was to be renewed; this was the appropriate framework for the missionaries from the Dioceses of Paraná, Santa Fe, Gualeguay, and Concordia to share their feelings, experiences, projects, and what they had learned about their apostolate in the Rosary Campaign.

The meeting began very early in the morning with prayer in the Shrine. Quite a few of the missionaries traveled many miles to the provincial capital to participate in this event, which is relevant, important to note, and inspirational because it renews their willingness to continue accompanying the Mother and Queen along with her Son on visits to homes, schools, jails, hospitals….

After the welcome given by the coordinator, Carmen de Barzola, from Paraná- the community organizing the celebration, and Sister Maria Sofia, advisor to the Schoenstatt Family in Paraná, those attending received further teaching as to their role as missionaries and the perspectives for the work to be carried out in the coming year, which was within the framework proposed by the National Assessment Team of the Campaign: to draw the children to the Blessed Mother.

They gathered for a workshop with similar and different experiences of the mission. Meeting with other missionaries always brings life; it is the experience of common unity that strengthens, stimulates, and renews. In this atmosphere, they shared lunch at a place that had been prepared for this event, the missionary patio. They were reminded of the requirements for participants: great joy and a desire to share because this was a celebration. They also had the privilege to meet with brothers and sisters from the diocesan Family’s different branches, who worked together in the snack bar to raise funds for the family missions they are organizing for the year 2009.

United in prayer

After a short recess to renew their energy, they recalled the crowning of the Auxiliary Paraná Shrine on the Tenth Anniversary of this event. They returned to the roots of a crowning in a brief talk, and they again gathered as a group to work on how the missionaries wanted to crown the Blessed Mother again. Then they wrote this desire on little paper crowns that were burned at the rest area of the Road of Mary after the rosary was prayed. They were inspired to do this by John Louis Pozzobon, who said: The Rosary is a prayer that nourishes the spirit, that gives strength by uniting with all the missionaries, families, and people who received the Pilgrim MTA, and with everyone, who has preceded us to the Heavenly Home, who have prayed the Holy Rosary.

In this spirit, they prepared to celebrate the Holy Mass presided by the Auxiliary Bishop of Paraná, Monsignor César Fernández, who also commissioned the new missionaries and received the missionaries’ Covenants from the community of Crespo, along with the renewal of the missionary commitment of everyone present. In this manner, he encouraged them to continue with this apostolate, allowing Mary, as Mother, to reach all her children through the Pilgrim MTA. "It is simple," he said, " It is the maternal instinct that lives in each and every one of us, and that we should allow to flourish, so that this supernatural protection will reach everyone equally. May we have the maternal instinct that John Pozzobon had, in the simplicity of instruments who generously go forward."

We have inherited a mission, a commitment, a love…

Everyone from the founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, with his generosity in the Covenant, to the one who began the Campaign, John Pozzobon and his total self-giving to the mission, to Father Esteban Uriburu, who projected and drew the world to the Campaign, to the new missionaries, who have committed themselves to this meeting, know they have inherited a mission, but above all they assume a commitment that they received with love, an inherited love that gives impetus and sustains.

This work is not easy; we have said that more than once, but we trust with certainty that She will guide us. She along with Her Son Jesus in the Father through the Holy Spirit continues to choose us. We are simply little donkeys carrying the Mother and Queen with her Son by and through love working together to extend the Kingdom, many times reaching places where the priest, the parish, or other faithful could not reach, because our task is simply, as John Pozzobon said: "to open the way for the Lord…with your picture, Mother, with your Rosary, and with your Covenant…"

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/amj