More connected ...more present…. more international family

Curicó, Chile has a new Shrine — and it made history with the first live transmission of a Shrine blessing via the Internet

Bienvendio a los peregrinos... The pilgrims are welcomed... Die Pilger werden schon bei der Anfahrt begrüßt
Todo listo... All prepared... Alles bereit...
Mons. Valenzuela bendice el altar Bishop Valenzuela consecrates the altar Bischof Valenzuela weiht den Altar
Estuvieron unos 4000 personas Some 4,000 people participated Gut 4000 Pilger waren es
Ofrendas Offering Gabengang

CHILE, Alejandro Reid/mkf. In Curicó, Chile’s southern central zone, a new Schoenstatt Shrine has been blessed. It is the 20^th one in this country, where our dear Mother has settled in to work miracles in the heart of each person who makes a pilgrimage to one of Her Shrines.

TIERRA JOVEN, young land, the name given to this Shrine, points to the destination of this place to be Holy Land, to each person who comes to receive what the Virgin Mary wants to give them and to offer their lives by asking Her to take us to Jesus.

In the midst of overflowing joy, approximately 3,000 people from all over Chile – and from around the world- were present at the emotional Mass for the Blessing of the Tierra Joven Shrine. Undoubtedly the most emotional moment came when the procession bearing the image of our dear Blessed Mother made its way up to the Shrine for her enthronement there. Everyone present fervently waving handkerchiefs greeted the Virgin and implored her to establish herself in this place forever.

As soon as the Eucharist was finished, all the pilgrims went to the new Shrine to receive the special graces of having a home, an inner transformation and apostolic fruitfulness.

"We have experienced a fantastic blessing!"

"We have experienced a fantastic blessing!" wrote Cristina Tagle, a few hours later. "Approximately 4,400 persons were accounted for anxiously, but impeccably with organization that was down to the last detail. Bishop Horacio Valenzuela of the diocese delivered a beautiful homily. A sea of happily waving handkerchiefs greeted our Blessed Mother when the multitude, full of love and fervor, saw her coming. Congratulations to Tierra Joven of Curicó. Today on Sunday, there was an early Mass, and then the twelve o’clock Holy Mass, where twenty-four girls sealed their Covenants of Love. Gifts of gratitude were given to the advisers, Father Horacio and Sister Alejandra."

We have experienced a fantastic blessing: not only 4,000 or more people were present, not only was heaven present, but also Schoenstatters from Argentina, Ecuador, and even Germany experienced it, minute by minute… and live, in front of their computer screens.

It was Friday evening when the news began to travel the world: "As many already know, we have great news for them! For the first time in history we will have a direct transmission via the Internet of the blessing of a Shrine! It can be seen on www.tierrajoven.cl. All of you who receive this mail will be present, but each of you will no doubt know many who will not be able come here, but who would be happy to be able to attend. Please pass this email to all these people who want to unite spiritually with us, and by so doing make the blessing in Curicó a party on a global scale. I can’t think of a better idea of inviting people to begin the most special Marian month than this," wrote Maria del Pilar Moreno Grasso. A day earlier, Alejandro Reid spoke to the Schoenstatt Press Office about the idea… the possibilities, and getting to work on it.

Utilizing the Internet to help the Family feel close… and present

On October 18^th, some members of the Brazilian Boy’s Youth made it possible for this to happen minute by minute with text and photos with the blessing of the Jacarezinho Shrine via the their Internet page. Now a Livestream downloaded on the page of Schoenstatt Curicó.

"Thank you very much for this great news of how to be connected via the Internet on Saturday, where heaven is united to the earth in the blessing of a new Shrine! We are united in one heart from Coyhaique, Chile, to the new Shrine at Curicó, Tierra Joven," writes an enthusiastic Rodrigo Loyola together with his wife, Anita Sáiz. This November 8^th the Internet was used to give the Family a feeling of being more united… and more present.

Impressive

Finally the hour arrived. "With only thirty minutes left before the ceremony of the opening of the Shrine begins, there are already more than a thousand people who have come to Curicó to take part in the celebration. The ceremony is being transmitted online at www.tierrajoven.cl" Along with this comment, Alejandro Reid copies a batch of photos and uploads the photo album on the Internet…. Begin transmission! It is impressive to see the people singing, to see the faces of the youth in the choir, to hear the songs, to see and hear Father Patricio Ilabaca greet those present. It is impressive to see the procession enter the church, to see the Shrine all new and white… Bishop Valenzuela enters the Shrine where the image of the Blessed Mother is not yet present. It is so impressive that this professional journalist forgets to take notes being caught up in the moment and joins in the prayers, the songs, and the emotion being transmitted over the Internet. One knows about this type of live transmission from the live Masses of the Holy Father, during World Youth Day, during soccer games, and the recent elections in the U.S. But it is different to hear the bell of a Schoenstatt Shrine, to hear the beloved songs, to see the faces of brothers in the Covenant of Love, to participate live in the moment of grace that is the most profound in each Schoenstatter: the moment in which the Mother Thrice Admirable takes possession of the dwelling, a time when the 18^th of October is relived, and a building turns into a place of graces… The anointing of the walls, blessing the altar, the incense… and the entrance of the picture of the MTA among the exhilaration of the people and the waving of their handkerchiefs, and the tears of emotion… the only thing missing while watching this event unfold 9,320 miles away was a handkerchief to join with those that were seen on the computer screen…

An hour later, when pilgrims are lining up to enter the Shrine– the computer screen turns black, the transmission is over; Schoenstatt has lived through an historical moment…

A few minutes after closing the transmission, an email came from Guayaquil, Ecuador, from Flavio and Beatriz Arosemena: "Thanks for the gift of being Family, thanks to Him and to you for having this gift of participating in the live broadcast of the blessing of the Curicó Shrine for us, to have seen our Father Patricio Ilabaca, our dear Father Horacio Rivas, and the many, many brothers in the Covenant of Love, and to the Youth. What a gift the words of the homily and blessing sent to the Holy Father! Thanks for this opportunity to participate in something this important and to feel the tears of happiness of being a Family, of being children of our loving Father and Founder; we are already dreaming about how it will be in 2014, and how it should be a live transmission to the whole world, as an international family…"

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA, amj