May, the Month of Mary

This weekend at Schoenstatt: pilgrimages, month of Mary processions, ordinations, – and live transmission of the international Rosary at the Original Shrine

Ferrarra en Italia: Los habitantes de esta ciudad a la orilla derecha del río Po hace exactamente 225 años celebraron por primera vez la oración del mes de mayo – mes de María. Ferrarra, Italia: it was here that 225 years ago the first May Benedictino was held Ferrarra, Italien: Hier wurde vor 225 Jahren die erste Maiandacht gehalten
En Schoenstatt: desde 1916, hay las ”flores de mayo”,  regalos espirituales a la Madre tres veces admirable, expresión del amor ardiente de los congregantes a la Mater y su pequeño santuario. In Schoenstatt, since 1916 the “May flowers” are and expression of love to the MTA in her shrine In Schönstatt sind seit 1916 die “Maienblüten” Ausdruck der Liebe zu Maria in ihrem kleinen Heiligtum
Peregrinando al Santuario Original... a pie... On pilgrimage to the Original Shrine... walking... Wallfahren zum Urheiligtum  - zu Fuß…
...o en bici ...or on bike …oder auf dem Fahrrad Fotos: Frentzen/Fischer © 2009

SCHOENSTATT, Kathrin Frentzen/mkf. 1784, Ferrara, Italy, is a city in northern Italy in the region of Emilia-Romagna on the right edge of the Po River. Exactly 225 years ago, the inhabitants of this city celebrated the prayer of the month of May- the month of Mary - for the first time. Apparently that is how the tradition of celebrating the month of May as one especially dedicated to Mary began in the northern hemisphere. During the course of the 19^th century, this custom spread throughout the Catholic Church awakening the tradition of processions, May pilgrimages, "month of May", May altars…and lastly, in 1916, "May blossoms" at Schoenstatt, spiritual gifts to the Mother Thrice Admirable which was an expression of the fervent love the Sodalists had for the Blessed Mother and her small shrine.

Since that May in 1916, the month of May at Schoenstatt and its special opening has possessed a touch of profound love for the MTA---which is also true on this first weekend of May 2009.

The opening of the month of May mobilizes many pilgrims in Schoenstatt

On the afternoon of Thursday, April 30^th, the Schoenstatt Movement, the Palottines, and the parish of Vallendar will unite for the month of May opening as they have done for several years with this year’s motto: Fill the jars. It will begin at the Palottines’ Church, and then there will be a pilgrimage to the Original Shrine. In almost every Schoenstatt Shrine in Germany that same afternoon, the Schoenstatt Family and friends will gather for the opening of the month of May. At the Herxheim Shrine, they will await the presence of Monsignor Wiesehofer, their new bishop, for Holy Mass and the procession.

On Friday, May 1^st, Schoenstatt is expecting the arrival of about 500 to 600 pilgrims from the Diocese of Wurzburg for the Family Pilgrimage that takes place every two years.

It begins with a Holy Mass in the morning, and of course, it concludes with the prayer of the month of May in the afternoon. Meanwhile the pilgrims will visit the Original Shrine, and they can participate in a variety of workshops.

Pilgrimages by foot and on bicycles

On Saturday, May 2^nd, there will be a pilgrimage on foot from Lahnstein to the Original Shrine – it is about 17 kms., or about 10.6 miles, over romantic roads along the edge of the Rhine and on the heights of the mountains.

Other pilgrims will arrive on their bicycles; seventeen people will make this pilgrimage from Munster in northern Germany to Schoenstatt, where they will arrive on May 2^nd.

Pilgrimages from Belgium and Switzerland

Belén MacPhearson, a lady from Ecuador who lives in Antwerp, Belgium, invited the youth of the English community in the city to come on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt. On May 1^st, a total of fifteen people will arrive, the majority of them are youth who are preparing for Confirmation – there will be Ecuadorian, Brazilian, French, and American pilgrims.

A pilgrimage from Chile will also arrive on May 1^st: Seventeen couples and two priests will remain here until May 7^th, and then they will continue to the Holy Land, almost joining the Holy Father! They have an intense schedule at Schoenstatt for the purpose of visiting the holy places and praying where everything began. And of course, they must go on the boat ride to Boppard, and make trips to Cologne and Koblenz.

Live transmission of the Rosary in the Original Shrine

Exactly one year has passed since the beginning of a simple initiative: every Saturday at 5:30 p.m., the rosary is prayed in the Original Shrine in Spanish, Portuguese, and also sometimes in English. The pilgrims from Chile are invited to participate in the rosary on May 2^nd that will be transmitted live via www.schoenstt-tv.de

Just as on every Saturday, we will especially pray for all the activities that will take place around the Original Shrine, and Shrines all over the world as well as for all the intentions sent to the Original Shrine. Petitions can still be sent to: presoffice@schoenstatt.de

Priestly Ordination

Among the intentions of this rosary, undoubtedly, the petition for the two new Schoenstatt Fathers from Argentina, who will be ordained, will be stressed. Facundo Bernabel from Córdoba, and Federico Piedrabuena from Paraná will be ordained on the same day and almost at the same time. The ordination will take place in the Shrine of Villa Warcalde in Córdoba in the presence of all the Schoenstatt Family.

Congratulations and our prayers for the two new priests, who will be ordained on the eve of the Year of Priests!

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/amj