Irradiating Christ who has resurrected in our heart!

Holy Week in San Juan

Amanecer en Sierras Azules Dawn at Sierras Azules Morgenrot auf den Sierras Azules
Los schoenstattianos en Semana Santa The Schoenstatt group during Holy Week Die Schönstattjugend bei einer der Feiern der Karwoche
Fuegos artificiales , festejando la resurrección Fireworks – celebration of the Resurrection Mit Feuerwerk wird die Auferstehung gefeiert
La eucaristia centro de la fiesta The Eucharist, center of the festivity Die heilige Messe, Mittelpunkt der Feier
Los schoenstattianos que subieron The Schoenstatt youth that participarted Die Schönstattjugend, die mit auf dem Berg war
Imponente claridad de la luna llena In the moonlight Im Licht des Vollmondes, hoch über San Juan Fotos: Jorgelina Jordá © 2009

ARGENTINA, Jorgelina Jordá. One of the most beautiful and forgettable weeks that can be experienced is Holy Week in the Province of San Juan, I was surprised to see so many youth who usually say they are bored and they leave town, "There is nothing to do", is the phrase they use. However if one keeps an open heart to the profound it can be a week when the divine is united with the earthly, where our heart becomes one in Christ and with the Church.

The Week begins on Palm Sunday, but at the diocesan level and in a very special manner on Wednesday during the Chrism Mass one can intensely experience how all the Church unites in joy to encounter Christ in the following days.

Anticipating the year of the priests the bishop entrusted us with the mission to pray for all new vocations and so that each priest would renew his consecration. He also commented on his recent visit with Pope Benedict XVI. It was beautiful to see how the relatives visit their sons, cousins, or friends who are in seminary on this date; and they also visit the novices who belong to the different congregations. The catedral was brilliant with the variety of its charisms. Do those of you from San Juan know how blessed you are with our Church!, said the director of the seminary to the parishioners of the Church of Mercy. You have so many churches and in many of them there are three priests! This is an exception! In Mendoza there is one priest for three parishes! However, he stressed that the vocational crisis was strongly felt, there will only be vocations where there are holy and profound communities. During the homily I reflected, The Girls’ Youth of San Juan is truly blessed! Sofia Danna is a postulant of the Sisters of Mary and Andrea Moya is a postulant of the Salesian Sister; this is a great gift and it is an option for our youth.

To accompany Christ to the cross

Another of the great mysteries that was experienced during the week was on Thursday, where hundreds of youth decided to visit 7 churches after the Mass of the Last Supper; San Juan seems silent, but beyond this there was a line of youth, communities on bicycles traveling through the streets of the capital by moonlight from 11:00 p.m. until dawn for the purpose of accompanying Christ to the Cross.

The Schoenstatt turn ended in the Parish of Saint Francis, the best place God could have chosen. There the boys treated us as brothers. They welcomed us with mate (herbal tea) and guitars and a beautiful Adoration. Father Rolando approached us with joy to get acquainted with us and he admitted that every year the Schoenstatters are being noticed more and more. The famous 5 Sisters of the Incarnate Word were beside us. They are 5 blood sisters who chose this vocation! Fatime told us,that one of them was in Egypt on mission, another one is in Arabia, another in Mexico and they asked us to pray for them. Our hearts were overjoyed to have met people who truly reflected Christ!

The Easter mystery had just begun!

Good Friday is a day of silence, the entire parish community gathered to experience the Stations of the Cross..on this day the parishes make a great effort to experience it profoundly so it is hard to decide which parish to attend. In Concepción there was a living Stations of the Cross! A friend told me that at Saint Bosco it was incredible! And the Adoration at San Francisco are unique! My parish, La Merced was filled with family that we had never seen and people who wait for this feast to have a heart to heart conversation.

The Vigil Mass is held on Holy Saturday, it is especially characterized as the Mass of the lighting of the candles until the reading of salvation history and the bells ring loudly proclaiming the Good News. He who has died has risen! Once the Mass has ended, there is no time to waste. Change clothes! The Easter mystery has just begun! We have to climb the Sierras Azules!

6000 people climbed the Sierras Azules

Everyone had changed from dress pants and shoes for jogging suits and shoes. The bus departed from the parish filled with youth delighted with their Savior for Christ!. The Sierras Azules are sacred, each year this pilgrimage has grown larger and larger. This year 6,000 people climbed the mountain. Jesus was probably surprised that there was enough Eucharist for everyone! Because it is not usual that so many youth want to participate in this challenge; it is a very great sacrifice, the sierras are not easy, the road is long, steep and only lighted by the full moon. There are only a few who do not dare to climb, there is always someone who encourages us and helps us. Like a large family!. On top the climate is very cold, but this year it was nothing compared to other years. The mate and the fire eased the cold and the rest period was accompanied by fireworks in the background. It was beautiful and clear! The stars, the moon, the entire city could be seen in all its splendor, to be able to reach the peak and to rise at the same time as Christ gave us a great spirit of communion and of peace, it was a Living God who was present.

Up there we prayed for all the people who were united to this event, the most important one for every Catholic. I reflected within my heart and I observed the great variety of movements that surrounded us, I thought about the Schoenstatters who gave their life for the mission that was entrusted to them, for the consecrated vocations and for how much they have helped me…and I realized that it is Christ and Mary who make us a family at this time.

An atmosphere of conversion and of love

Why did I write this article? Because I believe that many have probably experienced all of this in their interior, some know how to xxpress it and others have only felt it in their heart and they have offered it to God. Holy Weeks in San Juan are special, there is an atmosphere of holiness and we are blessed by God and we know that he who receives much, has to give much. Let us irradiate Christ who has resurrected in our heart!

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA