When the 31st of May falls on Pentecost…

All of Schoenstatt celebrates: Jubilees, aniversaries, pilgrimages – and a new Shrine

Ven, Espíritu Santo, encende en nosotros el fuego de la misión... Come, Holy Spirit, and enkindle the fire of the mission... Komm, Heiliger Geist, entzünde das Sendungsfeuer… Foto: Hildegard Fischer © 2009
50 años de Schoenstatt en Paraguay 50 years of Schoenstatt in Paraguay 50 Jahre Schönstatt in Paraguay Foto: J. Vera © 2009
Bellavista de fiesta Bellavista celebrates Bellavista feiert eine ganze Woche lang Foto: Cabral © 2009
El nuevo Santuario en Ciudad Celeste, Ecuador The future Shrine in Ciudad Celeste, Ecuador Das neue Heiligtum in Ciudad Celeste, Ecuador Foto: Schoenstatt Ciudad Celeste © 2009
Servicio a la iglesia: pagina sobre oración A service for the church: contribution to a prayer page Im Dienst an der Kirche: Beitrag zur Internetseite über das Gebet Foto: Fischer © 2009

INTERNATIONAL, mkf. When the 31st of May falls on Pentecost…as was the case in the year 1914, the founding year of Schoenstatt -, it should be a day of special graces for everyone: around the Cenacle Shrine in Bellavista for the 60th Anniversary of the blessing of the Shrine and the 60th Anniversary of the Third Milestone in Schoenstatt history; in Paraguay, where Schoenstatt has been established for 50 years; in India, where the Schoenstatt Fathers celebrated the constitution of the region; and above all in Ecuador where a new Schoenstatt Shrine is blessed in Ciudad Celeste close to Guayaquil.

On this 31st of May, all the Schoenstatt Family can participate live in two of these and many other events

On the 31st of May 2009, a new Regional Institute of the Schoenstatt Father will be erected in India. If the technical transmisión works, there will be the possibility of participating in this event. The time of the transmission on Livestream will be announced on May 30th on www.schoenstatt-tv.de.

Blessed Mother, the shrine is already being built, the only thing needed is You

Blessed Mother, the shrine is already being built, the only thing needed is You. And on May 31st, She will take possesion of her new throne of graces. The blessing of the Shrine of Ciudad Celeste, Ecuador, will be transmitted via the website www.santuariociudadceleste.com. the blessing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. (3:30 p.m. in the Original Shrine).

50 years of Schoenstatt in Paraguay

The 50th Anniversary celebration of Schoenstatt in Paraguay begins with a journey of leaders on Saturday and it concludes with a Mass at 9:00 a.m. on Sunday. The 31 pioneers who are still living are especially invited and they will have a place o honor in the Mass of that day.

Pilgrimage of workers

On Sunday, the 31st of May, the 19th Pilgrimage of Workers to the Shrine of La Loma with the motto: "Together Mother, we struggle for a nation with work, justice and solidarity" will be carried out.

Just like every year, pilgrims from the city of Paraná, from other areas of Entre Rios, and from the province of Santa Fe, will depart from the Cathedral at 2:00 p.m. to walk through the streets of our city, in a clear manifestation of faith of the people.

The intention which is renewed year after year is to ask the Blessed Mother –whom we call Mother of Bread- to intercede so that our brothers and sisters will have work and to express our gratitude for those who are employed.

This year the pilgrimage will be carried out within the framework of the 50th Anniversary of the arrival of the Schoenstatt Apsotolic Movement to Paraná, recognizing the presence of the Blessed Mother in this land and because She has attracted so many pilgrims to the Shrine of La Loma "This year’s motto is also related to the road toward the nation’s Bicentennial, because we feel the need to commit oursevles from the place that belongs to all of us, in the building of our Argentina, which is suffering so much", said the organizers. "The scars of poverty, the mal-nutrition, the illiteracy, and the dropping out of school, unemployment, inequality, drugs and addictions, moral corruption, the indifference and disinterest, the deterioration of the family, the degradation of the leading class, are some of the many manifestations on the usffering face of the nation and they appeal to everyone do do something". The closing Mass of the Pilgrimage of Workers is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at the Shrine of La Loma and it will be concelebrated by several priests from the diocese.

At Schoenstatt: The International Rosary and Vespers

On the eve of the 31st of May, on a web site about prayer with a high audience in Germany, a initiative of Father Eckehard Bieger, a Jesuit, there was a section with the title "Prayer in the Schoenstatt style"; it appeared besides "Prayer in the Ignatian style": www.mit-beten.net/de/schoenstatt/

On the 31st of May, the Academic Professional Branch will offer Vespers recalling the 60th Anniversary of the 31st of May. Those who live in the different Schoenstatt House are invited to participate and to share.

On the eve of Pentecost at 5:30 p.m. in the Original Shrine, the pilgrims, who are here from Argentina, will participate along with those who usually participate in the International Rosary, and they will pray for all the events and anniversaries, in gratitude and asking for many blessings for all the Schoenstatt Family – that the Holy Spirit, who made the apostles go out of the Cenacle to take the Good News to the ends of the earth will strengthen the missionary stream throughout the Movement, so it can be the missionary Schoenstatt that Father desired and offered the Church on that 31st of May 1949.