Pozzobon in Rome!

The process for João Luiz Pozzobon’s canonisation left for Rome from Santa Maria – and has already arrived

El P. Argemiro con la la Postuladora Romana Dra. Silvia Correale Father Argermiro with the Roman Postulator, Dr. Silvia Correale Pater Argemiro Ferracioli mit der Römischen Postulatorin, Dr. Silvia Correale
La vida del pobre peregrino... se hace testimonio The life of the poor pilgrim... a testimony Das Leben des armen Pilgers…wird zum Zeugnis
Llegada de las maletas Arrival of the suitcases Die Koffer mit den Akten kommen an
El avión que llevó los documentos The plain that carried the documents Dieses Flugzeug transportierte die kostbare Fracht
Aterrizando en Roma At the airport in Rome Angekommen auf dem Flughafen in Rom
A la espera... junto a los documentos de José  Engling, de la Hna Emilie, de Mario Hiriart... Waiting... together with the documents of Joseph Engling, Sr. Emilie, Mario Hiriart… Und hier warten die Akten… mit denen von Josef Engling, Sr. Emilie und Mario Hiriart Fotos: P. Argemiro Ferracioli © 2009 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

ROME, mkf. Pozzobon is in Rome! The news travelled the world this week, causing great joy and gratitude. Thirty years after his pilgrimage to Rome in 1979 with the original Pilgrim Mother, João Pozzobon has returned to the eternal city, not in person but in the documents of his process, packed into suitcases and accompanied by prayer and the commitment of thousands of missionaries. Thanks to the Campaign he started and many missionaries, the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother now reaches more than six million people on every continent, creating an enormous popular movement of pilgrims to the shrines and Schoenstatt wayside shrines, thus becoming one of the most efficient evangelizing initiatives in the world.

The process for the servant of God, João Luiz Pozzobon, left Santa Maria on 12 May and arrived in São Paulo on 13 May. It then left São Paulo on 17 May and arrived in Rome at 7.11am on 18 May. At that very moment, the international covenant mass was being celebrated in the Mother Shrine Schoenstatt, during which prayers were offered up for the suitcases’ safe arrival in Rome.

"I am sending photographs of the departure of João Pozzobon’s process from the airport in São Paulo, the airplane that transported the documents and their arrival in Rome," Fr. Argemiro Ferracioli said from Rome. Every step of the documents’ journey was documented with photographs and reports, taking into account the importance of the Campaign for Schoenstatt as it prepares for the centenary of the covenant of love and beyond.

A little bit more, love conquers all!

Sr. Silvana speaks about the departure from Santa Maria:

"At nine in the morning on 12 May 2009, several representatives of the Schoenstatt Movement went to the Schoenstatt Fathers’ house to accompany the departure of the five suitcases containing the documents in the process for the beatification and canonisation of the servant of God, João Luiz Pozzobon, together with its bearer, Fr. Argemiro Ferracioli. As the suitcases were about to begin their journey, it began to rain heavily. We interpreted this as a grace received through João’s intercession, especially as the region is experiencing a major drought.

We left in several cars that accompanied the van as it transported the documents to the Santa Maria bus station. Accompanied by the Pilgrim Mother and other people who were already there waiting, including João Pozzobon’s sons and family, we went to platform eight where we waited for the Pluma Internacional bus to arrive. This was how other people who arrived to board the bus discovered what was happening.

After loading the suitcases onto the bus, we formed a circle and Fr. Argemiro led us in prayer, asking for the success of the journey and placing everything into the Blessed Mother’s hands. The emotion was palpable! Together, we prayed the prayer for the canonization of João Pozzobon and other prayers, including Pozzobon’s "battle cry": "A little more, love conquers all!" After a few cries of "viva," Fr. Argemiro boarded the bus and took his place at seat no. 12. Under the blessing of the other priests who were present and the invocation of our "Schoenstatt saints," we said farewell, waving handkerchiefs and the Pilgrim Mother we had brought with us.

The other passengers on the bus also seemed happy to be a part of this special moment. Grateful and happy, we returned home, asking the Blessed Mother and our father and founder to bless the process and make it fruitful."

Delivering the documents

Fr. Argemiro wrote from Rome, describing the handing over the documents on 20 May – the anniversary of Fr. Kentenich’s return to Schoenstatt, after having been freed from the Dachau concentration camp:

"We arrived at St. Peter’s Square on 20 May at 8.30am (Roman time) with the five suitcases containing the process. It was a sunny day. In front of the entrance to the Congregation for the Saints, we welcomed the Roman postulator, Dr. Silvia Correale, who will now continue the process in Rome, several pilgrims from Argentina, Sr. Fernanda Balan and Frs. Ludovico Tedeschi, Rafael and Guillermo. We placed the five suitcases on a trolley and went up to the third floor. We entered and were welcomed by the people working for the Cause of the Saints. They verified the suitcases, asked me to open them and take the sealed boxes containing the process, where everything was in perfect condition. We placed it together with other recently received processes. I indicated that I had successfully completed my task as the bearer of the process and the postulator received the official mandate and from this moment on, she is responsible for everything that must be done. It was a wonderful, divine and sensational experience. It was a special moment in my life. I never imagined that I would be in Rome to hand over the cause for sainthood, especially that of the servant of God, João Luiz Pozzobon. At that moment, I felt the joy of the people of Santa Maria, the Gáuchos (the name given to the people from the province where Santa Maria is located) and all those who trust in João Luiz Pozzobon. Everyone I spoke to about João Pozzobon were happy to know that he was a family man and an exemplary businessman and has now had his process for canonization presented in Rome. Everyone expressed their wish to pray for his canonisation and marvelled at everything he achieved.

We concluded with a prayer and a blessing. We left, feeling happy and knowing that we have conclusively completed the first diocesan phase. We hope that the second phase in Rome will be concluded more rapidly than the first. The proceedings were concluded in 20 minutes.

We then went to St. Peter’s square for an audience with Pope Benedict XVI at 10.30am. Together with Fr. Ludovico, I was able to obtain a special entrance with seats in the third row, some three metres away from the Holy Father, but only those in the first two rows had an opportunity to greet the pope. But I hope that I will be able to greet him next Wednesday. In this way, we were following in João Pozzobon’s footsteps – when he came to Rome, he also was unable to shake Pope John Paul II’s hand."

Pilgrims to the shrine

Pozzobon in Rome! At the same time, the General Presidium published its letter inviting the Schoenstatt Family to prepare itself for the centenary of the covenant of love, the Auxiliary from Brazil (a true copy of the original Pilgrim Mother) travelled to her destination, while another two Auxiliaries are on their way to Spain and the Philippines, respectively, thus increasingly connecting the Campaign in these countries with João Pozzobon and the Tabor shrine, the Campaign’s birthplace. We also celebrated the 60^th anniversary of the 31^st of May, the third milestone in Schoenstatt’s history, consolidating Fr. Kentenich’s ardent desire that the life current to return to and revitalise the mother shrine and the entire Schoenstatt Family.

João Pozzobon, the tireless pilgrim asks his Mother that the entire Schoenstatt Family return in pilgrimage to the shrine, in pilgrimage to the mother shrine with a strong missionary spirit and strategy!

Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, South Africa