I am going to change the Project for Certification -I am going to build a Wayside Shrine for Linares!
The Wayside Shrine of San Juan, Linares – a story of commitment and creativity
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Una noche en la ermita de Linares, Chile A night at the wayside shrine in Linares, Chile Abend am Bildstock in Linares, Chile |
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Horas antes de la bendición... Hours before the blessing Stunden vor der Einweihung |
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Nuestra Reina en su nueva Ermita, claramente es parte de su "Tierra Santa Mariana...", el sueño del P. Kentenich para esta zona de Chile. The Queen in their new wayside shrine Die Königin kommt… |
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P. Alex Troncoso ofició la ceremonia. Posteriormente el Obispo de Talca, Tomislav Koljatic, dio la Bendici ón final El P. Alex Troncoso during the ceremony – Afterwards,
Bishop Tomislav Koljatic of
Pfarrer Alex Troncoso während der Feier; spatter gab Bischof Tomislav Koljatic von Talca den Segen |
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Durante la ceremonia... During the celebration Während der Feier Fotos: María Luisa Mira Ll © 2009 |
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CHILE, MARIA Luisa Mira Ll/Maricio E. Donoso. Everyday, but especially on the 18th of each month, the thousands of MTA Wayside Shrines sown along the routes in South America hold an important place within the life of the Family; these holy places have a principal mission: "to be arms of the Shrine." For some weeks now, the Schoenstatt Family from Linares has a beautiful Wayside Shrine, as "an Arm" of the Shrines of San Fernando and Curicó. A place, which was once filled with mud and wherever you stepped you sank up to the waist, was converted little by little and through the effort of the entire Schoenstatt community of Linares. And now it is an appropriate place for the Wayside Shrine of San Juan, a place, which was blessed with a Mass of Thanksgiving on Tuesday, March 24th.
The land had been donated years ago; however, because of its condition it was impossible to build. Through the constant work of several families, the land was filled with dirt to reach the necessary height to build the Wayside Shrine.
In two weeks he was converted into an expert builder of Wayside Shrines
One of the key pieces of this story was the participation of Juan Paulo Alarcón, who at that time had recently become part of the community. He had to present his project to be certified and to graduate as an architect from the University of Talca. He related: "I had worked for a year without getting an idea, when suddenly as I left the Shrine of San Fernando, my spirit was filled with a momentum and, without thinking about it, I told my wife: ‘I am going to change my project for certification and I am going to build the Wayside Shrine of Linares!’"
Within two weeks, he had to convert himself into an expert on Wayside Shrines, and he was included in the group responsible for construction. He committed to collect the donations that were needed in order to accomplish the commitment. Many people cooperated, by donating a wide-range of items from a sack of cement to cash. It should be stressed that the majority of the people did not belong to the Schoenstatt Family.
Our Wayside Shrine will never be moved again…
For Marianella Troncoso, Leader of the Family Branch, the blessing of the Wayside Shrine was a touching moment. "I was touched when I saw the Blessed Mother surrounded by people and flowers. At last, She was in a definite place, after years of moving from one place to another…at that moment I realized that all the efforts had been worthwhile. Father Alex Troncoso officiated the ceremony and Bishop Tomislav Kiljatic gave the final blessing to this holy place. At the conclusion of the event, the Bishop and the mayor of Linares were given a picture of the Wayside Shrine to symbolize that this place belongs to everyone. It was not built only for Schoenstatters; rather, it was built for everyone who wants to pray or to find a place of spiritual retreat," said Marianella.
On May 18th, sixty-four more eighteenths before October 2014, the Covenant of Love was also renewed at this Wayside Shrine, all of them united to everyone close to the Blessed Mother who was at the Original Shrine…just like all of the daughter Shrines, Wayside Shrines, and Homeshrines of the world.
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA/amj