Fulfilling the Dream the Father and Founder Had for Chile

Twentieth Jubilee of the "Child of the Father" Shrine in Rancagua

Logo Jubileo 20 años Santuario de Rancagua Logo of the 20th anniversary of the Shrine of Rancagua Logo zum 20. Weihetag des Heiligtums in Rancagua
Padre Kentenich la mañana del 20 de octubre de 1948 en Santa Cruz. Father Kentenich on October 20, 1948, in Santa Cruz Pater Kentenich am Morgen des 20. Oktober 1948 in Santa Cruz
Mons. Alejandro Goic oficia la ceremonia en la Iglesia del Buen Pastor, a un lado del santuario. Bishop Alejandro Goic celebrating Mass in the Good Shepherd Church near the Shrine Bischof Alejandro Goic bei der Heiligen Messe in der Guthirten-Kirche beim Heiligtum
Procesión hasta el santuario, liderada por la Cruz de la Unidad y banderas de la Familia. Procession to the Shrine Prozession zum Heiligtum
Celebración en el Centro de Peregrinos del santuario después de la Ceremonia. Get-together in the Pilgrims’ Center after the celebration Feier im Pilgerzentrum
La procesión del día 30 de mayo con el símbolo del Espíritu Santo… Procession on May 30 with the Holy Spirit Symbol Prozession am 30. Mai mit dem Heilig-Geist-Symbol Fotos: Mauricio Donoso © 2009

CHILE, Mauricio Donoso. On Thursday, May 28^th at 8:00 P.M., the solemn anniversary Mass was celebrated for the "Child of the Father for a Holy Marian Land" Shrine in Rancagua. The Shrine is located some 83 kms. South of Santiago, Chile. The Most Rev. Alejandro Goic Karmelic, Bishop of the Rancagua Diocese, presided. Concelebrating in the Church of the Good Shepherd, which is adjacent to the Rancagua Shrine, were Frs. Juan Pablo Rovegno and Horacio Rivas.

It was a joyful Eucharistic celebration with many hymns and spiritual moments. Various Schoenstatt Fathers and Seminariants from the Joseph Kentenich Residence Hall in Santiago were present.

Conquering the Holy Spirit symbol…..

The symbol of the Holy Spirit for the door of the Shrine which was conquered by the entire Rancagua Family and the pilgrims who received it during this jubilee year, was placed at the altar at the beginning of Mass.

During Mass, each branch offered their contributions to the Treasury of Grace for the symbol of the Holy Spirit in the altarpiece of the Shrine.

After the celebration of the solemn Mass, there was a procession to the Shrine. Upon arrival to the front of the Shrine, Fr. Horacio Rivas, with a ritual blessing for the image of the Holy Spirit which would be enthroned on the door, implored the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Rancagua "land" so that it would continue with the mission which for 20 years continues afire since it was initiated in 1989.

More than 20 years conquering the great legacy of our Father and Founder…..

This celebration on May 28^th and during the past 20 years, and even earlier, as well as during the conquest for the Shrine in the 1970’s - within its mystical marking – it has always been very connected to the mission which Father Kentenich entrusted to this countryside of Chile. When he first visited it in 1948, he said: "not only should this valley become a Holy Marian Land, but all of Chile should become a Holy Schoenstatt Marian Land, and this current should come forth from this corner." Since 1973, these words sound loudly in the Rancagua Family and they are the living mission of their Shrine for our Thrice Admirable Queen of Schoenstatt.

Also today, the legacy of the Father and Founder when he passed through this area of Chile is responsibly inherited by the Rancagua Family, who since its beginning in the 1970’s, has carried it and responded to the call of Father Kentenich. The Family has responded to his dream for this entire land, a dream which was expressed on a morning in October of 1948, in Santa Cruz, as he was blessing the first stone for the Shrine in Colchagua. This dream is being fulfilled physically and spiritually for 60 years now….. Evermore so today, Rancagua must take it to all of Chile.

A new leader of the Boys’ Youth in Rancagua!

On this same day, the Branch of the Schoenstatt Pioneers of Rancagua, led by Fr. Mark Niehaus, had a change in leadership. Esteban Toro handed over the leadership position and entrusted it and the community of Pioneers to the son of the first leader of the Boys’ Youth of the Rancagua Family: Francisco Urtubia Z.

Actually, the dream the Father and Founder had that "Chile Be a Holy Marian Land," also has a great repercussion in all of the Boys’ Youth in Chile. Since the last Inter-National Camp of Pioneers (CANAPI) which took place in Rancagua in January of 2009, they are taking a slogan throughout the country: +Our Battle, María, Queen of Chile+ .

In conclusion, the entire Family of Rancagua had coffee together in the Pilgrims’ Center next to the Shrine as a pre-celebration which took place on Saturday, May 30^th in the morning. There was much joy and recreational family games.

The renewal must begin from here

• Following is a summary of the talk which Father Kentenich gave in Santa Cruz on the morning of Wednesday, October 20, 1948, in the school of the Pallottine Fathers. Here the Father and Founder called the youth and entrusted to them the fulfillment of the wish of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt from this corner of the Valle de Colchagua – Santa Cruz – and to all of Chile…..

The Family of Rancagua assumes and inherits this great mission and we can proudly say that the Family has responded and presently responds to our Father and Founder with all of its strength, with all of its love, so that the Mother Thrice Admirable reigns and educates "the greatest number of persons….." from the Shine of Rancagua. Santa Cruz is not only "something" more which Divine Providence placed on the way for the conquest of the Shrine of the Rancagua Family, it forms part of the whole…..

"By your serious collaboration, you wish to draw the Blessed Virgin so that She descends to this little corner. The Blessed Virgin, as the Mother Thrice Admirable, should establish herself here, and from here unfold her work as educatress not only in you, but in all those who in some way or another come to this place.

Seeing all of you gathered her, brings to my mind how the Blessed Mother at present throughout the world – similar to what is done here – forms, educates and draws hearts to herself. I want to tell you briefly the impressions of my travels. I was in South Africa; in four totally diverse places, we were able to place the first stone for the Shrine. I was in North America and the same desire was there: see to it that the Blessed Virgin has a Shrine. I was in Brazil where the same thing is happening. I was in Argentina a few weeks ago where I saw the youth possessed with the same burning desire. Why is the same desire everywhere? It seems that the present humanity feels that whoever wishes to be formed, whoever wants to have a solid and integral personality, first needs for the Blessed Virgin, like the Mother and Thrice Admirable Queen, to descend among the people.

…..but our aspirations still go much further. We not only want to self-educate ourselves and educate others; we also want to give the Blessed Virgin the opportunity and the possibility that She can form and educate the largest number of persons possible from here. The school has given itself an immense goal: not only does Colchagua have to become a holy Marian land, all of Chile has to become a Schoenstatt Marian land. This current of self-formation must begin from this corner. We can proudly say that this province is the most beloved in the nation, and, therefore, we tremble when we think that the renewal must begin from here."

Translation: Carlos Cantú Schoenstatt Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA 061509