The entire world at Ciudad Celeste
On the 60th Anniversary of the 31st of May Milestone, the worldwide Family united in a new Shrine
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El Santuario Original „recibe“ el Santuario filial más jóven en Ciudad Celeste The Original Shrine “receives” the youngest daughter Shrine in Ciudad Celeste Das Urheiligtum “empfängt” das jünste Filialheiligtum in Ciudad Celeste |
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Rosario Internacional en vísperas del 31 de mayo International Rosary at the eve of May 31 Internationaler Rosenkranz am Vorabend des 31. Mai |
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En vivo... la bendición del Santuario de Ciudad Celeste vista en Schoenstatt Live... the blessing of the Shrine in Ciudad Celeste watched in Schoenstatt Live… die Einweihung des Heiligtums in Ciudad Celeste, in Schönstatt miterlebt |
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Novena de Pentecostés Pentecost Novena Bei der Pfingstnovene – hier der Tag der SMJ |
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Hermanas de María de Argentina despiden a los peregrinos Schoenstatt
Sisters from
Marienschwestern aus Argentinien verabschieden die Pilger |
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Visperas en el jardín de Marienau Vispers in the garden of Marienau Vesper im Garten der Marienau Fotos: M.K.Fischer © 2009 |
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SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "The blessing of the Shrine was an incredible experience! We will never forget what we shared…" Manuel and Nella Montero from Costa Rica, expressed with great joy. They were witnesses of this heavenly journey according to their own words, along with Schoenstatters in Argentina, Germany, Brazil, Mexico, Chile…Different countries that "entered into the same Country" thanks to the transmission of every step of the very touching Blessing Ceremony via Internet. After the MTA entered her new Shrine of Ciudad Celeste, Ecuador, a scale model of a Shrine was placed in the Original Shrine with the inscription: 31st of May 2009, Ciudad Celeste. In this way, the Original Shrine sheltered its "youngest child in the world."
Since Friday afternoon, there was a constant coming and going with the sole ojbective: the live transmission of the blessing of the Shrine of Ciudad Celeste and for the entire world. The experience we were waiting for happened with the help of the Press Office and Schoenstatt-tv, with enormous commitment and perseverance of Flavio and Beatriz Arosemena, with emails and notes on several web pages of the Internet, and with many prayers until the last minute. Minutes before the celebration began in Ciudad Celeste, the black screen was transformed and the Shrine appeared with an incredible view to the river, with palm trees, and with a sea of flowers all around it…! The dream came true: The eyes of Schoensatt and of the world looked toward Ciudad Celeste! Meanwhile all of Schoenstatt Germany experienced the 31st of May, but "with one eye here and the other on Ecuador." At the House Sonnenau chapel, Father Ángel Strada spoke to pilgrims from Argentina, Ecuador, and other countries about the blessing of the Shrine; at the Marienau Shrine, the Branch of Academic Professionals offered a meditation about the 31st of May, while keeping up with the news from Ciudad Celeste. At several Schoenstatt Houses, the blessing of a new Shrine was experienced on a 31st of May thousands and thousands of kilometers away and LIVE; it is beautiful to experience the triumphal entry of the Blessed Mother in a Shrine! It is experiencing an 18th of October with all its solemnity! These and many other comments were heard throughout the Schoenstatt gardens.
A message of hope…from a difficult worldwide reality!
"The flowers at the entrance of the Shrine are incredible!", commented someone from Argentina while Ferdinand Gusewell translated the homily into German on Schoenstatt-tv Chat…Comments continued to arrive: "Because of the river…It seems to be the Shrine of the New Shores!..We pray for you, from Puerto Deseado, Argentina!"; "The truth is that in these very hard times in the world, it is a great sign, and a message of hope!" A warm embrace from Atlanta, Georgia: "On such a special day I unite spiritually to our Family from Ecuador. Long live the Blessed Mother! Long live Father. Long live the SCHOENSTATT Family."
The Schoenstatt Family throughout the world could not help but express their joy for the time they were experiencing thanks to Ciudad Celeste.
Thanks to the Schoenstatt Family from Curicó, Chile for the first live transmission of the blessing of a Shrine in November 2008. It made us dream of everyone being there at the same time, at a time of grace for our family.
Contributions to the Capital of Grace were also made in Bangalore, India… Since early in the morning, everything was ready to transmit the festive Mass with the crowning of the Blessed Mother in the Shrine of the Schoenstatt Family at that place. Before the Mass and after an hour of testing the trasmission, with excellent quality, there was a blackout which dashed their hopes of transmitting the crowning…Many people related that they experienced the ceremony with prayer, and although they could not share it visually…they did it with their hearts!.
International Rosary on the eve of the 31st of May
On Saturday, May 30th, at 5:30 p.m., pilgrims from Argentina along with Cassio Leal from Brazil and a young man from Ecuador met to pray the Rosary in Spanish and Portuguese asking that the graces of the Original Shrine be showered on all the daughter Shrines and all the Pentecost activities especially the celebrations of the 60th Anniversary of the 31st of May throughout the world. In the presence of two Auxiliary Shrines – the Third International and the one from Chaco– the many Pilgrim MTAs, and within the solemn framework of several flags, gratitude was expressed for the arrival of the documents for the process of canonization of John Pozzobon to Rome; we prayed for everyone who had sent their petitions to the Original Shrine, for the trip of the Auxiliary MTA from Burundi to the country of its destination, and for the preparations for 2014. The family has so many initiatives, but they all go through the Original Shrine, and they are strengthened with the prayer of the Holy Rosary.
Until October 18, 2014!
At the Schoenstatt Houses there were several retreats and conferences regarding the 31st of May. For example, the Girls’ Youth and the Professionals carried out workshops with different subjects; among them there was an outstanding meeting within the context of the Forum of the Future. On the same afternoon of the 31st of May, the Sisters of Mary along with many pilgrims celebrated the closing of the month of May, the month of Mary, with a blessing in the Adoration Church and with a procession to Mary’s Garden Shrine.
On June 1st, "Pentecost Monday," in the Original Shrine, the pilgrimage from Argentina closed their pilgrimage to Schoenstatt with a Rosary at 5:30 p.m. spontaneously praying for the victims and for the families of the Air France plane crash..
Then many of the pilgrims plucked leaves from the trees near the Original Shrine as souvenirs…and then, the sad farewells, but with a message of hope: Until October 18, 2014!.
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA