Three representatives of the Schoenstatt Movement met with Pope Francis on Wednesday, October 16, 2024.
Their mission was special: to ask the Holy Father to bless the crown of the International Shrine of Belmonte/Rome. The Pope blessed the crown and received them in “a very family-like atmosphere.”
Archbishop Ignazio Sanna and the rector of the Belmonte Shrine, Fr. Marcelo Cervi, were two Institute of Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests members present at the meeting. Also with them was Sr. M. Julia Almeida of the Institute of the Sisters of Mary.
The crown received this blessing for a special reason: the entire International Schoenstatt Family will offer it to the Blessed Mother in the Holy Year 2025. The MTA will be crowned “Queen Mother of the Church” in Belmonte.
A family atmosphere
Sr. M. Júlia says that the meeting had a very familiar atmosphere: “He (the Pope) was there, in front of us, at our side, to listen to us, with a smile, with joy, with serenity. It is a moment that I will keep in my heart forever”.
The three participated in the Wednesday General Audience and were seated in the second row, reserved for those who will meet with the Holy Father.
“Archbishop Ignazio Sanna got the tickets for the personal meeting with the Pope. We were excited, jubilant, and happy when it was our turn. The Pope passed by us, stopped, as he does with everyone, and then Msgr. Sanna explained that it was the crown of the Queen Mother of the Church and that we would offer it to the Mother of God,” says Sister M. Julia.
Bringing Schoenstatt to the Heart of the Church
Archbishop Ignazio Sanna says that the Shrine of Belmonte has entrusted the Schoenstatt Family with a great mission: to take Schoenstatt to the heart of the Church and to take the Church to the heart of Schoenstatt.
“We Schoenstatters are called to do everything so that the ‘where’ of Schoenstatt may be the ‘where’ of the Church, that our hopes may be the hopes of the Church. I sincerely hope that every Schoenstatter, faithful disciple of his Founder, can say: I love the Church, I love the Successor of the Apostles, I love the bishops, I love the institution. We want to remain faithful, under the protection of the Mother Thrice Admirable, to the evangelizing mission of building a new man and a civilization of love” (homily, St. Peter’s Basilica, September 8, 2024).
A sign of God’s love
Sr. M. Julia shares her personal experience of this meeting: “For me, it was a very special moment, with a feeling of deep mercy, because the Pope is truly the representative of Christ on earth. We were able to hold his hand and kiss his hand. The most beautiful thing I experienced was when he looked into my eyes. That was very special for me, as a sign of love, of shelter, of welcoming the love of God in the person of the Holy Father.”
As a message to all those present, Pope Francis spoke to the audience about the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and the faithful. “It is the Holy Spirit who gives believers a new life, the life of Christ, the supernatural life of the children of God.”
Next year, 2025, the Mother of God will be crowned “Queen Mother of the Church” on June 9, the day after Pentecost, which marks the Liturgical Feast of Mary Mother of the Church.
Translation: Sr. M. Lourdes Macías
