In this Holy Year of the Church, the Schoenstatt Family of the Achumani Shrine “Land of Unity” in La Paz, Bolivia, joyfully celebrated the opening of the Shrine door as a sacred pilgrimage site.

After a month of preparations and much anticipation, following the announcement made by the diocesan director Fr. Javier Uria on February 18th that our Shrine had been chosen as a Jubilee Shrine in this Holy Year, a large crowd of the Schoenstatt family members and pilgrims from other parishes and movements gathered on Sunday, March 23rd to witness the opening of the “Door of Hope” of the “Land of Unity” Shrine.

It was a Sunday that began with early preparations and details involving all the branches of the Movement, encouraging everyone to participate and thus demonstrating the unity and commitment of the Schoenstatt family of La Paz, “Land of Unity”.

Couples and Mothers focused on the preparations for the ceremony, the Mass and the choirs. The youth welcomed the Pilgrims, offering them the programs for the ceremony, preparing the atmosphere at the Shrine doors and providing altar servers for the celebration.

The entire Schoenstatt Family was involved in the preparation

The celebration began at 11.30 a.m., after the welcoming words from the family coordinators, Iblin Fonseca and Guillermo Collao. The entrance procession to the Shrine was made up of the priests present and Monsignor Luis Durán, who presided over the celebration. The entrance was enlivened by a choir made up of members of the Women’s and Mothers’ Branch. When they arrived, a group of members of the Girls’ and Boys’ Youth were waiting to welcome the Pilgrims and celebrants at the Shrine’s doors.

After the initial rites, the Boys’ Youth choir set about creating a solemn and joyful atmosphere. After a few words from the monitors, and the corresponding rites, Monsignor Luis Durán prostrated himself in front of the Shrine door, knocking three times, and then the door opened amid the enthusiasm and applause of those present. Then, before the pilgrims entered the Shrine, the coordinators of the Family unveiled the Jubilee plaque, thus officially opening the Shrine of Achumani, “Land of Unity,” as a Jubilee Shrine.

After a moment of great joy and euphoria, the celebration continued at the foot of the hill on which the Shrine stands, in the main square of our land.

A historic day for the Schoenstatt Family of La Paz

In the presence of a large number of the faithful, Monsignor Luis Durán, in his homily, expressed the importance of the pilgrimage to the chosen places, the meaning of hope and the attitude that a Pilgrim should have when making a pilgrimage to a Jubilee shrine. He also spoke about the value and significance of the plenary indulgence and urged those present not to fail to make regular visits to these chosen places.

At the end of the ceremony, our family’s traditional rite was performed, the gaze was turned to the Shrine and the prayer of consecration was said, thus concluding a historic day for the Schoenstatt Family of La Paz.

Translation: Maribel Acaron