When Talita Maria L. de Faro Bertolani left Mairiporã (SP), Brazil, to accompany her husband on a work transfer to Panama, she had already envisioned a great family adventure. However, she could not have foreseen that this move would also mark the start of an intense apostolic mission that today reaches more than 100 families through the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate.

Talita joined the Movement at a very young age. Her parents were part of the founding generation of the Schoenstatt Youth in Mairiporã and now belong to the Family Institute. She grew up connected to the Shrine, cultivating Schoenstatt spirituality.

“My journey in the Movement began long before I was born,” she says. As a child, she participated in the Marian Apostles, and later, she lived that journey intensely in the Girls’ Youth, deepening her experience of the Covenant of Love and forging bonds that shaped her human and spiritual formation.

Discovering Schoenstatt far from home

The move to Panama occurred when the couple’s daughters were just 1 and 3 years old. Fully dedicated to motherhood, Talita embraced this new stage with enthusiasm.

Despite living in a country where there is no Schoenstatt Shrine, she quickly realized that the spirituality of the Covenant transcends borders.

“Despite the language barrier, I quickly realized we all speak the same language: the language of the Covenant of Love. Finding the Schoenstatt Family here felt like finding a little piece of home.”

Her reconnection with the Movement happened quite simply. When she searched for “Schoenstatt” online, she found a parish near her home. It had a Wayside Shrine to the Mother and Queen, as well as a contact number for the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate. The phone call she made that day would set a new course for her missionary journey.

A mission that began without grand plans

At first, Talita did not want to take on apostolic work. Her only goal was to receive the image of the Pilgrim Mother at home to keep her connection with Schoenstatt alive. To do so, however, in accordance with the dynamics of the Apostolate in Panama, it was necessary to join or form a group with at least five families.

With the support of a Brazilian friend, she decided to take that step and became a missionary on October 18, 2022.

A few months later, during the First Schoenstatt Family Day in Panama, held in February 2023 and led by Fr. José Luis Correa, she brought four friends from her Pilgrim Mother group: one Brazilian, two Mexicans, and one Paraguayan.

From that small group, the mission began to grow spontaneously. Three of them also became missionaries, and new families joined the Apostolate.

Today, eight groups bring together more than 100 families who receive a monthly visit from the Pilgrim Mother. In addition, the Movement has established an active presence in St. Luke’s Parish, participating in the parish’s pastoral life and the community’s social initiatives.

Preparation for the Covenant of Love

As the Apostolate grew, a new desire arose in Talita: to offer the missionaries a deeper formation in Schoenstatt spirituality.

She realized that simply sending the image of the Pilgrim Mother was not enough. It was necessary to help the participants understand the meaning of the Covenant of Love and the significance of the phrase “Nothing without you, nothing without us.”

That dream resonated with Marvi, a member of the Mothers’ League in Panama, and together they began preparing for the Covenant of Love.

The journey culminated in a historic moment for the “Hearts on Mission” group. On May 18, 2026, eight members sealed their Covenant of Love during a celebration presided over by the Movement’s moderator in Panama, Fr. Rafael Amaya.

Fruits that renew hope

Looking back on the past few years, Talita sees countless fruits of the mission.

She is delighted to encounter people who had never heard of the Mother and Queen and who now cultivate a deep devotion to Mary and Jesus. She is also moved to see families who have begun to pray together, catechists who request images of the Pilgrim Mother for their groups, and people who wish to visit the Original Schoenstatt Shrine in Germany.

Another notable fruit is the prayer and Rosary groups, where women find a welcoming community in times of suffering, loneliness, or depression.

“Many of them tell me that, through Mary’s maternal love, they are rediscovering Jesus and regaining hope,” she says.

For Talita, these testimonies confirm that the mission goes far beyond organizing the Apostolate: it is about leading people to a living encounter with Christ through Mary.

Brazilian women discover Schoenstatt in Panama

Among those who discovered Schoenstatt while living in Panama are the Brazilians Neide Balbino and Viviane Maia, who took part in the preparation led by Talita and sealed their Covenant of Love in May of this year.

Neide says that this journey profoundly transformed her spiritual life. Although she had been actively involved in the Church in Brazil during her youth, she did not learn about Schoenstatt until after she got married and moved abroad.

“Mary has walked by my side, tenderly guiding me toward her Son,” she testifies. For her, the Covenant represents a renewal of faith and a new desire to share with others the joy of following Jesus.

Viviane also recognizes the workings of Providence on her journey. After making her consecration to Mary in 2023—on the 18th, to be exact—she sealed her Covenant of Love on May 18, 2026.

“I offer my nothingness, my cold heart, my shortcomings, and my distractions. And she welcomes me into her pure heart so that I may feel God’s presence, His love, and His mercy,” she says.

“This is where God needed me”

Reflecting on everything she has experienced since her arrival in Panama, Talita sums up her experience as a discovery of God’s will.

“Today I understand that this is where God needed me at this stage of my life.”

What began with the simple desire to welcome the Pilgrim Mother into her home has become a mission that continues to reach new families and strengthen Schoenstatt’s presence in the local Church.

She is not the only one living out this mission… It’s an invitation for everyone!

Like Talita, many Schoenstatters have experience forming Pilgrim Mother Apostolate groups in foreign lands. But you don’t have to leave your country to be a missionary. All you need to do is gather a circle of friends or neighbors—whether in your neighborhood, at work, or in your community. Contact your local parishes for more information. If you need help learning more about the Schoenstatt Movement in your country, write to info@schoenstatt.com.