After six months of formation, prayer, and spiritual preparation, 95 members of the Men’s Rosary “Mother Queen” sealed the Covenant of Love. The celebration took place on July 12 at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Olinda, northeastern Brazil, and brought together family members, coordinators, and members of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement to commemorate this new step in the participants’ journey of faith. The Men’s Rosary is one of the Movement’s major apostolic initiatives in Brazil; it currently brings together more than one million men across the country to pray the Rosary in their communities.
The formation process began in February and brought together men from various parishes across the Archdioceses of Olinda and Recife. Over 11 biweekly meetings, they delved deeper into Schoenstatt spirituality, explored the meaning of the Covenant of Love, and reflected on the Christian man’s call to live out his vocation within the family, the Church, and society.
Six Months of Preparation
Of the 115 men who began the formation, 95 completed the entire program and attended the celebration. For the archdiocesan coordinator of the Men’s Rosary, Pedro Gonçalves, this figure reflects the seriousness with which the participants approached this commitment.
“There were 11 in-person meetings over six months. We saw great perseverance among the men. In the end, they sealed the Covenant of Love, and it brought about a profound transformation in the life of each of them. The testimonies were deeply moving.”
A Journey of Transformation
Rather than simply conveying information about Schoenstatt, the meetings sought to offer a concrete experience of encountering God through the Mother and Queen. Time spent together among the participants strengthened the bonds among the Men’s Rosary groups and fostered the sharing of faith experiences.
This transformation is also evident in the testimony of Henrique Vasconcelos de Andrade Costa of the city of Moreno in the state of Pernambuco. He recalls that his group faced difficulties along the way but remained united through their trust in God and the intercession of the Blessed Mother. “Despite the challenges, we kept moving forward. We entrusted everything to Our Lord Jesus and always relied on the intercession of Our Lady! Today we see that it was worth persevering.”
The Day of the Covenant
The program began with the recitation of the Holy Rosary. Next, the Shrine’s rector, Fr. Filipe Araújo, presided over Holy Mass, spiritually preparing participants for the celebration’s central moment.
After the Eucharist, Fr. Federico Piedrabuena, the regional advisor for the Mother Queen Men’s Rosary, led the Covenant of Love ceremony.
Each participant signed the Covenant Book and received the Cross of Unity, a symbol of Schoenstatt spirituality that signifies the union of Christ and Mary and reminds covenant members of their mission to bear witness to that unity in daily life.
For Guilherme de Lima Alves of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, Pernambuco, the formation helped him understand this spiritual reality more deeply.
“We began to give it new meaning and to truly understand why we pray the Rosary. Today, we know that every act, every attitude—everything—is in service of trust, surrender, and our devotion. The Capital of Grace is no longer just a prayer in our formation book; it has become part of our lives.”
The Covenant opens the doors to the Sacraments
At the end of the celebration, the new Covenanters shared a time of fellowship with their families and members of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement. The joy of the gathering reflected the awareness that the Covenant of Love is not a destination but the beginning of a new stage.
This new stage is already bearing concrete fruit. For Evandro Fonseca Júnior of Jaboatão dos Guararapes, preparation for the Covenant of Love coincided with a profound renewal of his sacramental life. During that period, he received Baptism, First Communion, the sacrament of Marriage, and Confirmation.
“I am very grateful to God for everything I have experienced over the past months. The meetings have strengthened my faith. To those who think all is lost, I can say that this is not the case. God transforms our lives when we open our hearts.”
As allies of the Blessed Mother, these 95 men now commit to cultivating a daily life of prayer, participating in the sacraments, contributing to the Capital of Grace, and bearing witness to the Gospel within their families, parishes, and communities.
Source: schoenstatt.org.br
