On June 30, the Mother Thrice Admirable Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt welcomed some very special pilgrims to her Shrine in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: the bishops of Region East 1 of the National Bishops Conference of Brazil (CNBB), which includes all the dioceses of the state of Rio de Janeiro.

The bishops’ jubilee pilgrimage, celebrated within the framework of the Holy Year, was attended by 18 bishops, led by the Archbishop of Rio de Janeiro, Cardinal Orani João Tempesta, who has always shown a special affection for the shrine. When asked why this shrine had been chosen for the jubilee pilgrimage, Cardinal Tempesta replied spontaneously: “Because it is very nice here and you are closer to heaven.”

The participation of the Schoenstatt Family

The bishops were joyfully welcomed by representatives of the Schoenstatt Family, who prepared a special coffee for the pastors of our Church. They then had a moment of spirituality in the shrine and participated in Holy Mass, presided over by Cardinal Tempesta.

In his homily, Cardinal Tempesta emphasized: “May this pilgrimage renew our strength, rekindle our commitment, and make us even more open to the action of the Holy Spirit. I hope that this moment will inspire all of us and our entire region to adopt this mindset and take action, allowing ourselves to be transformed and experience this transformation in our own lives. May we be those who spread life and hope, which is Jesus Christ, our Lord.”

In the shadow of the Shrine…

At the end of the celebration, an official photo was taken in front of the Shrine, immortalizing this unique moment of grace experienced by the bishops, who were able to feel the blessings of this holy place.

This pilgrimage reminds us of the relevance of the prophetic words of our Father and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich: “In the shadow of the Shrine, the destiny of the Church will be decided for centuries” (1929), and commits us to serve the Church with love, as “the most trustworthy flock of our bishops” (1965), as our Founder also affirms.

Translation: Sr. M. Lourdes Macías