As part of the program, a vigil prepared by the different branches of the Schoenstatt Family was held on the night of April 22nd. Many people participated in this night of prayer.

A time of grace begins

The jubilee day was a day of worshiping God and Mary. The program began with a festive Holy Mass, presided by Father Gabriel Wetch Umfinama Emtenda, a Guanellian priest. He moved hearts by giving his personal testimony on how the Tabor Shrine influenced his vocation.

After the celebration, Eucharistic Adoration began and continued throughout the day.

Official Tributes at the Santa Maria City Hall

In the afternoon, there was a tribute to the Tabor Shrine at Santa Maria City Hall. The galleries of the town hall became too small to accommodate all the Schoenstatters who attended the ceremony.

The orchestra from the Family Reference Center Recanto do Sol (Cefasol), a social project supported by the Sisters of Mary with the collaboration of the Schoenstatt Family of Santa Maria, participated in the event.

Festive Holy Mass with the Archbishop of Santa Maria

The Schoenstatt Family of Santa Maria filled the Tabor Chapel, located in the house next to the Shrine, on the night of the Jubilee, in a festive Mass presided by Archbishop Leomar Antônio Brustolin.

Upon arrival, everyone was greeted with a “gallery of heroes” displaying photos and brief biographies of people of the Schoenstatt Movement who stood out for their life testimony throughout more than seven decades of history.

In his homily, Bishop Leomar delivered a catechesis on the Shrines from the perspective of the solemnity of Easter. After the Holy Mass, those present went to the Shrine for a simple tribute to the Mother of God, concluding this festive and special moment for all of Brazil.

A Shrine that radiates its graces to the world

The Tabor Shrine is a center that stands out not only in Brazil, but also has international relevance. Significant events for the history of the Schoenstatt Movement throughout the world took place there.
The Apostolate of the Pilgrim Mother emerged from the Tabor Shrine and is nowadays an important part of the Movement in the eyes of the Church, society, and the world, thanks to the mission and apostolate of the Servant of God João Luiz Pozzobon, who is in the process of beatification.

Because it is the place of origin of the Apostolate, all the Auxiliary Pilgrim MTA’s (similar to the original one belonging to John Pozzobon) that are sent to the dioceses around the world, come from Santa Maria.

It is worth mentioning that the Letter of Santa Maria, considered the Founding Document of the Schoenstatt Movement of Families, was written by Father Joseph Kentenich in the Tabor Shrine’s shade. It was also there where the Unity Cross, today considered one of the great symbols of the Schoenstatt Movement, was made.

The moment when Father Joseph Kentenich presented the crown and scepter to the Blessed Mother in the Tabor Shrine as Queen of Heroic Childlikeness, on August 20, 1949, is also relevant. It is a continuation of the Third Milestone of the Schoenstatt Movement, when it expresses the response to the challenges that were to come. The response is summed up in living childlikeness in Christ to a heroic degree, which means, living everyday sanctity.

Fotos: Schoenstatt Brasil[