Pilgrim Mother Celebration at Confidentia Shrine in Lamar
Written by Angelina Lopez of La Feria, Diocese of Brownsville, and shared by Sister M. Corelia Bechold
Adolfo and I had been working with various groups to prepare missionaries for the Covenant of Love for this pilgrimage. It is a yearly event where all are looking forward to attend from the Brownsville Diocese.
We had meetings with Missionaries at St. Benedict Church in San Benito, and one group in Rio Hondo. Other groups were from San Juan Diego Parish, Our Lady of Sorrows Parish, Holy Spirit Parish and St. Pious Parish in Weslaco. There were 24 Pilgrims who exchanged their hearts with our Blessed Mother in the Covenant of Love.
Our celebration began at 9:30 am [on Nov. 3 at the Confidentia Shrine] in Lamar, and we were glad to have Father Rex, a Schoenstatt Father, with us. There were about 300 pilgrims present with open hearts to work for our Pilgrim Mother. We greeted our Blessed Mother with songs and prayers at the Shrine and then had the new commissioning and recommissioning of Pilgrim Shrines. Holy Mass was celebrated at the Training Center. We followed in procession the Auxiliary Shrine from Houston, carried by several men on the shoulders. In Holy Mass during offertory, the pilgrims who were making the Covenant of Love carried red roses for our Mother and Queen to the altar. At the closing of Holy Mass their names were read for everyone to know, and they went to the Shrine for the Covenant celebration.
During lunch we congratulated the Covenant members and then prayed the rosary in gratitude. With Benediction of the Holy Eucharist, we closed a grace-filled day.
