pilgrim mother - Schoenstatt Australia

Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate

The Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate (PMA) offers a way of prayer to all who seek a deeper relationship with Jesus and Mary. The Blessed Mother travels monthly in the form of a Pilgrim Shrine visiting whoever welcomes her, no matter where they are. She brings Christ into our homes and to our families. She opens doors and hearts that we may experience the presence of God in our daily lives. The visit of the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother paves the way for a personal encounter with God. The Apostolate supports a life of prayer, evangelization, and formation.

Not everyone has the opportunity to visit a Schoenstatt shrine, this is why the Blessed Mother comes to us regularly with her Son in the form of the Pilgrim Mother Shrine. The Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother is the image of the Mother Thrice Admirable (MTA) encapsulated by wooden frame to remind us of the Shrine. The Pilgrim Mother is always blessed in the Schoenstatt Shrine and is sent out on its journey to visit many people.

The blessings and graces granted in a Schoenstatt shrine can also be received to all who open their homes to the Pilgrim Mother. When the Blessed Mother visits our homes, families, schools, parishes or workplaces, she is there for us, listens to us and intercedes for us the graces of:

being at home
inner transformation
apostolic fruitfulness

"She is the great missionary. She will work miracles." St. Vincent Pallotti

Biblical Background

The visit of Mary, in the form of the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother, reminds us of Our Lady’s visit to her cousin Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45). She travelled over the mountains, through all the difficulties of the times, to help her cousin and at the same time she brought Christ into the home of Elizabeth and Zachariah. Mary still today wants bring Christ, our Lord, into our homes and grants us and our families many blessings.

A special place in our homes

When we welcome the Pilgrim Mother into our homes, we are aware that she brings Christ, the Light of the world. This is a reality; therefore we want to prepare a special place in our home for them as guests, in the kitchen, the living room, the TV-room etc. wherever the family gets together. We want to welcome them into our lives and ask for blessings for our relationship with God, our relationship with one another and our relationship to ourselves. Their visit should make a difference to our lives, giving us the opportunity to deepen our faith, hope and love, as individuals and as a family.

The Beginning

The now worldwide Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate originated in Brazil in 1950 with Venerable Joao Pozzobon (1904-1994), a family man and deacon. In the Holy Year, 1950, the Schoenstatt Movement in Brazil started an initiative to prepare for the proclamation of the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary into heaven. Three large images of the Mother Thrice Admirable in wooden shrine frames were sent out from the Schoenstatt Shrine. It was young people who first took these images to families in their town every evening to pray with them. Joao Pozzobon was responsible for one of these pictures.

When the project came to an end Joao Pozzobon recognised its potential and importance for the proclamation of the faith, and therefore, decided to continue. He had been so touched by the effect of the Blessed Mother’s presence among families that he accepted this apostolate as his holy task and special mission.

Today this missionary and pastoral initiative is present in over 120 countries uniting millions of people around the world to the Schoenstatt Shrine, to the blessed Mother and to one another.

A family apostolate

Deacon Pozzobon wanted to be the “little donkey” of Jesus and Mary, and carry them to many people. Over 35 years, he covered approximatley 140, 000 kilometers on foot carrying the large Pilgrim Mother, weighing about 12 kilograms, on his shoulder. He visited families, hospitals, prisons and schools.

Families continuously requested the return of Pozzobon with the Blessed Mother, however he could not meet this demand on his own. In 1959 smaller versions of the large Pilgrim Mother were made. He began to organize the apostolate by handing over a small Pilgrim Mother to a group of thirty families. This group passed the Pilgrim Mother from door to door among themselves monthly. Each family could receive the Blessed Mother once a month. In this way, families began to support the apostolate actively. In 1984 the Initiative began to expand internationally.

How to begin

With the permission of the parish priest, a coordinator forms a group of 5 to 10 families or individuals who would like to welcome the Pilgrim Mother into their homes for a few days every month. The Pilgrim Mother stays for a few days with each member of the group who then pass it on to the next member according to a monthly roster.

The coordinator is the link between the participants of the Pilgrim Mother circle and maintains the contact to the central office. If the group wishes, participants can meet occasionally to share their experiences, raise questions and problems.

It is also possible to use the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate as an outreach ministry for schools, first Holy Communion or Confirmation classes, nursing homes or to visit the homebound of the parish or area etc.

This invitation is open to all people, all generations, professions and backgrounds. Why not invite others, friends and family members to join your group or inspire them to start their own group.

Mary wants to visit everyone!

Statements

Joao Pozzobon’s love for Mary was a burning fire, which still inspires many people today. Here are some statements from around the world with their experiences:

“Actually, nothing happened! I lit a candle and sat down in the kitchen in front of the Pilgrim Mother. After a while, the two little ones joined me, my husband came later followed by the oldest one. We talked with each other, that was all. However, the atmosphere was such that I thought: God is really present.“ (S. N.)

„Our son stood for a long time in front of the picture of the Blessed Mother, and then he said: ‚Mama, the Blessed Mother just winked at me. Too bad that she leaves us so soon. The corner is so empty when she is not there.’“ (S. I.)

„When the Pilgrim Mother was brought to us my seriously ill husband said, ‚When the Blessed Mother comes, things are a little easier,’. It is consoling not to be alone.“ (F. A.)