18 August 2025 · 2025-08 newsletter
The third Sunday of each month, better known as ‘Covenant Sunday’, has been a constant and yet growing tradition over many years at Mount Schoenstatt, Mulgoa. It is a special day where we gather as a Schoenstatt Family to renew the Covenant of Love with our Mother Thrice Admirable in the Shrine. Last month’s Covenant Sunday, which fell on 20th July 2025, was especially remarkable. On this day we celebrated and gave thanks that on June 20th Pope Leo XIV declared Deacon João Pozzobon, the initiator of the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate, as ‘Venerable’.
The title ‘Venerable’ is given to individuals by the Church to indicate that they have lived a life of heroic virtue and have exhibited extraordinary faith, virtue, and sanctity during their lifetime.
It is the final step before beatification for which a miracle is needed. We can see this as a special jubilee gift from Pope Leo to the International Schoenstatt Family, as this year marks the 75th anniversary of the beginning of the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate.
The day’s beautiful celebrations began with the Covenant Sunday Mass at 11am which was celebrated by Father Peter Kruk O.P. Before Holy Mass began many pilgrims had the opportunity to place their contributions to the capital of grace into the jar.
The jar was placed in front of the altar along with the covenant book and the Auxilliary Pilgrim Mother Shrine. The Auxilliary is a replica of the original 12kg large Pilgrim Mother image that Deacon Pozzobon carried on his shoulder as he began the now worldwide initiative.
Holy Mass was very well attended with over 300 people present. Many of those in attendance were members from the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate who came especially to bring their thanks for the life and service of Deacon João Pozzobon. They were invited to bring along their Pilgrim Mother Shrines to also provide witness, just like João Pozzobon, of the love and loyalty of the Blessed Mother. They placed their small Pilgrim Mother Shrines near the large Pilgrim Mother in front of the altar.
What a coincidence or more like Divine Providence, that the Gospel Reading of the day was about our Lord, visiting Martha and Mary in Bethany. Martha with her famous recitation of the words, “Lord, do you not care that my sister is leaving all to me to do the serving all by myself.” But the Lord answered: “Martha, Martha, you worry and fret about so many things and yet few are needed, indeed only one. It is Mary who has chosen the better part; …” (Lk 10:38-42)
We believe that Deacon João Pozzobon had ‘chosen the better part’. He chose to have a deep personal relationship with Mary and joyfully accepted the mission given to him by God. From the Schoenstatt Shrine in Brazil in 1950, he assumed the responsibility to take the blessed Mother in the form of the large Pilgrim Mother image and visit and pray with families daily. He saw it as his personal life’s task to take the image of Mary and to bring God’s blessing directly into homes and families. This was the small and humble beginning of the now wide-reaching international Pilgrim Mother Apostolate.
Pozzobon personally walked over 140,000km and considered himself as “Mary’s little donkey”. With the blessed Mother he visited many thousands of people in homes, schools, hospitals and prisons. Never did he lose his true motivation, his loyalty and faithfulness to the Mother Thrice Admirable. Though he worked tirelessly he was never distracted and experienced love and joy in suffering.
In these current times, being a coordinator or member of the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate, we too can be distracted and fret unnecessarily with our daily duties and responsibilities. In a sense there is a bit of both Martha and Mary within all of us!
Nevertheless, Venerable Pozzobon gives us the example of how we can serve our mission and take Mary as our model, guide and educator. Through his life and service, he encourages us to have a relationship with the blessed Mother and always call on her with childlike trust because she truly is our own personal Mother.
After the Holy Mass there was a procession to the Shrine for the renewal of the Covenant of Love. As usual the Australian and Schoenstatt flags led the procession followed by the covenant book and jar. The special addition this month was that the Auxiliary (the large Pilgrim Shrine) as well as the small Pilgrim Mother Shrines were also carried in the procession.
Following this encounter with the Blessed Mother in the Shrine everyone was invited for a barbecue lunch which was prepared and served by the Family Branch and some volunteers. It was such a joy to see so many pilgrims, visitors, families, all together happy around the Shrine and enjoying each other’s company. Even in the long line to get a sausage there was such a positive and joyful atmosphere.
At 1:30pm everyone gathered for thanksgiving prayers and devotion in the Shrine. With approximately 80 people taking part it was clear that not everyone would fit inside the Shrine, but thankfully the blessed Mother graced the afternoon with beautiful sunny weather. After the blessed Sacrament was exposed, the Jubilee Year of Hope candle was ignited with the petition that God will ignite the flame of hope within our hearts as well as those who receive the Pilgrim Mother Shrine. The prayers reflected tremendous joy and thanksgiving.
The final joy of the day was the sending out of the members and coordinators of the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate anew. Everyone was revived with new motivation to continue to be instruments of the Blessed Mother by taking her image from the Shrine so that she can travel from home to home to visit many families, the sick and the elderly.
The exemplary life of Venerable Deacon João Pozzobon is a testament to our Schoenstatt Covenant of Love. This should make us all proud! But saints are not the property of their spiritual family; they are a gift of God to the Church, a testimony that holiness is accessible to all.
May the life, work and message of Venerable Deacon João Pozzobon be a light that enlightens others.
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