100 Small Crowns for the Pilgrim MTA
Fifteen years ago, the first Pilgrim MTA shrine from the Polish missions in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, arrived in Boleslawiec, Poland, which is in the diocese of Legnitz. The Pilgrim MTA shrine came to the Szykowski family. Today there are 170 Pilgrim MTA circles in 47 parishes in the diocese.
The circles have been preparing in their parishes for over nine months to crown the Blessed Mother—in 70 circles for the first time and in 30 circles for a renewed crowning. Because the parishes are small and distanced from each other the idea arose to have the bishop crown the Pilgrim MTAs in one of the parishes.
On November 18, 2023, a Saturday, this ceremony took place in Boleslawiec. There were 18 priests from the parishes. Father Romuald and Sister M. Damiana, who are responsible for the Apostolate of the Pilgrim MTA in the diocese, were present.
In his homily Bishop Adrzej Siemieniewski from Legnitz spoke about the dignity of the Mother of God who is venerated in the Schoenstatt Movement as the Three Times Admirable Mother.
She is the Mother of everyone who believes in the Good News. With the Blessed Virgin Mary came salvation; with her, the sacrifice on the cross was offered, and it was with Mary that the disciples gathered to call down the gifts of the Holy Spirit so the great evangelization could begin.
To the call: “Nothing without you,” we respond, “Nothing without us.” Jesus wants his Good News to be spread in the world through the mouths of those who believe. Thus it spreads through witnesses. The Good News is not just content, words, text. The word has power, and someone must bear witness to it – said the bishop.
You families do not experience the faith alone when you are in a Pilgrim MTA circle. Can anyone tell me what we can do with just ten people against a corrupt world, a wave of wars, and demoralization?
In the face of such doubts, Abraham stood up and asked God whether he intended to destroy the righteous along with the sinners. Ultimately, God said he would not destroy the city for the sake of the ten righteous. Persevere in prayer with ten people and remember the presence of God and the Blessed Mother in your homes. For the sake of these ten people, these ten families, these ten homes, God will reveal his power. Everything depends on those who put their trust in the Lord, explained the Bishop of Legnitz.
Does God have us on his side? We repeat: Nothing without you, and add the commitment: Nothing without us. In this way, through us, the Good News spreads from heart to heart, like a bell.
I asked how many Pilgrim MTA circles there are in the various parishes. I heard, one; then again, five. If you can go from none to one, you can go from one to two. Despite the fact that lack of family prayer is spreading with alarming speed, people are gathering in homes in the presence of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This is how Jesus invites us to participate in the new evangelization.
The bishop looked into the future and spoke about the jubilee year 2033–when 2033 years will have passed since the death and resurrection of Jesus.
May the coming years be filled with apostolate. Let us follow the apostles and go out into the world like them and found new communities where there is no community of faith. The bishop summarized his sermon with these words: Let us say with St. Paul: “I have strength for everything through [Christ] who empowers me.” (Phil 4, 13)
During Holy Mass, the bishop blessed the small crowns which he then attached to the frame of the Pilgrim MTA shrines.