The Sisters of Mary visit the St. Josef Residence at Christmas
On the afternoon of December 29, a group of Sisters of Mary of Schoenstatt set out to visit the St. Josef nursing home in Vallendar. We wanted to bring them some joy by singing Christmas carols and engaging them in conversation. There were about fifteen of us—Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking sisters currently living in Schoenstatt—coming from different countries: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Portugal, and Spain.
Sharing the Joy of Christmas
We went through each floor of the residence. The elderly residents were waiting for our arrival in a common room and were immediately happy to see us and greet us. We entered singing a familiar carol, greeted them with smiles, and began by introducing ourselves—who we were, where we came from, etc. After handing out sheets with the lyrics, we were able to sing together with guitar, maracas, and clapping hands. Everyone contributed what they could. A joyful, warm, and family-like Christmas atmosphere was created.
A Star with Your Name for the Child Jesus
We invited each person to write their name on a paper star to later place it at the feet of the Child Jesus. God has been born again this Christmas for everyone! At His feet we place all the people we visited, along with all their intentions. Some mentioned that they could no longer see and therefore could not write their names. “Don’t worry, we’ll write it for you!” The joy that appeared on their faces was indescribable. It was a precious moment. In the end, we brought with us many little stars bearing the names of all those we had visited, which we would later bring to the Child Jesus.
Our Visit Rekindled Memories and Experiences
Many of them had some kind of connection with Schoenstatt or with the community of the Sisters. “I used to live in Schoenstatt,” one commented. “Oh, then we were practically neighbors!” Another lady told us that she used to visit the Shrine and sadly added that she had not been able to go for a long time. Her face lit up when we told her that we would pray for her at the Shrine.
Many were moved as we all sang together and recalled anecdotes from past Christmases. It was very enriching to accompany them and offer this joy that so characterizes Christmas.
A Small Gesture brought great Joy
This experience is a testimony to how a small gesture can awaken great joy and thus have a significant impact. We thank the St. Josef residence for their warm welcome; being able to share this time together was a mutual gift.