The project “Leve a Mãe para casa” [Take Mother Home] is an apostolic project for families developed by the pastoral team at the shrine in Curitiba, Brazil. It is based on the biblical passage: “When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple he loved standing nearby, he said to her, ‘Woman, here is your son,’ and to the disciple, ‘Here is your mother.’ From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.” (Jn 19.26-27). It aims to create awareness of Mary’s mission as the mother and educator of humanity.
Leve a Mãe para casa started in 2008 and since then, more than 9,000 MTA pictures have been sent to families who accepted the challenge to “take mother home” with the intention of giving her a place in their homes and sharing everything with her: joys, sorrows, victories, suffering, challenges, anguish, petitions, allowing her to educate them and living in the spirit of the covenant with Mary.
How does it work?
On Saturdays at 14.30 and 15.30, and Sundays at 15.30 and 16.30, pilgrims who visit the Tabor Magnificat Shrine in Curitiba in the Brazilian state of Paraná, are invited to take home a picture of our Mother, Queen and Victress Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt as a gift from the shrine. They receive a brief explanation of Mary’s maternal and educational mission, based on the biblical passage above, recite a sending out prayer in the shrine, asking Mary to live in their home, following the example of the apostle St. John, who also took Mary home.
The pilgrims write their names in a book that is placed on the altar on the 18th of each month, so their personal petitions are prayed for during Mass. Their names and the date they took Mary home is recorded on the back of each image to remember this special moment in their lives.
They are also invited to leave an email address so that they can receive a newsletter with information on the Schoenstatt Movement and activities at the shrine in Curitiba.
Expansion to other shrines
This project has been expanded to other shrines in Brazil:
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Tabor Shrine for Vocations in Guarapuava, Paraná
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Tabor Shrine Cor Ecclesiae in Porto Santuario Tupancirendá, Santo Ángelo, Río Grande do Sul
Expansion to parish shrines
In places without a shrine but with a parish shrine, the images are sent from the parish. The project is operating in two parishes:
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Good Jesus parish, in Río Negro, Paraná
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St. John the Baptist shrine (Tingüí), in Curitiba, Paraná
Translation from the Portuguese: S-L Pimentel, South Africa
Contacts
Patrícia Kulik
Pastoral del Santuario Tabor Magníficat.
Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
Tel +55 41 3279-1391
leveamaeparacasa@aliancacommaria.com.br
