WE MEET EVERY Saturday, sixte
en souls or so of the loyal journeyers of Totus Tuus, the “pilgrimage of faith” of living Jesus in Mary that “retrieves its origin… in the 18th century… that witnessed the ministry and apostolic zeal of St. Louis-Marie de Montfort.”
Montfort was haunted by the question of where the world’s main problem comes from. He realized soon enough that the failure comes from the Christian’s forgetfulness of the promises and responsibilities of baptism. He, therefore, initiated this process to foster deep Christian awareness in communion with Mary.
Not meaning to bore with essentials, this piece aims to simply share what this journeyer feels every time he meets with the group. We are gathered in a New Manila Monfortian structure that strikes a first-time visitor as the ideal retreat place. Nestled in a congruence of edifices that are mute and do not impose, the building is spare and almost spartan save for the basic provisions that well-meaning donors decided to furnish the sanctuary with to make it functional, without unsettling the solemn setup. That being the case, the quiet of the place is only breached when the “retreatants” come down to the pantry for a regulatory break. The breaking of bread is peppered with gentle banter, modest joshing and communal cheer. Like family. Like community. Like Mary would approve of if she were present.
The manual that guides the pilgrims through the journey is authored by Fr. Mario Belotti, an Italian priest dearly loved by at least two generations of the present number of legionaries. The book derives inspiration from a yearlong preparation for the consecration to Jesus Christ through the hands of Mary. The guidelines therefor were collected into the first book by Fr. Mario in collaboration with Fr. Claude Sigouin.
In the words of St. John Paul II, the pilgrimage is a process in which “Mary precedes the people of God.” In the context, the Pope emphasizes that Christians need qualified people to guide them along the pilgrimage and particularly mentions St. Louis De Montfort as the original qualified guide. His spirituality has assisted the Monfortian clerical and lay associates in facilitating the process for many women and men to realize true wholeness in their lives.
When Fr. Mario left for Italy, he made sure that, safe in the hands of Fr. Dodong, his Filipino associate, our journey continues without impedance. He certainly had the confidence of a master counting on his fellow to pick up where he left off.
Fr. Mario knew both the process and his book like the back of his hand. More than that, he exuded the sobriety saints are reputed to possess and therefore did not have to reach out to his audience. The audience felt him actually taking the journey with them and that made a considerable impact. One often has the uncanny realization that he only uses the book as a prop to keep him grounded in humility. Like acknowledging the printed product as his handiwork all right but with God’s guiding hand.
It is heartening to discover that Fr. Dodong is in the same humble mold. As articulate as his Italian counterpart, he has an unconscious edge in that he not only has the ease of English but is also adept at Tagalog and Bisaya. Not complacent with that, he takes the extra mile in highlighting salient points of discussion through hand-outs he personally – and painstakingly – prepares to enhance our reflections.
The first written hand-out he distributed was a blessing of our inadequacies and negativity. A basic prayer of transforming the bad energies to versatility, sympathy, giving, admiration, flexibility, generosity, receptivity, light, openness, goodness, power, health, joy and love. The next paper he passed on to us was a mesmerizing series of quotes about what money can – and not – buy.
In our next meeting, he handed out a color print-out. It was the acronym LIGHT in six frames. Our topic that day was “My Higher Purpose” and likened the purpose to being “salt of the earth” and “light of the world.” He introduced his hand-outs with anecdotes about two monks and the Pope and a Swiss Guard and jokes about the deodorant apostles use and Mary’s shampoo. What moved me most was the story of a mother and her son going to a priest to solve the boy’s drinking, gambling and smoking problems.
At our last session, we took up “Mary and the Incarnation.” And read, learned, pondered, reflected on and shared the many secrets of the rosary. It dawned on me of a sudden how insignificant my praying is, how I take it for granted, how little I know of God’s plan to make Mary necessary for Jesus to reign in the world.
Our personal reflections took on a more profound turn at this realization. Small wonder why Fr.Dodong blessed our inadequacies beforehand. Of course he knew. And prepared us for it. Like Fr. Mario, and doubtless all the other associates before or with him, he journeys with us.
I do not speak for my fellow pilgrims when I say that I used to dread being a facilitator in the very certain future.This is evidently the ultimate goal of TTJ, to replicate the process in as many areas where the pilgrimage could reach – and touch – as many learners as desirable. For we, the present batch going through the journey are, in the words of fellow journeyer Brother Milo, are all facilitators-in-waiting. He knows whereof he speaks, and credibly, too. He was the first to hurdle the task and made it look effortless like he has been doing it all his life. After him came Sister Dofel (real name Ofel but out of necessity was changed to make her face the gauntlet ahead of those not feeling ready yet) and she, too, seemed less nervous than she’d care to admit.
So I’m saying there is no holding back when my time comes. I accepted the invitation “to enter this journey of faith in a spirit of prayer and love, looking forward to the reward of transforming into Jesus in the fullness of His age on earth and of His glory in heaven.”
So help me God.
Source: Jesus Living in Mary, Totus Tuus Journey, 349 pages, by Fr. Mario Belitti, SMM
*Literal translation of Totus Tuus
by Abraham de la Torre
