We Millie and Billy Blanchard, are from the Diocese of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. We started with the rotation of the Pilgrim Mother in our area prior to Hurricane Katrina, back in 2005. At that time, many members who lived in Saint Bernard Parish had been circulating the Pilgrim Mother since the early 1990s. After many members relocated to another part of the state, the MTA began circulating again in 2007.

We are always comforted when Mother Mary visits us. It always seems to be during our times of desperate need. Here in Louisiana where we were in phase 1 of the COVID-19 pandemic we stopped circulating the Pilgrim Mother in mid-March through June. In phase 2, which began in June, we restarted the rotations. We resumed our apostolate taking precaution measures by either wiping or spraying the MTA.

These days, we very much aware of the 70^th anniversary on September 10. We are praying the John Pozzobon novena and want to be more like him in spreading prayer through the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother.

When I think of my own path with the Pilgrim Mother, I would like to highlight the following dates. On April 10, 2010, we sealed our covenant of love with the MTA. On

November 27, 2016, we dedicated our home shrine under the title of “Mother Mary, Matriarch of our family.” On December 14, 2019, we dedicated our wayside shrine under the title of “Rose Waters, Hope, Mercy, and Healing.”

We are so happy, fortunate, and blessed to have Mary in our lives in such a personal way!