“It is high time”, said Fr Francisco Sobral, Secretary General of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers, when he informed the editors of schoenstatt.org about the launch of the new international website of the Schoenstatt Fathers. The editors didn’t contradict him, it really is high time. At some stage the “use by date” of what was once a really well designed website has been passed, and that had happened quite some time ago to the previous website.
Our patience has been worthwhile. This year, 2015, when the Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Fathers turns fifty, and in time for the General Chapter in August, the new website in German, English and Spanish has been launched. The enthusiastic reactions that have arrived meanwhile speak volumes. The new website offers everything you can want to know about the Schoenstatt Fathers: who they are, where they are, what they do. And much more as well.
Information and Service
News – from the General Council, the community and its apostolate; as well as who and what they are, where they are, what they do; along with two special sections on their spirituality and vocation, and finally various possibilities to make donations via a designated PayPal account.
“Above all we will report on our General Chapter (August) via this website, so we have to go online now at the latest”, Fr Sobral explained. On the day it went online we agreed that all the news about events in the community of the Schoenstatt Fathers can be taken over by schoenstatt.org, and vice versa.
For the many young men who are interested in the Schoenstatt Fathers, and who often land with schoenstatt.org looking for contact addresses and initial information, the new website offers information about vocations, applications and membership, stages of formation and education, contact addresses and more.
A genuine service – there is a page entitled “Where we live”. By clicking on a country’s flag you can get more or less detailed information about the Schoenstatt Fathers in each country – there are 19 – in North and South America, Europe, Burundi, Nigeria and India. And just by the way you will find out that today, 31 May, the Paraguay Delegation is being erected. Congratulations!
There is also a detailed survey of the apostolic projects of the Schoenstatt Fathers: besides their work in the Schoenstatt Movement, there are schools, social projects, work in parishes, and yes, there is also a contemplative branch.
Newsfeed from the Universal Church and Schoenstatt
“I have just visited the new website. Brilliant! And the big surprise was to find my article on synergy. I knew it was to be published by schoenstatt.org, but I haven’t had time to look for it – and I have not discovered it on our website.” How did that happen? On the home page there is not only a clear selection of links to the central websites of the universal Church and the international Schoenstatt Movement. There is also news (via RSS-Feed) from the universal Church (news.va in English, Spanish, Fides in German) and the worldwide Schoenstatt Movement (from schoenstatt.org).
The new official website of the Schoenstatt Fathers can be reached via the following domains:
http://schoenstatt-fathers.org/
Carol I totally agree with you that it would be important for the Diocesan priests to have their own website as they could work further into the field. Your friend in our MTA, Phyllis
It is a wonderful that the Schoenstatt Fathers will have their own website. Here in Ohio in the USA we have many
diocesan priests who have helped officiate at Covenants and Home Shrine dedications. We have seven diocesan
priests in Ohio who have made their Covenant of Love and also one priest of the Precious Blood order. Father
Kentenich spoke of the importance of the diocesan priest. It would be wonderful if the Schoenstatt diocesan priests
also had a website. Since we are not close to a Schoenstatt Shrine, this would give the diocesan priests here the
support
they need. In our Mother and Queen, Carol Lis