ARGENTINA, Catalina Adrover de Michelini. The God the Father Educational Center Day was celebrated on November 18th. It is customary to carry out the “Kentenich Journey” at the school on this date. These journeys consist of the 8th grade students (at the elementary level) to the 3rd year of secondary level along with their “godchildren” from the 3rd to 7th grade to study an aspect of Father Kentenich’s life, in this case, his years as a seminarian and the first years of his priesthood, with the motto: “Father, your vocation touches us here and now” to complement the Year for Priests.
The school celebrates its day around Father Kentenich’s birthday (November 16th) with a week dedicated to celebrations, contests, and demonstrations. The 18th is the main event, with an Olympics and the final results of all the contests.
A jury evaluates them using questions about the subject. The students who answer the most questions correctly are rewarded with a trip to New Schoenstatt – in Florencio Varela, province of Buenos Aires – to participate in the annual conference of “Father Kentenich’s friends”.
Prepared for this day are works created by the students: visual art, music, singing, literature, and multimedia that will be in a juried competition. During the journey, the work is exhibited, and the best ones in each area receive a prize.
Within the framework of the Kentenich Journey, there was “special gift”, the visit of the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Mendoza, Monsignor Sergio Buenanueva.
The students welcomed him with a phrase of Father Kentenich’s: “Our hearts belong to you” written on red hearts, and they accompanied him to the place, a hall still under construction, where the Holy Mass would be celebrated. It was a simple place, but overflowing with the children and teachers’ enthusiasm. The teachers and children also joined in singing their songs throughout the Mass.
Bishop Buenanueva explained his function as bishop in a simple way: to take care of the Catholic communities. He sees the school as a “gift from God” for the diocese, which thanks to Father Kentenich’s charisma and his priesthood has begun such valuable works like this school.
Consecration of the children
After Holy Mass, the bishop went to the school chapel, where with gratitude and joy, he witnessed how the 4th grade children’s mothers consecrated their children to the Blessed Mother.
This consecration is carried out annually on this date to commemorate and to emulate the act of young Joseph Kentenich’s mother, who consecrated him to the Blessed Mother at the age of eight. Catherine Kentenich entrusted his education to the maternal care of Mary, since she could not do any more.
It was very touching to see the children embrace their mothers and to receive from them the little chain with an MTA medal. She will protect them from now on.
Each mother took a white flower to the Blessed Mother as symbol that she was entrusting the purity of her child to her: “Here is your Mother -here is your child.” This was the phrase that they repeated as they went in procession to leave the white flower at the altar and at times there were emotional tears.
The bishop blessed the little medals, and then he blessed each child with his/her mother. There was applause, photos…and an intimate heartfelt joy.
The day ended with a simple farewell meal and a toast for Father Kentenich’s birthday – which was commemorated on November 16th – and for the God the Father Educational Center, which aspires to follow the footsteps of the Schoenstatt Founder by forming families in its surrounding and beyond as a contribution to the renewal of the Church and the world.
The “special gift” was the presence of Bishop Sergio Buenanueva to whom they wanted to give this experience of being “children of God.”
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA / Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
