mkf. Like a little house in a country of wonders, completely covered with snow, and surrounded by snow covered hills: this is how the Families’ Shrine looked on the afternoon of February 2nd, the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus in the Temple, better known as the Feast of Candlemas. For the first time, a Holy Mass was transmitted live from this Shrine, where the Mother Thrice Admirable wanted to establish a place of grace for families.
The Shrine was packed, and it seemed to extend itself throughout the world when the transmission began. “Thank you very much for giving us the opportunity of being with you spiritually through the celebration of the Holy Mass in the Shrine; it was truly a heavenly moment,” commented Rodrigo and Marigen Barraza Monenegro (Chile). Gabriela Rohrbeck clapped her hands as if to greet Casio Leal in Sao Pauo, Brazil, who had been in this Shrine so many times, and who was in front of his pc screen, more than 10,000 kilometers away and yet closer than ever…
“We would like to warmly welcome you all to our Holy Mass here on Mount Nazareth in Schoenstatt. We are in our very own Families’ Shrine, the International Centre of our Family Movement.” declared Elisabeth and Bernhard Neiser, General Superiors of the Schoenstatt Institute of Families, who greeted those present – in German, Spanish and English. “Today we celebrate the Feast of Candlemas, the Presentation of Our Lord in the Temple. This Holy Mass will be transmitted world wide around the net, and so we warmly welcome all those who have joined us, or will join us via this medium to celebrate Holy Mass with us by these means. Our Blessed Mother will distribute her graces from this place to all who ask her especially the graces required for marriage and family life. This is a concrete and active contribution towards the unity of the International Family Work. We are certain that this will give our father and founder great joy.”
Surrounded by family
Father José Maria Garcia, who celebrated the Mass, stressed that it is a special joy to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Families’ Shrine with this intention of the family on a Celebration of the Family. Jesus did not arrive to the temple alone; rather, his family was with him. This celebration is celebrated in the presence of Jesus, in his town, with his family. In view of the journey towards 2014, we want to ask for the grace of unity as a family in love and in truth.
The symbol of the candle or more accurately the Light, songs in German, English, and Spanish, readings in Spanish and German, an atmosphere of joy, openness and breadth: it does not take much to create a family within the Shrine and around the world. “Everyone knows how the Mass is celebrated,” commented Bernhard Neiser, “It really does not take much effort to transmit a Mass live and to create such joy…
As the email sent on February 3rd by Martin Meltelk , who belongs to the Family Institute from the Czech Republic, confirms: “Because of my health, today I took the opportunity to participate in the Mass at the Families’ Shrine via the Internet. It was a spiritual experience. I felt that I was present in the Shrine. It was especially beautiful to see you (the Neisers) at the beginning.”
Even those who could not enjoy the Mass, like Inés Petiti in Goya, were a part of this large family that felt united in the Covenant at that time: “Yesterday I connected an hour before to enjoy the Mass at the Shrine of the Family. Would you believe five minutes before 6:00 p.m. German time the electricity was off for forty minutes…? I could not enjoy it, united in my heart, I sat in a chair on my patio, and I was there in prayer attached to Father and the Blessed Mother!! When I could connect…it was not on…capital of grace!!!”
Inés, do not be sad: the next Mass from the Families’ Shrine will be transmitted on May 4th at 6:00 p.m.
