SOUTH AFRICA, Francis Boulle. As Schoenstatt has done each year since 2002, an Archdiocesan Celebration has been organized to honour our Patroness, Mary Assumed into Heaven. This year will be a little different as a Crown will be offered to our Patroness by the youth of the Archdiocese by way of specific petitions. This event – scheduled for August 21 – coincides with WYD in Madrid and is the day before another feast day of Our Lady, namely Her Queenship.
The celebration is a Schoenstatt Family initiative. One of the initiators, Bernard Pothier, died of cancer recently. South Africa is dedicated to Our Lady, Queen Assumed into Heaven, but only Schoenstatt has taken it up.
In connection with World Youth Day
The Crown will be presented to Our Lady, Queen Assumed into Heaven by youth of the Archdiocese together with petitions reflecting some of the many felt needs of youth. This will be done by placing bouquets of flowers and candles around the statue of Our Blessed Mother as an essential part of the service as World Youth Day concludes. It will be a unique event, taking place August 21.
Posters and letters were sent to all parishes, organizations, religious and many others announcing this event. It has the enthusiastic blessing of Archbishop Stephen Brislin who will be at the WYD. Schoenstatt’s Chaplain, Fr Peter-John Pearson will preside over the service and preach, and Archbishop Emeritus Lawrence Henry will give the final Benediction.
The Crowning is also in anticipation of next year, 2012, the 50th anniversary of the start of Vatican 2, the 60th anniversary of the proclamation of Mary’s Patronage of our country and the 10th anniversary of this event.
The celebration will take place on Sunday 21st August at 3 pm at Our Lady Help of Christians [Salesian Church], Lansdowne.
This very same day, when the youth of the world celebrates Holy Mass with the Holy Father, there is another Schoenstatt event taking place: the annual meeting of the missionaries of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Tucumán, Argentina… who certainly will offer a prayer for their South African brothers and sisters in the Covenant of Love!
