AUSTRIA, Martin Schiffl. Everything is progressing very rapidly at the Academy for Family Pedagogy in Schoenstatt/Kahlenberg (Austria). A few days after the “Sending Forth” celebration for six trainers for families in the Graz Diocese – last weekend – the Most Reverend Dr. Kaus Kung, Austrian Bishop in charge of Family Life, solemnly sent forth five more family trainers and one Schoenstatt Sister of Mary.
Sending forth ceremony of the Academy for Schoenstatt Family Pedagogy/Kahlenberg Course 6 St. Polten
The participants now have two years of personal growth and learning the Kentenich rhetoric. But in continuing as a trainer of families they must be a model and support for other families.
Fullness of life
During the sending forth ceremony, Hertha and Martin Schiffl (representing Mr. and Mrs. Berger, leaders of the Austrian Academy of Family Pedagogy who are currently in Lithuania teaching a course to couples on Kentenich rhetoric) declared that these new family trainers are a response to the savings package announced by the Austrian government: 6-packages-of-fullness-of-life. Training for the two years of formation as a trainer of families is not required, “only” the willingness to participate in personal growth and in growth as a couple. The prescription for success is Father Kentenich’s Pedagogy; it is systematically applied at the Academy. Furthermore, one can sense that Father Kentenich intercedes from Heaven in his mission for working to form the new man.
Special in this course was the participation of a Schoenstatt Sister of Mary from Oberkirch, Germany. She wanted to apply what had been acquired and to have the deepened knowledge in the work with families.
To share the treasure for family life
With the presence of the Episcopal Vicar, Dr. Helmut Prader, Markus Mucha from the Institute for Family and Marital Relationships, and the Diocesan Bishop, the Most Rev. Dr. Klaus Kung (simultaneously Bishop for Family Life), who handed out the diplomas to the new family trainers with the special petition that they not keep the treasure they had found for their family life, but to share it with other couples, he wished them great courage, strength, and the blessing of God in this urgent task.
The new family trainers are: Sonja and Konrad Eder from Leiben, Marlies and Gerald Gruber from St. Polten, Martina and Peter Habersatter from Hainfeld, Helga and Peter Iciren from Oberwolbling, Doris and August Karner from Waldhausen in Strudengau, Sister Vernita Maria Weiss from Oberkirch in Schwarzwald, Germany.
In Austria, until now, forty-nine courses from the Academy have taken place with 307 graduates. The next course will take place in St. Polten on February 9 – 10, 2013.
Other dates for courses in Austria: www.akademie-familienpaedagogik.at
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 02212012
