USA, Michael Noriega. This Jubilee Year 2014 brings many graces and gifts. One of the Jubilee gifts of the Schoenstatt Family of Texas, USA is the new daughter Shrine for the Diocese of Austin, “Bethlehem, cradle of Sanctity”. This new shrine has been in the hearts of many sisters and brothers in the Covenant for years. The Schoenstatt Family of Austin has been maturing in its history and as an organized Movement. Today the Schoenstatt Movement of Austin is excited to share with the International Schoenstatt Family joyful news about the dedication of their Shrine. The Shrine will be dedicated by The Most Reverend Joe S. Vasquez, Bishop of Austin on Saturday, September 13th, 2014.
The movement in Austin has grown significantly over the past few years, infused with the life of the university men and women’s branches, young professionals’ branch, and the fruit of the Rosary Campaign. The Family branch and the Mothers branch provide the mature foundation the Movement needs to support the vibrant life we currently experience. This particular shrine in Austin is a ministry of the Schoenstatt Fathers. The presence of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Texas dates back to 1966. Their community in Austin was established in 2005 and since then five Fathers have been ministering to the Movement throughout the State as well as serving the local Church in different capacities.
The Movement of Texas involved and attached
As the Schoenstatt Family of Austin prepares spiritually to dedicate the Shrine, they are inviting the Schoenstatt Movement of Texas to be united with them as they spiritually conquer the Shrine by sending forth a different symbol from the future Shrine in Austin to each diocese in Texas where Schoenstatt has an organized presence.
They are taking the first steps in the actual construction of the Shrine by having a Groundbreaking Mass and Ceremony by the Vicar General of the Diocese, Very Rev. Danny Garcia on Sunday March 16th where they will prepare the land and send forth the different symbols from the future Shrine out to the different Schoenstatt communities across Texas. The symbols distributions are as follows:
Schoenstatt Family of Brownsville: Holy Spirit Symbol
Schoenstatt Family of Corpus Christi: St. Joseph statue
Schoenstatt Family of Dallas and Ft. Worth: Ver Sacrum lamp
Schoenstatt Family of Houston: Father Eye Symbol
Schoenstatt Family of Laredo: Antipendium “Nothing without you, nothing without us”
Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio: St. Vincent Pallotti statue
By sending a different symbol to each local movement in Texas, all will be united spiritually in preparing for the Shrine and will truly make the Shrine a gift for Schoenstatt Family of Texas.
One of two Shrines to be dedicated in the Jubilee Year
There will be the opportunity to place special items, letters, and gifts to the Blessed Mother in an acrylic box which will be placed in the foundation of the Shrine, fostering a special attachment to our Shrine. From March through Dedication Day in September, all will be offering our Capital of Grace united as a Schoenstatt Family in preparation to receive the Shrine.
As this Shrine will be one of 2 Daughter Shrines being dedicated during the Jubilee Year, (the other one is in India), the Schoenstatt Family of Austin wish to offer their Shrine as a gift for the entire Schoenstatt Family worldwide. They invite all to pray with them and offer Capital of Grace during these upcoming months as it is not only to prepare to dedicate a Shrine in September but to prepare to gather as an international Schoenstatt Family at the Original Shrine to celebrate the first 100 years of Schoenstatt and look ahead with joy to the next 100 years. Your Covenant, Our Mission!
I was looking at a friend’s photos on Facebook Angie’s photos on over the weekend and thought what a beautiful gift this1 is. In 1914, our MTA made her home in the Shrine and gave us her shrine to be our home. Now 100 years later, you’re building a shrine and giving it to our MTA as her home in Austin!
As I was typing this, I thought of Solomon who built a temple for the Ark of the Covenant, a home for God’s presence. His father David, tried to build it several times, but it never worked out, kind of God’s way of saying…no, now is not the time. I know that there have been enormous battles to overcome in Austin as you really prepared the spiritual terrain for this shrine, so now, in this Jubilee year, it’s our Mother’s way of saying, yes, now is the time.
Many blessings to the Schoenstatt Family in Austin.
My prayers will continue to accompany you all,
Blessed Covenant day, s-l