ROME, Hans Zier. In the early hours of what was already a very sultry Roman morning on 28 June 2014, a group of pilgrims meandered over the narrow Ponte Sisto to Casa Pallotti, which is only a few meters beyond it. They were members of the General Presidium who had interrupted their four-day closed session at Belmonte to set out for the place of St Vincent Pallotti’s activity. Each of the leaders of the Schoenstatt communities carried their own special intentions in their hearts, along with their concern for the new Centre at Belmonte, which is designed to offer a place of encounter between the worldwide Schoenstatt Movement in the heart of the Church and the universal Church. All were united in the joyful anticipation of their meeting with Vincent Pallotti and his spiritual sons.
We were wondering how our meeting with Rector General, Fr Jacob Nampudakam would go. The friendly invitation to this visit of thanksgiving on the part of Schoenstatt’s members for the gift of the Original Shrine, and the concelebration of Fathers and Diocesan Priests belonging to the various communities that was about to take place, generated a feeling of happy anticipation. The welcome at the entrance was warm and family-like. For some it was a joyful reunion with Pallottines they had known many decades before, for others it was their fist impressions of the home of a saint who is so important to Schoenstatt.
Holy Mass together at Vincent Pallotti’s tomb
Schoenstatt Fathers and Diocesan Priests concelebrated with the Pallottine Fathers in Casa Pallotti together with the leaders of the Schoenstatt communities, who represented all Schoenstatters throughout the world. It was an historic moment, as Fr Kentenich would have seen it: God himself directs history; the Blessed Mother is his permanent helpmate. The main celebrant was Fr Alejandro Martinez, a Schoenstatt Father. In his homily he directed our attention from the disciples sent out in twos to Fr Kentenich’s view of Vincent Pallotti: the one community was the condition for the other in salvation history. Although both foundations arose independently, they depended on each other if they were to carry out their mission. The “sign of unity” between Schoenstatt and Pallotti would still be a great task in their development.
Apostolic togetherness
In the exchange with Fr General, Fr Jacob Nampudakam, that followed, an atmosphere developed that mirrored the warm welcome, and created a genuinely family-like interest in the very varied federation that goes to make up Schoenstatt. Everyone was aware of the historical importance of the moment; the Church needs us to work together to bring about an effective apostolate at all levels and in every nation according to the intention of our founders: Vincent Pallotti and Fr Kentenich. Both certainly took great joy in this new rapprochement between their spiritual sons and daughters.
Fr Jacob Nampudakam expressed his joy by pointing to the way the Church had benefitted from Fr Kentenich’s charism that had grown on Pallottine soil, one aspect of which is the distinctive Schoenstatt Family Movement.
In October in Rome
The celebration of the Jubilee in Rome will be a long-desired opportunity for many to assimilate the grace of Casa Pallotti with great gratitude. They want to answer the meeting with our Holy Father with a hopeful YES to the challenge of supporting his appeal for a missionary Church, by continuing to form a federal concentration of all the apostolic forces in the Church. When Fr Jacob Nampudakam said goodbye, he strongly encouraged us by saying, “We’ll meet again in October”.
Remarks of the editorial team:
1. Fr Jacob Nampudakam, Pallottine Rector General, was appointed a member of the “Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life” (briefly: Congregation for Religious) by Pope Francis on 29 March 2014. As a result the Pallottines are members of the 40-strong commission in the Vatican concerned with the affairs of religious communities.
2. In the international periodical “Apostolato Universale”, 23/2014, of the San Vincente Pallotti Institute in Rome, published in May 2014, there were a number of pages devoted to the Jubilee of the Schoenstatt Movement. In the introduction it was stated that it had been complied from “various reports and texts on the website of the Apostolic Schoenstatt Movement: (www.schoenstatt.org”. The editors were expressly thanked for granting publication rights. We thank Apostolato Universale in return.
3. See article by Matias Cervino on the Jubilee in Rome
4. A comment by Fr Egon Zillekens, Rector
Original: German – Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England
