ENGLAND, Ann Mazza •
The traditional May Day at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Kearsley, Bolton, the only one in England, celebrated on May 12, brought a new experience to the Schoenstatt Family of England: The Rosary of Lights or Illuminated Rosary, prayed for world peace.—
“A big thank you to the women’s group for planning and preparing our wonderful May Day celebration this year! I can’t think of a better way of thanking Our Lady for her many graces and blessings. I’m sure it would have made her smile,” a grateful participant shared.
We spent the day looking more deeply into the charism of Father Kentenich and praying the Illuminated Rosary for world peace.
The morning began with a really interesting PowerPoint presentation by Sharron on the Rosary of Lights. She informed us that it was from the Pilgrim Mother Campaign in Argentina that the Illuminated Rosary started, inspired by a talk given by Fr. Kentenich in 1949 to a group of women in Villa Ballester on the challenge of praying, forming and living the mysteries of the Rosary. What she said linked beautifully with the Original Shrine in Germany.
It also linked with the words of Mary Cole in the April 2018 E- Newsletter:
“The Rosary provides access to Jesus through his Mother; and the Pilgrim Mother picture mediates the graces of the Schoenstatt Shrine… the graces of a home, of transformation, and of a mission.
What a powerful combination for good in the world… a way of saving the faith through the ‘dry time’ in which we sometimes find ourselves!”
Mary’s importance in our lives
Mary Cole then introduced Father Reginald, who gave a brilliant talk on Father Kentenich and Mary. He gave a very personal account of the life of Father Kentenich, as he got to know it… how Father Kentenich related to Mary in his own life and how this gave him his mission. Father Reginald then talked about how Mary was important in his own life and how important she is to us, as long as we are active in the Covenant of Love, not passive, letting her use us as her instruments.
I found it very inspiring.
Father Reginald explained that when we consecrate ourselves to the heart of the Blessed Mother, wonderful things happen. The flow of graces from the Shrine attracts people and leads to miracles of transformation… giving us a better life, making us a better person and a more active Christian. He said that Our Lady is saying to us, “Show me that you love me”…. and that is all that we have to do… show her that we love her. Through a deep personal connection with her through the Covenant of Love, she will take our efforts, no matter how small, and make them fruitful for others… in other words she will transform us.
Father Reginald reminded us that Father Kentenich gave Our Lady his strivings, his struggles, his troubles, his sickness, and anxiety, and she saw him through. Good outcomes he attributed to the Blessed Mother, not his own work.
Prayers for peace, diocesan success, and personal intentions
After lunch, we prayed an Illuminated Rosary. The overall intention was for peace in the world and for the success of the Diocesan Hope in the Future.
On a more personal level, each person or family was invited to bring a petition to the praying of The Rosary. The Hail Mary prayers were connected with the intentions and lighted candles marked each one, forming an Illuminated Rosary… a chain of prayers and petitions on the day. Each Pilgrim Mother picture marked an Our Father or a Glory Be. Everyone brought a flower for Our Lady.
We concluded with Holy Mass at 3.00 pm, an hour earlier than scheduled.
It was a beautiful day in every way!
Source: MTA Magazine, England, June 2018, with permission of the editors
Edited: Melissa Peña-Janknegt, Elgin, TX USA
God’s ways are wonderful! Through literature I came to know about Schoenstatt and very litttle about Fr. Kentenich. But I was so inspired by schoenstatt! Enterring a Catholic bookshop (at St. Joseph Cathedral Dar es salaam Tanzania) I saw a book about Fr. Kentenich! I was so happy that I will understand more about him. Oh It was a wonderful coincidence, i was so moved by his life and founding of the movement. I read more in the internet and I was so inspired!
I said to myself can there be schoents in Tanzania? I was amazed to learn that there is Schoenstatt shrine in Tanzania but people know less about the movement!
The story of Pilgrimage of Father symbol to our country by people from neighbouring African countries and meeting the Bishop at the shrine left me with “wonder”. Indeed God’s ways are wonderful!