SOUTH AFRICA, Sr. M. Connie O’Brien. Tuesday, January 25, the Father Symbol will be passed on to the Schoenstatt Family of Burundi, after visiting Kenya for two weeks. Before, it had been in Zimbabwe and South Africa. The {cms_selflink page=”father-ymbol” text=”visit of the Father Symbol”} to this part of the world has indeed been a richly blessed experience in so many ways.
Zimbabwe and Johannesburg
The Zimbabwean Schoenstatt Family gained much strength and support from the visit (28th-30th November) of the Father Symbol given their very difficult circumstances in their socio-political context. Marlene Peter wrote a moving report which has already appeared in the Schoenstatt News with pictures.
Johannesburg welcomed the Father Symbol at the airport in grand style and the visit proved to be a time of grace for our Schoenstatt members gathered around the shrine at Bedforview. The Father Symbol was also taken to Sr Edith who was recuperating from an operation. Sarah-Leah Pimentel has also posted her report to the Schoenstatt news.
Port Elizabeth
Dale Schmitz kindly accompanied the Father Symbol from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth where she was received by the Manson-Kullins (Frank Manson-Kullin met Father Kentenich in 1948 when the Founder visited South Africa!).
The Father Symbol was taken to Ivy Date-Line (Women’s League member) who was recuperating in a hospital in Port Elizabeth – this brought her much joy.
Cathcart
From Port Elizabeth the Father Symbol travelled to Cathcart, the place where the first Shrine in Africa was built. Here a typical African celebration heralded the visit with a praise-singer dancing down the road preceding the Father Symbol in the misty rain!
Cape Town
Sr Iona attended the celebrations connected to the Father Symbol in Cathcart and brought it back to Cape Town. Although a busy period for most Capetonians (November /December) the Father Symbol’s presence during Advent held a special significance for all those various branches who committed themselves to an encounter with the Father Symbol.
On the 18th December, Archbishop Brislin processed into the Sisters House Chapel solemnly carrying the Father Symbol. He concelebrated Holy Mass together with Fr Cox, Fr Allies and Fr Musgrave as an official welcome to the Father Symbol to Cape Town.
Afterwards all processed to the father statue where the Mothers Branch had a ‘statio’ and then to the Shrine where the Family League couple – Ralph and Jean de Smidt – gave a moving testimony of their encounter with the Father Symbol in 1969, their relationship to the Founder and what their Schoenstatt Covenant of Love meant to them.
“This is Father visiting us”
One Schoenstatt member said- “Sister this is not about a Father Symbol but this is Father visiting us!” Certainly there were many who felt this way. A deeply poignant moment was the presence of the Father Symbol on Audrey Barnes‘s coffin. Audrey, (Course Mother of a Mothers Union group) was deeply attached to the Father and Founder and went home on the Feast of the Motherhood of God (1st January).
Bernard Pothier who was very involved in the first visit of the Father Symbol to South Africa (and who is bravely battling fourth stage lung cancer) was also able to have a special visit of the Father Symbol.
On the 31st December the Schoenstatt Family of Cape Town had the official farewell to the Father Symbol in the context of Midnight Mass. Brian Alt (Family Union Leader) gave a beautiful reflection on the meaning of this visit. The Archbishop Emeritus, Lawrence Henry was the main celebrant and he allowed the Father symbol to pass from individual to individual so that they could say their personal farewells.
From South Africa to Kenya
Due to travel arrangements Sr Joanne left with the Father Symbol only on the 12th January to accompany it to Kenya and to pass it on to the Burundians on the 25th January. May it bring many blessings to the fledgling movement in Kenya and also to Burundi. The South African Schoenstatt Family will accompany these visits with their prayers.
Obviously this is a rather sketchy report touching on some highlights. Movement members have been asked to chronicle their own experiences so that the various branches may have this as a ‘legacy’ for future generations. For some, the deeply personal impacts will remain part of the ‘Father-child’ secret and that is the way it should be.
We are extremely grateful for this opportunity to have the Father Symbol in our midst. “The Father sees me, the Father needs me, the Father loves me” (JK). May all who have come into contact with the Father Symbol receive the graces they need to believe in the deeply personal and merciful love of the Father-God.
