mkf. It was a joy to celebrate this 18th – 1,217 days -39 18ths- from October 18, 2014 – especially on a Saturday, because this way the usual Mass “toward 2014” that morning in the Original Shrine – in covenant with Kuwait – was at the same time celebrated as a Covenant Mass, transmitted live via schoenstatt-tv! Father Heinrich Walter, President of the General Presidency of Schoenstatt, was the celebrant (since Father José María García was in Paraguay for the priestly ordination of Alfredo Pereira and Pedro Miraballes). The Mass was attended by the volunteers from the Pilgrims’ Center and some girls, who are participating in “Time at Schoenstatt,” all of them from Latin America; they were in charge of the songs.
True internationality
Father Heinrich Walter stressed that these Masses “toward 2014,” Saturday to Saturday, invite us to grow in a spirit of openness because of our Schoenstatt’s great variety that is a true internationality and not one reduced to a few flags and a few words in another language. This internationality is characterized by openness, interest, and mutual solidarity enriching each other reciprocally for sincerity of heart to peoples’ lives with whom we move together toward 2014. Today this international spirit calls us to solidarity with Schoenstatt in Kuwait -where, there are some Schoenstatters among the Christian minority of immigrant workers, soldiers, and students.
Solidarity in prayer
Father Walter added that this spirit of internationality also calls us to pray in unity for the celebrations, great events, and for all the concrete needs of our brothers and sisters in the covenant of which he mentioned:
-
The interior and exterior preparation of the entire Schoenstatt Family toward the jubilee of the Covenant of Love in this year of the Father Current,
-
The priestly ordination of the Schoenstatt Fathers from Paraguay on this June 18th,
-
The 10th Anniversary of the Serrano Street Shrine in Madrid, and crowning the Blessed Mother as Queen of peace of heart for the world in Christ (June 19th) and for the preparation of World Youth Day in this city,
-
For the sending forth of a Pilgrim MTA to Mozambique from Buenos Aires, Argentina,
-
For all those who will seal or renew their Covenant of Love this day in the Shrines and wayside shrines around the world,
-
For the 40th Anniversary of the priestly ordination of Father Egon Zillekens (Federation of Priests), June 24th,
-
And especially for all those from Venezuela, Germany, Austria, Argentina, the United States, and Portugal, who sent their prayer petitions to the Original Shrine this week via www.schoenstatt.org.
These petitions – printed on several sheets – were placed on the altar, where they remained until the end of the Mass. Before the final blessing they were deposited as an offering in the Original Shrine’s jar, while everyone prayed the Pilgrimage Prayer: “…Today we want to fill these jars with our gifts, with our gratitude and repentance, with our surrender and longing….”
Let us pray together, for each other
And beginning now at every Mass “toward 2014”, there will be prayer for all the petitions sent via: https://www.schoenstatt.org/es/rezamos-juntos.htm. In the future, this will be the way to reach the Original Shrine…Someone will be in charge to taking these petitions to the priest in charge of this Mass! Announcements for Schoenstatt celebrations and events from other places around the world can also be transmitted this way. If there are people in the Shrines or wayside shrine who also want to join in prayer for international solidarity, they can ask for the list of these petitions at: info@schoenstatt.org and they will receive the list each Friday.
Mary of the Covenant
After the final blessing and “Protect as with your mantle”, the volunteers and several other Latin American Schoenstatt members lingered in the Original Shrine, and continued celebrating this 18th singing “Maria de la Alianza” (Mary of the Covenant) with great gusto…
The next Holy Mass “Toward 2014” will be celebrated in Covenant with Lebanon. A member of the Lebanese Schoenstatt Family – a missionary of the Pilgrim MTA – already sent photos, and as a special gift, the international motto of 2014 – Your Covenant, our mission – written in Arabic.
