Agathe Hug. Schoenstatt is a MOVEMENT that extends worldwide. On Saturday the 17th, there was MOVEMENT in the Original Shrine during the Holy Mass in Covenant with and for Namibia.
The organization for this Holy Mass, week after week, in a certain sense requires some logistic coordination and effort. What country will it be? Who will be in charge of the musical accompaniment, which priest will celebrate it, how will the intentions and petitions for this Mass truly reach the Original Shrine? At this time, we should cordially express gratitude to those who do it week after week. Sister M. Luciane Machens is in charge, every time, of finding groups or an association who is willing to take care of the music. Sometimes she cannot find anyone, and then, does she do it? She also takes care that the sheets with the Pilgrimage Prayer 2014 are at the Holy Mass. Every week, Father Francisco Cruz Sobral sees to it that the celebrant receives the information about the country and the petitions that were gathered through a collaborator of schoenstatt.org. So a big thank you to everyone!
Namibia deserves it: there were two musical accompaniments
In this complex organization, there is always some misunderstanding or interruption in the information chain. That is what happened this past Saturday. Since Sister M. Luciane was not in Schoenstatt in the days before, the preparation for the Holy Mass was double, according to the saying that one thing is sure, better two than nothing. There was one in German and the other in Spanish and Portuguese.
The latter was assumed by the girls who are participating in “Time at Schoenstatt”. But those who were in charge of the musical preparation in German arrived at the Shrine first, and they had already distributed the song sheets. But it did not matter, capital of grace! According to the proverbial “brief transaction,” a simple agreement, which means: youth before the elders. So the songs sheets in German were quickly gathered with happy smiles on many faces. There was something interesting: these smiles lasted throughout the Holy Mass. We are a MOVEMENT and a little MOVEMENT is good.
“Then, I will attract youthful hearts from here”
The main celebrant was Father Miguel Kast and Father José María Garcia con-celebrated with him. Father Miguel Kast arrived from Madrid to be in Schoenstatt for a couple of days. Father Kast was accompanied by a group of Spanish boys, who quickly received the petitions printed in Spanish, because we are also FAMILY, and here everyone can participate. Everyone also prayed for the many people who sent their personal petitions, which had arrived at the Original Shrine during the past week arriving in the Original Shrine via schoenstatt.org.
It was a refreshing scene to see the Original Shrine filled mostly of youth, and at dawn too!
For the future of Schoenstatt in Namibia
Oh that: Namibia! It was beautiful that Father Miguel Kast quickly re-phrased the prayer for Namibia. We also prayed for present day Namibia, for those who have or who have had contact with Schoenstatt. But above all, they prayed for future Schoenstatters from Namibia. An idea that perhaps many were not aware of: praying for the future of the Covenant of Love in a country, and believing that in future that Schoenstatt spiritually will be a source of blessings for many countries; this was the missionary aspect that took place today.
After experiencing such a happy atmosphere, the majority of the participants in the Holy Mass were in no hurry to return home. Meanwhile those who were coming for the 8:00 a.m. Mass had arrived. The groups dispersed just as the Holy Mass began in the Original Shrine.
This truly brings us to the end of this article. But I still have a couple of words that still do not have a place. I will add them, even if they do not fit in, and I close with them.
It is a Mongolian refrain: “Whoever tells the truth should have a very fast horse.”
Video
Celina M. Garza: Spanish/English translation Melissa Peña-Janknegt: English edit
