org. “A highpoint for me was this overfilled Mass on a cold Saturday morning in the Original Shrine in the covenant with Switzerland”. Fr Andrew Pastore ended his report on the conference for those responsible for “the Tents of a Covenant Culture” last weekend with these words. Truly it was a highpoint – including the fact that not only (naturally) the participants at the conference and the three concelebrating priests from three countries gave the Holy Mass an international and “2014” note, but also because a couple from the Family Movement in Switzerland presented current Swiss petitions and thus made the covenant with Switzerland really tangible.
We celebrate this Holy Mass in the covenant with Switzerland, one of the first countries in which the covenant of love took root soon after Schoenstatt’s foundation. It is a country in which Fr Kentenich did a great deal and crowned the Blessed Mother “Queen of all Peoples and Queen of the Universe” at a simple wayside shrine. Fr Raul Espina, the main celebrant, opened Holy Mass with these words. By the way, Switzerland is the first country, as is well known, in which a shrine reminds people Saturday after Saturday of the Holy Masses on the way to 2014 with a notice similar to that at the Original Shrine.
Melanie and Ulrich Grauert, from Ebikon, Switzerland, leaders of the International Kentenich Academy for Leaders, were in Schoenstatt because they are responsible for the tent “Forming the World/New Social Order”, and in their petitions gave expression to the current intentions of the Swiss Schoenstatt Movement: that the new co-operation of the sections and communities in reciprocal benevolence and service, for which they long, may be brought about; for a new leadership of the Movement; that a new fire may be lit in the hearts of Swiss Youth; for the process of the Family Movement in view of the future; for the unity of the Swiss Church; and for the Family Congress in Quarten at Pentecost this year.
In unity with the worldwide Family
As usual, Fr Raul Espina mentioned the special intentions of the worldwide Schoenstatt Family at the beginning of this Holy Mass.
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For the Schoenstatt Family in Switzerland, for their apostolic projects and for all who come on pilgrimage to the shrines in Switzerland
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For the pilgrimage of our worldwide Schoenstatt Family to the jubilee of the covenant of love, and for every step on our pilgrim way
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For the conference of Team 2014 with those responsible for the tents of a covenant culture, and for all the tasks and challenges on the way to 2014
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For Fr Jose Maria Garcia, for strength and rich blessings from the covenant of love and the prayers of so many people all over the world
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For the start of the Academy of Family Pedagogy in Spain this weekend, for the “Sion Feast” of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Argentina, and all conferences and pilgrimages to our shrines
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For the victims of the train crash in Buenos Aires, for all the people who suffer under violence, terror and dictatorships
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For all who have sent in their intentions, prayers, thanksgiving and commitment to the Original Shrine this week via schoenstatt.org (for the first time over sixty people) – from Argentina, France, Germany, Spain, Brazil, Paraguay, Chile, Ecuador, USA and Mexico
As usual the slips of paper with the intentions and petitions were placed in the jar in the Original Shrine. “We fill the jars in the shrine with our gifts …”
“Mother, protect your Schoenstatt Land”
It is fitting to the events of this week and these days that at the end of Mass not only the covenant of love was renewed, but all prayed together the “Sceptre Prayer” from Heavenwards: Mother protect your Schoenstatt Land…, and: Build from here a world that pleases the Father. “May love ever reign there, together with truth and justice, and a unity which does not become mass-mindedness, or lead to inner slavery.” “Let the world see YOUR active hand and stand in admiration before you…” A vision of the future and a challenge, criterion and promise, or, as Ulli and Melanie Grauert remarked in view of the motto for the celebration of erecting Fr Kentenich’s statue in Memholz: My hand in your hand so that the impossible becomes possible.
It was also fitting that the accompaniment of drums during Holy Mass, and the reception and enthusiastic report-back afterwards, spread an atmosphere of joy. The first snowdrops have already put in an appearance – a sign of the formative power of the covenant of love, and Schoenstatt renewed and renewing in the grace of 2014.
Holy Mass on 3 March (broadcast live on schoenstatt-tv) will be celebrated in the covenant with Scotland – on the day when the “Europe Auxiliar” arrives in Campsie Glen and in the year of Schoenstatt’s twentieth anniversary in Scotland. The home page of Schoenstatt in Scotland gives more details: http://www.schoenstatt.co.uk/
2014 – at one glance
Steps of the pilgrimage towards 2014
Official website 2014 – www.schoenstatt2014.org
Bulletin “Towards 2014” 3/2012
Bulletin 2014 (subscribe)
Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England
