org. The contours of the celebrations on 18 October 2014 in Schoenstatt and then in Rome are gradually becoming visible – and influence people in the worldwide Schoenstatt Movement. 2014 will be a pilgrimage … and takes shape “with every step on our pilgrim way”. 2014 is gathering the Family “from every country, community and generation to renew the covenant of love” (WD 2014) at the Original Shrine. It opens its door in a new way from 1 April. The “original Peregrina” with which Joao Pozzobon walked 140.000 km on pilgrimage in order to bring the Mother Thrice Admirable to the people, will be present at the celebrations in Schoenstatt and Rome. In April it begins a pilgrimage through the whole of Brazil. The central feature of the renewal of the covenant of love on 18 October 2014 will be “the re-entry of the MTA picture into the Original Shrine and putting up the missionary Cross”. Catchword: “Image of new evangelisation” and Year of Faith. The highpoint of 18 October 2014 will be the removal of the MTA picture from the Original Shrine, after which it will be carried through the crowds and then re-enter the Original Shrine as we renew the covenant of love (AD 2014). A project that began very quietly has taken up this spirit and gives her a face, in the fullest sense of the word: The MTA mosaic for 2014 for Schoenstatt and Rome, the face of the MTA for the world. Everyone can join in.
The MTA leaves the Original Shrine and shows the people her face; she comes to them … in order to take them with her into the shrine. That is the process of the Pilgrim Mother, as Fr Dörflinger of the General Council of the Institute of Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests put it. That is also the spiritual process of forming an MTA mosaic from all our faces. That is the “living shrine”: “Go with us through our times…” A picture for 2014.
We look back to 7 September 2004
It was in the Vatican Gardens on the evening of 7 September 2004, eve of the blessing of “the shrine for all of us” in Belmonte, the International Schoenstatt Centre in Rome. Around 3000 Schoenstatters from all over the world were standing with burning candles and radiant eyes waiting at the entrance for the procession to begin. Suddenly the MTA picture for the shrine fell to the ground and shattered. At the same moment hundreds of Pilgrim Mother pictures were lifted high. We are your face, Mary, your hands, your feet, your eyes, your ears, your mouth, your heart… You can rely on us. We are wherever you want to go. We will bear you into the world. This experience, which none who were there will ever forget, also provides a background to this idea from Belmonte – to create an MTA picture out of thousands of faces for the jubilee of the covenant of love.
What a lovely idea! It really is wonderful! I was in the Vatican Gardens at that time. Once people get to know about the MTA mosaic there will be a real rush to join in. That’s why I want to upload my photo immediately so that I am already there when the crowds arrive.
X.
Depicting unity in multiplicity in the covenant of love in an original way
“The mosaic project, Give me your face, is an invitation to everyone who loves our Mother Thrice Admirable to set their stamp on Schoenstatt’s picture of Mary, and to experience the unity in multiplicity in the covenant of love in a very original way,” remarked Fr Dörflinger, who is co-ordinating the programme on behalf of the Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests. Everyone can add their face and help to shape the MTA picture in exchange for a small financial contribution, which will go to support the building projects at Belmonte and the Jubilee 2014.
The programme is entitled “We are Schoenstatt”. This is precisely what is intended. We are Schoenstatt. Schoenstatt has thousands, hundreds of thousands, a million faces. Schoenstatt is always my Schoenstatt, Schoenstatt with my face. This is because, at the moment she called us in a very personal way to enter into the covenant of love, the MTA said: My Schoenstatt! But the first thing is that WE give her our face. We are Schoenstatt!
We are Schoenstatt! We are the people! People holding simple candles, and utterly convinced that they could change the course of history, simply brushed a dictatorship aside and tore down the Berlin Wall. We are also confronted with walls. Again and again. We are Schoenstatt. I upload my photo. I want to be there when the walls fall.
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There is a very unique search process: Is my face the eye, the ear, the heart, the hand, the mouth or the cloak, or simply the area in which the MTA can grow and work? Is she holding me in her arms like the Child Jesus, or does she need me to shelter people?
At the moment we enter into the covenant of love she says, “You are my Schoenstatt!” That is what I felt, that is what she said to me when I uploaded my photo. It wasn’t just a donation campaign. It was a renewal of my covenant of love. It went so deep that I get goose pimples when I think of it. And when life is treating me badly, I can click on the link I was given at that time and look for my face at the heart of the MTA in our MTA mosaic.
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A second glance into the past: The start at the WYD
In collaboration with Wolfram Kläger, mosaic constructor www.mosaikfabrik.de an MTA picture will be created thanks to digital technology from the faces of all who give Schoenstatt a face. The project “We are Schoenstatt – Give me your face” started during the World Youth Day in Madrid last year.
“Armed with brilliant yellow T-shirts, flags, buttons, collecting boxes and a camera we set off in small groups. The people, mostly youth, were enthusiastic about the project and were happy to give the Blessed Mother their faces. It was a really super experience to explain the project to people from so many countries and then immediately take their photo. In this way we were able to improve our knowledge of English and French, and in addition we got to know many nice people. What we at first looked upon as ‘work’ increasingly became one of the many highlights of the WYD. So it happened that in just a few days we were able to take a few thousand photos. We hope that many people will allow themselves to be infected with enthusiasm for this project and give the Blessed Mother their photo!”
David Brändle
A spiritual process with many facets – as diverse as the covenant of love itself
It is simply the case with life and life processes that you can’t count on it that things will remain as they are. Life is not an Excel spreadsheet. Nor is the MTA mosaic project. The “picture for 2014” is growing into a spiritual process that is as diverse as the covenant of love itself.
Of course, it started as an original donation campaign for Belmonte – for the International Schoenstatt Centre close to the shrine for everyone – and for the celebrations of 2014, our covenant of love for everyone. Suddenly uploading a photo becomes a prayer, a renewal of the covenant of love, a representative action. Only my photo? Why not that of a friend, a nephew or niece, daughters or sons-in-law, granny or granddad, a parish priest, as well? Perhaps we will then understand what we can give our parish priest!
It is something like our covenant of love for our people, as Fr Martin Emge remarked. He “uploaded” his bishop. There is plenty of space under the MTA’s protective mantle.
A few days ago I received the news that someone who means a lot to me is seriously ill. We haven’t prayed for ages. For the first time I sent in my intention to the Original Shrine for the Mass on the way to 2014. I want to do more… Someone told me about the MTA mosaic and that it means that everyone is taken along spiritually to the Mass in the Original Shrine every Monday. I have a photo… Where is the link to upload it? Where is my credit card? I click 10 Euros. What I am doing here is precious… As I upload the photo I pray the little consecration: My Queen, my Mother…
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Of course it started as a testimony: I give my face for Schoenstatt. Then this grows into the wish to bring as many as possible close to our MTA. The Sodalists in World War I sent their photos to the Original Shrine along with those of their comrades they had won for Schoenstatt, and then also for those they wanted to win, or who were in particular need. Then someone uploads one of the children supported by Dequeni, and another a victim in Homs, Syria, and still another their boss in a smiling form of love for one’s enemy. We are Schoenstatt, and Schoenstatt is life, and life is colourful. As colourful as the MTA mosaic, alive in the grace of 2014.
If someone thinks they know this idea…
If someone thinks they know this idea: yes, it was at the WYD in Cologne. The portrait of Pope John Paul II composed of 50.000 photos from all over the world contributed in eight weeks. During the event the 10 x 12 meter portrait appeared next to the Cathedral. It was also constructed by mosaikfabrik.de. The MTA is in good company!
To upload photos and more information
Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England
