Dear Pilgrims

The images of the Pope in Rio – the final mass on the Copacabana beach must still be present for many of us. Those big moments and the little ones – the tears in the Popes eyes as a boy tells him he wants to be a priest. Not just the images, but the words and way of the Pope are making waves. Many are thinking he is speaking too us, some even that he speaks like we understand our chrism. Recent words on the 200th anniversary of the Cathedral in Mexico City might resonate with you: “it is not about looking backwards. An event like this must be a strong spiritual impulse to joyously accept the great task that belongs to all baptised today – to become disciples and missionaries of Christ.”

On the 22nd September the Original Shrine will be passed on to our Schoenstatt family in a small celebration. There has been no singular event in our modern history that has moved so many people in the movement as this. The significance of the moment is not necessarily reflected in the actual event. But perhaps that is not a bad thing. The moment is not so much about a building, or it’s history – but about our living of the covenant of love. As we journey together to 2014 we need to remind ourselves again and again. Your covenant, our mission. This is “the” “spiritual impulse” for our pilgrimage. What do we need to become?

God Bless
Fr. Andrew Pastore

Opening of the Pilgrimage Year
On the 18th October 2013 our Pilgrimage year begins. Cardinal Rylko, head of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will be the “first” pilgrim to enter the Original Shrine in this Year of Grace. The celebrations will begin at 8pm CET and transmitted live in EWTN as well as www.schoenstatt-tv.de. Everyone is invited to take part.

This day, of course will be marked by celebrations through the world. We invite you to let us know how you are going to open your Pilgrimage Year and share with the whole world the joy of our celebration (info@schoenstatt2014.org).

Tents of Covenant Culture
It has been amazing to see the presentation of many projects in preparation for the Pilgrimage Year. But did you know – the tents will not just be a place to present existing projects, but centers of encounter in our celebration days to meet and share your experiences of covenant culture. There will be varying programs, places to sit and talk – and if you need – I am sure you will find a cup of coffee.

“In Covenant with” the Schoenstatt Communities around the world
Starting on August 2013 we want to continue the Saturday tradition of celebrating Holy Mass for the intentions of 2014, now in Covenant with the different Schoenstatt Communities around the world.

• With the Institutes
• with the Federations
• with the Apostolic League

Our spiritual pilgrimage offers every branch an opportunity to grow as a family and community of the Movement, but at the same time it is an opportunity for the growth of the communities amongst each other.

On the first Saturday of the month the mass is transmitted at 7,15pm CET on www.schoenstatt-tv.de…

List of Communities

Website info and Update
Please check our website www.schoesntatt2014.org for updated information on volunteers, booking and new members of the team. (coming soon)

In the Middle of the World, Covenant fire, offer on the paten. (August 2013)

The Schoenstatt Movement in Ecuador is experiencing great strength and vitality. We have been able to live this Triennium of preparation as a current of life. The news about the gift of the Original Shrine is an even greater motivation to live this Pilgrimage 2014 with gratitude and commitment. We want to give witness to a live Covenant Culture.

The Ecuadorian Family wants to start out the Jubilee Year with a National Leaders’ Convention, which will take place during the last weekend of October 2013 in Guayaquil. Together we will meditate on the meaning of the universality of the Covenant of Love and its demands of love. The Central Committee is elaborating a “pastoral guide” with texts of the Founding Document as a tool to animate the life during the Jubilee Year; it will have its focus on the 18th of each month. In this way we want to ask for the grace as manifested in our Pilgrimage Prayer: “Enkindle in us anew the fire of love for you, 
for Father Kentenich 
and for our family.”

The Leaders’ Convention will have to high points. The first one will be the placing of the first bronze Father statue on Ecuadorian soil. The real size statue is made completely in Ecuador and it will stand at the entrance of the National Shrine “Family of the Father – Home for the World.” With this event we conclude a time of much offering to the Capital of Grace and reaffirm our attachment to the Founder. We want to become a “Cor unum in Patre.”

Second: We will celebrate Holy Mass at the Cathedral, united with out Bishops, to express our ecclesial commitment. With this Mass we will start our spiritual work towards the construction of a side altar in the Cathedral dedicated to the MTA as heart of the Church, which will be consecrated in 2014. We want this altar to become a Parish Shrine.

Many apostolic endeavors have taken place during this year dedicated to the mission. A very important one has been the Covenant preparation for pilgrims of our Shrines. The idea is to present our charisma and the Covenant of Love to the Church and world. Many Schoenstatters have become real missionaries, who with the help of a “Missionary Kit” invite and prepare many pilgrims – at their work places, their friends and acquaintances – to seal their Covenant of Love. As a centennial gift to the MTA we also want to bring Schoenstatt’s message to different dioceses where the Movement is not yet present. Great work is being done in the dioceses of Portoviejo and Babahoyo as well as in other cities. The Family and Youth Missions have been of great help to reach these goals. Also our schools, works and foundations continue to give much fruit. The crowning of the Santuario Ciudad in Quito and of the Auxiliary Pilgrim MTA will take place during the Jubilee Year. We hope that many Ecuadorians will attend the Jubilee Celebration and contribute to it with the Capital of Grace from our four shrines. We offer everything for Schoenstatt’s mission and for the realization of our National Family Ideal: Family of the Father, consecrated on the Paten. Mphcev.

P. Eduardo Auza