Dear Pilgrims

In a talk on 1810.2013, Fr. Rafael Fernandez (Chile) highlights the meaning of Jubilee according to Fr. Kentenich.

The first element he brings out is “Joy” – this is what Jubilee means. I am not sure how your celebrations went but ours were great. The fact that so many could participate through the live transmission on the Internet through Schoenstatt-TV and EWTN. Many thanks for all the “joyous” feedback – be assured – we plan to build on the experience gained. This joy is filled with gratitude – to God, Our Blessed Mother and our Founder – and to many others along the Journey of the last one hundred years.

Its the text of Fr. Kenenich he quotes that caught my attention… October Week in 1951:
“What does a jubilee year want?
It wants a new founding.
What does a jubilee year want?
It wants to uncover the foundations of the family, to build upon them again.
What does a jubilee year want?
To revise all that originated and grew, if it is healthy and straight or if something went wrong and must be righted.”

As we journey through the jubilee year, as we pray for Grace 2014, we ask:”What must I do that God’s grace can work in in our midst.” As we journey through the Jubilee year we have to remember that we do this not just to be introspective, but to learn to live our Mission more fully for the next one hundred years.

God Bless
Fr. Andrew

We would like to thank everyone who helped make the opening of our Jubilee year a great moment of grace and joy. Whether around the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt or in the Schoenstatt Shrines and Families throughout the world. We are well on the way together as a pilgrim family toward the renewal of the covenant on the 18 October 2014.

Experience of Live transmission
Many thank for all the feedback regarding the live transmission on 18 October 2013. Many were touch with the possibility to “be present” really take part – and that they could do this “live” and “in my own language”. From Nigeria to England, to India to South Africa to Costa Rica… We are a world wide family – thanks too for sending the reports of your celebration. Things can only get better…

Program Team
Many were grateful to have the texts of the celebrations in advance so they could give form to there own celebrations in the many Shrines and families around the World. Sr. Veronika has called an international team together that is looking at the experience the pilgrims will make here in Schoenstatt – and maybe throughout the world.

Transport to and From Mount Schoenstatt
Many were worried about the distances that that might have to walk between the various places of interest in Schoenstatt – especially the walk up Mount Schoenstatt to the tent where food will be served. Take a deep breath… After long negotiations with the police and other important offices we now have permission to run a shuttle bus service up and down the mountain.

Visits to the National Teams
In the month of November there is two major meetings of moment responsible leaders in Europe and South America. Team2014 is present to further the conversation between the national responsible leaders and the Team.
Fr Andrew Pastore and David Perera are beginning to visit the national teams throughout the world. In November and December they will be in North and South America. From February they will be visiting countries in Europe and beyond. If you are interested that they visit you please contact… info@schoenstatt2014.org

The Schoenstatt Family in Chile is on the road to the2014 celebrations

On October 18th to mark the beginning of the jubilee year, the holy doors of the twenty-two Shrines in Chile were closed for an hour, and then were re-opened to the sound of the bells after the celebration of the Covenant Masses. This October 18th was a time of great joy, enthusiasm and hope in all of the Chilean Shrines and Wayside Shrines.

With a spirit of renewal of the founding sodalists’ impetus and loyalty, and with grateful and committed hearts the Chilean Schoenstatt Family celebrated this step of the last year of the spiritual pilgrimage toward the culminating moment of the Renewal of the Covenant of Love, which committed the Blessed Mother through the Founder and the sodalists in the Original Shrine one hundred years ago. The experience of the Triennium of preparation for the jubilee year has served as a stimulus for many currents of life that are revitalized day by day, and they are preparing everyone for the arrival of October 18, 2014, with very willing and open hearts, to receive this eruption of special graces, which will impel everybody more fervently to take Schoenstatt to the Church and the world, forging a Covenant culture for the next one hundred years…and beyond.

During these three years of preparation, the attachment to the Shrines has increased (seen in the celebrations of the 18th of every month). There have been works to grow and to deepen in the attachment to the Founder and Father, the different apostolic initiatives have been strengthened and developed to project Schoenstatt more strongly and within the presence Church and society (a register has been made of the many initiatives and social and apostolic works that have emerged in the different local families throughout Chile). Moreover there has been a campaign of contributions to the capital of grace to conquer the kilometers taking Chilean Schonestatters to the Original Shrine, and there has been incentive to spread and to project the Rosary Campaign, etc. etc.

During this spiritual itinerary toward October 18, 2014, the visit of the Father Symbol, from the Original Shrine that traveled to close to forty Schoenstatt Centers in Chile, was very motivational, and it helped to orient them in their pilgrimage toward the Original Shrine. There were two special times during this year that have been very inspirational to everyone: the election of Pope Francis and the gift of the Original Shrine to the Schoenstatt Family. The news of the gift of the Original Shrine by the Pallottines especially impressed them very much as a sign of the work and initiative of God and the Blessed Mother, and it awakened much joy, motivating a great commitment in the context of the Jubilee.

The month of October was a very busy month, and it was put to good use in every one of the Schoenstatt Families throughout Chile. During this month, they celebrated five Regional Leaders’ Conferences, in five cities, in which a total of approximately 12,000 people participated. These conferences were very good and motivationally gave a strong impetus to the experience of the Jubilee year. A great family atmosphere prevailed in all of them. It was at one of these conferences that they also received the news that the Holy Father had granted a Plenary Indulgence to all the world’s Schoenstatt Shrines during this Jubilee year, if the usual requirements are fulfilled. Going forward, on our spiritual road toward October 14, 2014, we now want to intensify our steps and prepare ourselves with more dedication and enthusiasm for the celebration of that day. We want to celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the eruption of graces that gave birth to our Movement with great faith and gratitude, with joy and renewed commitment.

Chilean Schoenstatters are on the road with the desire of living this Jubilee Year 2014 as a united Family around the Founder and Father, encouraged by the faith and the experience of the Covenant and on fire for the mission. Throughout this year, they want to renew the Covenant of Love in every Shrine, every wayside shrine, and Home shrine to emanate it into the Church and the world with new evangelizing impetus. They want to implore a new eruption of grace that will inspire them with renewed loyalty to our mission. In union with the Church and placing themselves at its service, their desire is that the Covenant of Love with Mary spreads more strongly in the life of the Church, that their Shrines be open places for it and sources of renewal for everyone, and that the Church will recognize and be open to the charism of Father Kentenich.

Father Eduardo Aguirre, National Director