SOUTH AFRICA, slp. His Grace Archbishop Buti Thlagale, Frs. Simon Donnelly, Kevin Bugler, Tony Daniels, Ronald Houreld, Francis Manana and Ronnie Cairns, concelebrated Holy Mass with 120 members and friends of the Apostolic Schoenstatt Movement on Thursday evening 17th October 2013 at Schoenstatt Bedfordview, in celebration of the international opening of Schoenstatt’s Jubilee Year and to re-crown Our Blessed Mother as Queen of Africa.
During his homily, His Grace, encouraged movements like Schoenstatt to ensure that Our Blessed Mother’s profile is raised in South Africa by creating heightened awareness of her feast days and highlighting them with pilgrimages and celebrations.
What we give and what we do
Before the offertory, symbols of the strivings and projects which have been made by the local Movement as part of its apostolic mission in the four decades since its establishment in the Archdiocese of Johannesburg were presented to Our Blessed Mother. These represent the Movement’s response to Our Blessed Mother’s requests and the Covenant of Love we made with her. They also espouse the ideals and vision of Schoenstatt’s founder, Fr. Kentenich, to spread the Gospel on every continent and in every aspect of our religious and everyday life under Our Lady’s education and guidance and in honour of the Triune God.
These projects, the fruits of our Covenant Culture in the fields of marriage and family life, youth, pedagogy, Church and society were presented to Our Blessed Mother together with completed Novenas and Prayers as a spiritual bouquet to Her as Our Mother and Queen of Africa.
Before the final blessing, in a very moving and poignant service, His Grace led the congregation into the Shrine where Our Lady was re-crowned as Queen of Africa.
