TEXAS, USA, Carlos Cantú. A beautiful day for the solemn occasion. They were graced with a slightly lower temperature, a respite from the usual Texas heat. The celebration began with Adoration in the Confidentia Shrine. More than 100 participants were in attendance, symbolically representing the 100 years of the founding of the Schoenstatt Movement: the 100 years of the Covenant of Love with the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt, the founding generation and the Father and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, and the 100 years of the Blessed Mother establishing herself in the Shoenstatt Shrine. Seating had been set up in front of the shrine and a warm family atmosphere prevailed. After Adoration, and still sitting in front of the Shrine, they were delighted with the mariachi music. Dressed in their traditional charro attire, they stood in front of the open shrine and lovingly sang to the Blessed Mother. It was a delightful surprise that lifted everyone’s hearts, which were welling with thanksgiving for all they had received.
A Texas Celebration and a New Pentecost
After the Mariachi concert, they proceeded to the training center for the Eucharistic celebration. Fr. Mathias Arularasu presided at both the Eucharistic celebration and the Jubilee Day Covenant of Love celebration. They were most grateful to Fr. Mathias for his participation. Fr. Mathias is a diocesan priest serving in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. He is a friend of Schoenstatt. At the beginning of the Eucharistic Celebration, Fr. Mathias read the message of the Holy Father, Pope Francis, to the Schoenstatt Movement on the occasion of the celebration of the 100 years of their founding.
After Holy Mass, there was a candlelight procession to the shrine. The candles were lit from the Jubilee Candle. All the participants at the shrine spoke the following words that were very fitting for the occasion:
“We want to give thanks in our shrines all over the world today: for the gift of Schoenstatt, for the presence of the Mother of God in our Schoenstatt Shrines as the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt, for her power, her kindness and loyalty, for the covenant of love, our mission, our way to holiness, our gift to the Church, for all we have discovered through Schoenstatt and are allowed to do and fulfill within our various communities, for the brotherly and sisterly attachment we have to each other, thanks to our covenant of love which transcends all generations and cultures, for our father and founder, ‘THIS IS THE DAY THE LORD HAS MADE.’”
In the spirit of joyful gratitude with the following words, they expressed their uniqueness as the Texas Schoenstatt Family:
“Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt, on this special and grace-filled day, when heaven and earth meet again in our Shrine, we want to bring you our Jubilee Gifts through the hands of our dear Father and Founder. We give to you the Father Memorial prepared by your Texas Schoenstatt Family in gratitude for his visit to Corpus Christi and in mission consciousness for the coming 100 years. We bring to you our new daughter Shrine in the capital of Texas, Austin, Bethlehem, Cradle of Sanctity Shrine. We also bring to you the Jubilee Gifts of our branches. At the threshold of the new Schoenstatt century, we bring you our gratitude for the many graces you have bestowed on us from our Shrine of unlimited, victorious, childlike Confidence. You have shown your power and victory as Queen of Confidence. You have worked great miracles, and we know that you will lead us victoriously into the future. Accept our pledge as your new Founding Generation in the Covenant of Love for the realization of the new Marian era.
These words were concluded with the pronouncing of the new Texas motto: WITH MARY, A NEW PENTECOST FOR OUR TIMES!
Capital of Grace, Renewing the Covenant, Father’s blessing, refreshments and fireworks!
Slips of paper bearing contributions to the Capital of Grace were then burned in front of the shrine. After a moment of silence, everyone was invited to renew a personal Covenant of Love.
The ceremony concluded with the forming of a loyalty ring; it was an impressive loyalty ring formed from both the left and right front corners of the shrine including the Father Kentenich statue, and of course, they renewed their Covenant of Love in song. They then listened to the beautiful words of the Father and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, as he imparted his blessing.
Everyone received a beautiful picture of Father Kentenich and a picture of the Father Symbol. Afterwards, everyone was invited back to the training center for refreshments, but not before seeing a beautiful fireworks display.
