50th Jubilee of Picture of “Little Boy” walking with Father in Milwaukee

USA, Michael Fenelon. This picture was a gift of Divine Providence to symbolize the fatherhood of Fr. Kentenich and us his spiritual children.  I still remember the day that this picture was taken.  It was a bright sunny day in May 26, 1963 when I was 8 years old.  A few parishioners had invited Father to look at some land for the future expansion of Schoenstatt.  Sometime during the walk I must have been up near Father and he took my hand.

I have to confess that I actually don’t remember holding his hand, but I would imagine we must have exchanged a few words.  Later on I heard that Father took my hand because the ground was uneven and he wanted to steady himself, but he didn’t want to take the arm of an adult, so he took the hand of a child.  It gives a beautiful meditation on how we don’t only need Father, but that he needs us his children to accomplish our Schoenstatt mission.

Passport to the world

My wife and I call this our “passport” to the world. We have been invited to speak all around our Schoenstatt world. I used to be embarrassed to speak about this picture. I thought there are many other people who can witness about Father better than the remembrances of an 8 year old boy.  I came to gradually see that people attached themselves to this photo as a way of attaching themselves to Father. They could see themselves as this little boy walking in the fields with our Father. The complete joy I saw on people’s faces and that they expressed to me was humbling. When this understanding finally came to me I took it as my mission (and now my wife’s also). Now, I am never embarrassed to speak of this photo, but am honored.