mkf. At dawn, on July 8, 2010, a missionary, Irish bishop who died for his missionary commitment in Germany 1300 years ago, was the first one to illuminate the priesthood of another priest no less a missionary than he: Father Joseph Kentenich, who was consecrated as a priest exactly one hundred years ago.
On this day, a young South African priest who was ordained last year – fruit of the misionary work of Father Joseph Kentenich and of many of his spiritual children – celebrated Holy Mass in the Original Shrine for the first time, “in the holy place where the fruitful priesthood of Father Joseph Kentenich originated”.
Saint Kilian, the Irish founding bishop, whose life was the seed of the faith in Germnay – this how Father Simon Donnelly expressed it during a celebration that was solemn and simple, accompanied by texts and melodies that Kilian and his companions had prayed and sung – he participated, with his life and death, the sending forth of the universal Church, the same one that Jesus gave to all his disciples. Through Mary, the Mater Ecclesiae, the Mother of all the Church of her Son, this Shrine is part of this sending forth, and thanks to Father Kentenich’s initiative, this place was transformed into “a surprising place of graces”. And for someone who comes from the other extreme of the world, where his parents and he himself learned “about the paternity of God and the maternity of Our Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt through the many Sisters of Mary and also through some German priests, missionaries of Schoenstatt”, it is impressive to celebrate Holy Mass in the Original Shrine for the first time on the anniversary of the priestly ordination of the Founder.
It was also this way on the morning of July 8, 2010 for those who participated in the Holy Mass – a group of people from several places and nations -it was the brilliant and unexpected beginning of a splendid and festive day.
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio/Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
