mev/mda. Ever since the 1920s Fr Kentenich has always connected the subject of the world of work, and the culture of work and leadership in the economy, with the social question. It is a subject to which committed Schoenstatters who are concerned with forming a new social order feel indebted.
Mario Hiriart, the fiftieth anniversary of whose death falls in the middle of the Jubilee Year 2014, is an example of how to influence the world of work through the spirit of the covenant of love. “If we had more holy atomic physicists, we would never have had an atomic bomb” – a statement that can be meaningfully applied to many other jobs. Since the 1980s in South Africa and Latin America seminars and books for leaders in the economic and business world have become available. The International Kentenich Academy for Leaders with their projects, and the Ibero-American Conference for Schoenstatt Leaders, together with many other initiatives, bring a covenant culture into the world of the economy.
How real is our “covenant with”?
The participants heard nothing about it at the Holy Mass “on the way to 2014” on 6 July, which was celebrated “in covenant with all the initiatives of a covenant culture in the world of the economy”, nor did those who followed the live transmission of the Mass on Schoenstatt-TV. “Was the Mass in covenant with our projects, or not?” asked a manager who had specially tuned in that morning. Were there two or three somewhere in the world who really entered into this “covenant with” on that Saturday?
Fr Franz Widmaier, who obviously celebrated this Holy Mass on the way to 2014 in the Original Shrine for the first time, had probably “jumped in” for someone else. At the start he greeted all those present in person or via Schoenstatt-TV in Spanish, German and English, and said: Today we pray for the intentions of 2014. The Mass text chosen was “Mary, Queen of Peace”, and during the Prayers of the Faithful prayers were offered for peace in Syria, and also for all who had sent in their gifts and petitions, intentions, thanksgiving, contrition and commitment, to the Original Shrine via schoenstatt.org to fill the jar for 2014 – from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, USA, Spain, Peru, Ecuador, Italy, South Africa, Venezuela, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Columbia, Portugal, Sweden, Switzerland, Burundi, Germany, Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Russia and Malaysia.
That is a real reality.
We fill the jars in the shrine with our gifts …
The personal gifts and those collected from the life of the Schoenstatt Movement were placed in the jar:
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For all the leaders who are inspired by the covenant of love to work in the economy and service sector, in personnel management and with Christian responsibility to create a covenant culture; for all who are committed to social justice, fair working conditions and just payment and treatment of workers;
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For a rich blessing for the Ibero-American Conference for Schoenstatt Leaders in the preparation for 2014 in Costa Rica in November;
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For a positive reception for the Encyclical “Light of Faith”, for the visit of Pope Francis to the immigrants on the island of Lampedusa on Monday, and his prayer intention for the month of July: For the World Youth Day and the evangelisation of Asia;
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For all who come on pilgrimage this weekend to the Original Shrine and all the other shrines in the world; for all who are touched by the devastation destruction of the Lourdes shrine;
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For the worldwide Schoenstatt Family on its pilgrimage to the Jubilee 2014, for all the apostolic projects that will become gifts when we renew the covenant of love; for all who pray and live the Pilgrimage Prayer each day; for all who dedicate their strength and time to preparing for 2014, and all to whom we owe important contributions on this pilgrimage.
