AUSTRIA, Ingrid and Alois Neuhauser •
The opening of the first Austrian Marriage Camino took place at Obritzberg, St Poelten Diocese, on 28 June. About four hundred people, among them families from the neighbouring dioceses of Vienna, Linz, Graz and even Hungary and the Czech Republic, came to share in a joyful celebration of marriage and the family. After the family Mass, prepared by the Schoenstatt families, nourishment for body and soul was served in the parish courtyard.
The children enjoyed themselves with games in the parish garden. Special highlights were a petting zoo with a baby donkey and the flight of fifteen white carrier pigeons released by Mr & Mrs Franz Marchat. Valuable prizes could be won on the tombola.
Content of the Marriage Camino
In the church the adults looked at photos of the end of the war and the origin of Marienstein forty years previously.
Successful examples from life in the keynote address on the subjects of the Marriage Camino (talk, trust, reconcile, appreciate, pass on, mature and orientate) awakened the interest of the guests in the Camino. It was opened and blessed that afternoon by Bishop Klaus Küng DD.
The local MP, Franz Edlinger, was impressed by the 3 km path. “Nature and the contents of the stations formed a wonderful unity, and offered inspiration for good conversations. I am sure that I will soon walk this path with my wife”, he said. The chairlady of the committee for renewing the village and town, Maria Forstner, immediately thought of a co-operative project with other themes. Deputy mayor, Daniela Engelhart, is proud that this project started in her community, and drew attention to the wonderful surroundings of the Marriage Camino. The beautiful view, the shelter of the woods, and the possibility to go for a walk through the surrounding countryside brought the day to a relaxed conclusion.
Originated in Hungary
The team that created this Marriage Camino (couples belonging to the Schoenstatt Family Federation, the parish and diocese) are proud of the successful project. They will be happy if this path can become a blessing to many couples, and if many sign the Marriage Camino book at Marienstein.
The Marriage Camino started in Hungary as a project of the Schoenstatt Family Federation for the renewal of marriage and the family. In the meantime different variations can be found in Germany (as Schoenstatt, Memholz, Salach), and now it has spread to Austria.
Video (by Erich Berger)
Sources: www.schoenstatt.at and http://www.familien.stpoelten.schoenstatt.at/2015/ehewegeroeffnung-und-segnung/ (more photos)
