mkf. “Today’s celebration – the 95th Anniversary of the founding of the Schoenstatt Movement – in which members throughout the world participated is an excellent opportunity to evoke with gratitude and to reflect on the commitment of the Movement in the Church. The Movement gives gratitude for the charism of Father Joseph Kentenich, who in faithfulness to God’s grace, called it into existence.” stressed Archbishop Jean Claude Péisset, the Apostolic Nuncio in Germany, during the homily of the festive Mass of October 18th at the Pilgrims’ Church. In his first visit to Schoenstatt, he not only demonstrated a profound knowledge of the Movement; but he also had great expectations in view of its contribution of its original charism to the diocesan level and to the universal Church.
October 18th, the “day of days”, began with a vigil throughout the night in the Pilgrims’ Church and Adoration in the nal Shrine. Punctually, at the first stroke of October 18th, the Girls’ Youth went out of the Original Shrine to light sparklers and to sing Happy Birthday to the Shrine (see video)!
The day began cloudy and cold, but at least it did not rain…the pilgrims began to arrive early from all parts of Germany and from many other countries to celebrate together the source of their life, the Covenant of Love. A large group of Chileans and Mexicans, the Mecís from Argentina, a young couple from Colombia, youth from Peru, members and friends of Schoenstatt from Austria, Switzerland, a group of youth with enormous Chilean flags: everyone congregated in the Pilgrims’ Church, where a half hour before the Mass, Father Egon Zillekens, Sister Kornelia, Sister Angela, Sister Damiana, and Casio Leal greeted the pilgrims who were present, and also all of those who were connected via Internet – and there were many, not only from Germany, but also from countries, where many had to rise at dawn to be in front of the screen at that time…!
The 1,500 pilgrims congregated in Schoenstatt applauded with enthusiasm and affection to enthuse the 60,000 pilgrims gathered in Tuparenda, Paraguay, celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Schoenstatt in their country, the Schoenstatt Family celebrating the Golden Anniversary of the Confidentia Shrine in Texas, the pilgrims walking from Hasenkamp to La Loma in the ConcePro pilgrimage in Argentina, and to everyone who was having birthdays along with the Original Shrine!
“The founding of the Movement is an ecclesial event”
About fifty priests, along with the Nuncio – who had arrived at Schoenstatt the night before – entered the Church, while the choir of the Sisters of Mary “reinforced” by some ladies of other Women’s Branches, sang the opening hymn.
In his homily, Archbishop Périsset commented that it was an immense joy for him to celebrate the 95th Anniversary of its founding on that October 18, 1914 with the Schoenstatt Movement. With October 18th as a point of departure, he emphasized three dimensions of Schoenstatt: the temporal dimension, the geographic dimension, and that of “density.”
“The event referred to by this day of remembrance, is part of a ‘Chronos,’ meaning that it is linked to a certain moment in the passage of time and in this sense, an historical event. Exactly ninety-five years ago, on October 18, right here in Schoenstatt, Fr. Kentenich addressed the young men who he had gathered to form a Marian Sodality for the first time -probably without being fully aware of the historical significance of this happening,” he explained, and he continued: “This past occurrence also contains the character of a ‘Kairos’ – a moment of grace: as an event of the Church, in the Church, and for the Church. In the Second Epistle of Peter, we read: ‘But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years and a thousand years like one day. (2 Peter 3:8).’ One further reference to this first dimension of the Schoenstatt Movement: the founding of the Schoenstatt Movement is an ecclesial event, which means a human event or a human act, inspired by the grace of God.
The second dimension – has to do not only with a date of grace October 18th; but it is also a place of grace: the Original Shrine is multiplied in almost 200 Shrines throughout the world like the doors of heaven. The third dimension can be defined as a specific density that it has accomplished in the course of almost 100 years. ‘In the sphere of the Church, the Schoenstatt Movement has established its own density and therefore has found its place therein. Now it depends on its members to see to it that this density – its characteristic properties, its charism – is maintained and promoted in other ecclesial organizations by accordingly fostering adaptable forms.”
Petitions were read in different languages – German, English, Spanish, and Czech -, and at the end of the Mass the Nuncio spontaneously resumed his homily in French.
An atmosphere of joy, of family, and of anticipation reigned, because this was only the beginning of a day of grace that would end in the afternoon with the renewal of the Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine.
