Agathe Hug. Will someone come or will no one of the invitees come? That weekend, and on that same day, there were so many other events in Schoenstatt! But this is exactly the opportunity. There are Schoenstatters from many countries present. There is a conference here, a workshop there, but, will they want to change the program of these events in order to participate in the Holy Mass at the House of the Covenant on March 19th at 11 AM?
Two days prior to the date, Mr. and Mrs. Neiser – general superiors of the Institute of Families – announced: we will come with the European educator families from the Institute of Families. Father Marcel will also attend. Ah, that’s good! We will not be alone – the people from schoenstatt-tv – with Father Heinrich Walter, who had already said he was willing to preside at this Holy Mass; the European novices of the Schoenstatt Fathers had already committed themselves for the music. And Father Kuller would participate with them. Now this all looks very nice.
And Father Kunster, in Marienau, predicted: everything will be OK!
And they really appeared
And they really appeared: shortly after 10 AM on that feast day, the first participants arrived. A very diverse family which slowly increased. At the end, after doing a count, it was confirmed that there were representatives from at least twelve countries.
All were greeted by the one who is the center of the House: Father Joseph Kentenich on the poster which depicted him in large size and very natural in the area as one enters the House of the Covenant and, of course, smiling to everyone as they entered. Those who arrived early had the opportunity to visit Father Kentenich’s room before Holy Mass, and – like him – could look out the window towards the Original Shrine, or could also kneel in the last pew of the chapel as he would do. Some were also able to explore the house up to the top, that is, up to the conference room on the fifth floor.
The aromatic touch, the incense which had painstakingly permeated the House for two days (to drive away the odor of rust from a place which had not been used in many years), emphasized the new life of the House, although it irritated some eyes…..
United we celebrated…..
Approximately at 11 AM, the House Chapel was full. There were almost one hundred twenty persons: Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, Schoenstatt Fathers, families, ladies, men and also one child – simply everything there is in Schoenstatt – intoning as a joyful community the entrance hymn: “Chosen, loved, sent.”
Mr. and Mrs. Jensen greeted everyone present in the name of the new House of the Covenant Association.
In his homily, Fr. Heinrich Walter traced a parallel between the house at Nazareth – in which the Saint of the day, St. Joseph, cradled life and lived as a family – and the House of the Covenant which should be the home for the international Schoenstatt Family.
He expounded three points:
- In the house of Nazareth, the Will of God was revered. St. Joseph spoke little but worked a great deal.
- In the house of Nazareth, the greatest of mysteries was served: the mystery of the God made man.
- The house of Nazareth shows us that every beginning starts in the circumference of the family.
Thanks to the diligent translators – Fr. Andrew Pastore and Fr. Francisco Sobral – the persons who followed the ceremony on the Internet and who did not speak German, had the possibility to understand the content of the homily.
There were no altar servers, but flexibility is needed to resolve this and other problems!
…..and to chill-out afterwards
After Holy Mass, a warm tea to chill-out was offered to those who wanted it since it was a bit cold in the House Chapel. It was not in vain that the first Sisters who lived in the house affectionately called it “the ice palace.” But this will get better…..
It will be continued
In the next days, recycling will begin as was explained by Mr. and Mrs. Jensen. First will be to repair the leaks in the roof so that improvements can take place in the interior.
Also in the next few days, the recycling of the east wing will take place. This is where the offices for Team 2014 will be installed.
Also, a firm will be in charge – beginning on March 28th – to dismantle the enormous kitchen, which is no longer functional, and where schoenstatt-tv can install their studio. It will be a long journey until everything is ready so that one can work inside. But every long journey begins, as it is known, with a first step.
The next Holy Mass is already planned in the House of the Covenant. The first groups have already spoken: they want to begin or end their conferences here. Until then, some things still have to be changed. Needless to say, a good sound system is needed so that everyone present – even in the last row – can hear what the priest says from the altar. At the present, those who see the ceremony on the Internet can hear better than those who are physically present, even when schoenstatt-tv, during the transmission, has to battle for the quality of the sound. The previous tests in the empty chapel did not help much when it was suddenly filled with one hundred twenty persons. Whoever wants to or can help schoenstatt-tv with the financing of a sound system will be cordially welcomed!
Everything will turn out OK!
Also, the excellent organ in the chapel needs to be restored before it can be used again….. In the next few weeks, it will be examined by an expert and will determine the cost. If you support it, the organ will soon sound again.
And at any rate: everything will turn out OK! Jesus was born in a poor stable, not in a palace. And Schoenstatt began in a poor cemetery chapel. But it was not too humble for our Father and Founder. We follow him and we build with him. United in the Covenant of Love, the greatest dreams will become reality.
Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, Texas USA 04022011
