Posted On 2012-04-10 In Original Shrine

The Original Shrine in April

Agathe Hug/org. April 1st will be recorded in the history of the Original Shrine as the day on which the Pallottine Fathers entrusted it to the Schoenstatt Fathers, as the legal leaders, for its free use. It is a transcendental, historic event that was witnessed by the universal Schoenstatt Family, thanks to schoenstatt-tv, schoenstatt.org, and many other channels of communication; the many comments on schoenstatt.org show this moment it was intensely shared. Other historic events that took place during the month of April are the reception of the MTA picture on April 2, 1915, and the founding of the Marian Congregation on April 19, 1914.

Other dates in April

April 1487 or 1489
The departure of the last twenty-four religious from the Monastery of Mühlenheim (that belongs to Ehrenbreitstein)

April 2, 1902
The new, primitive altar arrived at the Saint Michael Chapel. There was a picture of Piety over the altar. There were morning prayers in the little chapel until 1912.

April 9, 1947
Pius XII granted indulgences to the Shrine.

April 19, 1901
The Pallottines acquired the property.

The picture of the MTA

The story of the MTA picture is well known. Today, thanks to the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, it is the most wide spread picture of grace in the world. Therefore, only a brief summary will related here:

April 2, 1915
The young Schoenstatt community was searching for a picture for the Shrine. They even asked a well-known artist to paint one. Professor Ernst Huggle saw a picture of the Virgin in Freiburg, he bought it, and he presented it as a gift for the little chapel. In 1950, Father Kentenich stated the following: “The young men did not like the picture. It was something foreign to them. But since they did not have another one, we erected it. From then on, I related all my conferences to the picture, so that the youth could read those thoughts in the picture. Later, the entire Movement became attached to this picture.”

On Good Friday 1915, the picture arrived at the Vallendar train station, packed in a crate; two Pallottine Brothers picked it up and later it was placed in the Shrine. The Saint Michael statue that was over the altar at that time was placed on a stand near the left wall.

The founding of the Marian Congregation

Other important dates

April 19, 1914
Solemn founding of the Marian Congregation. Afterwards, Father Kentenich searched for a meeting place, and he thought about the little chapel of the valley.

The origin of the Marian Congregation is a Jesuit tradition. Beginning in 1540, a group of lay adherents emerged in the Jesuit community, who assumed their spirituality in the spirit of the founder of the new order, Ignatius Loyola. The first group was born in Rome, in the Roman School founded by Saint Ignatius. They chose the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord as their own, because they wanted to be entirely available for the work of God in the world like Mary. That is how the Latin name, Congregatio Mariana (CM), was born united under the protection of Mary. A consecration to Mary was required to join the CM; each sodalist made the consecration. The special thing about the CM was that the lay people were responsible for leading the group along with a priest who was chosen.

The aim of the CM was to aspire to the unity between faith and life.

Through its history there was not only CM for students; but also for artisans, women, etc…Moreover, they separated from the Jesuit institution, and they could be established with the approval of the corresponding bishop of the provincial leaders of the religious community.

April 11, 1915
The CM was founded on the Sunday “in albis” (the second Sunday after Easter); the CM had been thought about the year before; thirty new members consecrated themselves and they were accepted into the young CM. Joseph Engling was among them. They even placed the new picture of the Virgin in the little chapel, and later they searched for a title for this picture.

April 27, 1918
On Sunday “in albis”, they met again after World War I; they celebrated the 5th Anniversary of the founding of the CM. Fritz Esser made an lighted frame for the picture of the MTA with a wooden crown. Twelve new members joined the CM; a plaque of remembrance was found on the wall of the right side with one hundred nine names of the sodalists.

As of April 1st, more information and historic texts can be found on Father Michael Marmann’s website at www.urheiligtum.de; he is now the Rector of the Original Shrine, and the site contains detailed information and current news (schedule of Holy Masses, hours the Shrine is open, the teams of the Original Shrine) – along with what already exists – and there is also a greeting from Father Marmann. The website is available in German, English, and Spanish.

 

Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, Tx: English translation – M.P.Janknegt: English edit

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