mda. Fr. Ignaci Rajasekara is a member of the first course of the Priests’ Federation in India, the Jubilee and Founding Course, as he said with justified pride, and at the moment he is in Schoenstatt for a month. This course set out exactly a year ago, on the feast of the Holy Name of Mary, 12 September 2013, as the first group of candidates for the Priests’ Federation in India, and hence in Asia. Eight diocesan priests between the ages of 22 and 54 belong to this course. On Wednesday evening Fr Rajasekara came past the Original Shrine with Rector Zillekens. “It is now as empty as it was at that time a hundred years ago,” he remarked. His words implied more than just the observation that the Original Shrine had been emptied so that it could be painted inside, thanks to the help of a private sponsor. “At that time the MTA picture and frame weren’t there …” At that time, a hundred years ago, Fr Kentenich and a handful of young men invested all their longing and love in the old chapel, which had just been emptied of the things being stored there, and they wanted to draw the Blessed Mother down there “with gentle force”. What was actually a crazy undertaking became the hour when a network of shrines began to embrace the whole world. Fr Rajasekara’s amazement resounded in his words at that moment …
For two days Holy Mass was celebrated in the chapel of the Pilgrims’ House, and the evening blessing took place in the Canaan Patris Shrine near the Marienau. That Wednesday and Thursday the interior of the Original Shrine was re-painted. At the same time something happened that had never been seen before in the Original Shrine. “Something happened that we know in the daughter shrines,” Rector Zillekens said. He is a member of the Administrative Board of the Original Shrine.
Everything was polished
After the last evening blessing before the re-decorating began, all who were present were asked to help clean and polish all the movable symbols in the Original Shrine – from the Holy Spirit symbol to the memorial tablets on the side walls.
“Fr Antonio Bracht knew exactly how to get everyone involved”, Rector Zillekens remarked.
On this occasion also the crown was polished so that it could be put up in its new place during the evening blessing on 12 September. It had hung there since 1939, and during the Jubilee the Father Symbol donated by Fr Kentenich in 1967 for the Original Shrine will replace it.
On the wood of the altar
As the two Federation Priests stood there in quiet reflection before the Original Shrine, suddenly a group of young women, who are working as volunteers in Schoenstatt, and a Sister of Mary, rushed with a ladder and a great deal of cheerful chatter into the Original Shrine. They completely ignored the two priests and simply pushed the altar slightly forward, after which they disappeared behind it. The two priests were totally amazed as the young women began to write their names on the wall behind the altar… Just like that! They were simply making the Original Shrine their own.
What was it like a hundred years ago?
Suddenly both priests found themselves behind the altar, and with deep emotion, which included some amazement at themselves, they wrote the words “Priests’ Federation” and their names on the wood of the altar.
A hundred years of the covenant of love is not just a feast or event; it means renewing what happened a hundred years ago in a very personal and genuine way. Just as one writes one’s name on the wall behind the altar.
Original: German – Translation: M. Cole, UK
