GERMANY, Renate Siebenkäs • How surprised I was when I read the article “The new Unity Cross for the Bellavista Shrine” in the WhatsApp Channel of Schoenstatt.org. At the same time, I was also working on the Unity Cross for a Liturgy of the Word, in which the 12th Station of the Way of the Cross: “Jesus dies on the Cross” was to set the mood for Good Friday. — My thoughts were inspired by the cards that were produced in 2014 as a set of cards to mark Schoenstatt’s
Read More SANT’ EGIDIO, press release and newsletter • From September 10 to 12, Berlin is preparing to host one of the most important international events dedicated to peace: the International Meeting “The Audacity of Peace”, three days of dialogue and prayer for peace of the world religions together with representatives of the world of politics and culture, promoted by the Community of Sant’Egidio. — In a world context marked by the sad resurgence of war in Europe and by dramatic conflicts in many parts of the world, in addition to the
Read More WYD LISBON 2023, Stefanie Rottler • In Lisbon there are only two directions: Up or down. Whoever wandered through the charming alleys of Lisbon from August 1 to 7, 2023, may have encountered us, a group of 150 young people from the Schoenstatt Movement from Germany, Austria and Australia. — The big international Schoenstatt festival at the chapel in Lisbon was our impressive opening event, where the Portuguese Schoenstatt family spared no expense or effort in giving us a colorful welcome to the vibrant city. From there we went to
Read More PUERTO RICO, PARAGUAY, GERMANY, Edgardo L. Rivera • During the weekend of April 28th to May 1st, the missionary motorcyclists from Germany, Paraguay and Puerto Rico went on pilgrimage with the Blessed Mother through the highways of their countries. It seems that they planned it, but no, it was all the work of the Holy Spirit who, through the Heart of Mary, moved them to carry out the mission. — The third grace received in the Schoenstatt Shrines, the apostolic sending forth, leads us to go out of our comfort
Read More GERMANY, Renate Siebenkäs • Every month, the “Covenant Celebration Night” is the highlight in the program of the Schoenstatt Center Marienberg in the Archdiocese of Bamberg. On covenant night on March 18, as is the tradition, the close connection to St. Joseph was emphasized. — Fr. Andreas Hornung welcomed the faithful at the beginning of the Holy Mass and joyfully explained: “On December 8, 2022, a Joseph – Dr. Josef Zerndl – chose St. Joseph as the patron of the pilgrim groups of the Archdiocese of Bamberg. For the men
Read More GERMANY, Editorial Team schoenstatt.org / Press release of the diocese of Fulda • Where tensions and pressures are clearly experienced in the Church, the seriousness of synodality becomes evident, emphasizes Fulda’s Bishop Dr. Michael Gerber. He sees the fifth and last synodal assembly of the Catholic Church in Germany as a test of a synodal church. In a statement, Bishop Gerber formulates his expectations for the assembly, which will convene in Frankfurt from Thursday to Saturday. — “Synodality lives from listening, from taking my counterpart seriously and from trying to
Read More GERMANY, Cordula-Maria Weidtmann • St. Joseph has proven to be a faithful intercessor for many people. Therefore, we have called upon him for a special request. On his feast day, March 19, we would like to share our experience with you. — We were looking for the first tenants for a condominium. A prospective tenant dropped out 3 weeks before we were to move in. Acquaintances of ours had placed a note under the statue of St. Joseph several times while looking for an apartment. Our note, dated December 7,
Read More GERMANY, Peter Hagmann • In Marienberg in the house Tabor in Schoenstatt, 21 men gathered and some other participants from all the men’s communities, connected, for the 2nd Marienberg Forum on the topic “Being men today – listening to God as men”. — Father Elmar Busse celebrated the opening mass on Friday evening. In his homily he explained that on that same day he had to remove the wilted roses from the vase, whose capillaries were clogged because the water was in bad condition (Fr. Elmar Busse has an article
Read More GERMANY, Renate Siebenkäs • On the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, on January 1, 2023, solemn sending forth services took place in St. Martin’s and Transfiguration of Christ. A total of four Pilgrim MTAs were sent out in the two parishes of Forchheim. — How did it happen? On October 1st, 2022, a great jubilee was celebrated in Schoenstatt: 25 years of the “Project Pilgrim Shrine” (in Germany, this is the official name of the worldwide Campaign of the Pilgrim MTA initiated in Brazil in 1950) in Germany. For
Read More GERMANY, Renate Siebenkäs / Maria Fischer • When I learned about storytelling and oral history in my communication studies and then was amazed to discover how Father’s communication concept is based on telling real stories, I had to think of the “story of the crooked apple tree” and the “story of the little leg” with which my grandfather used to tell us children about the world, events, and even such difficult realities as physical disabilities; exciting, personal, touching, and real. — Good journalism does not necessarily require events or interviews.
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