IKAF Tag

Joseph Challenge
JOSEPH’S-CHALLENGE 2021 | Klaus Wittmann, GERMANY• The Joseph Challenge 2021 by Schoenstatt.org, only for men: Men from different vocations in the Covenant of Love, from different countries and generations are challenged by Pope Francis’ letter, Patris Corde, about Joseph, his “reflections on this extraordinary figure who is so close to each one of us humanly.” They get involved in sharing what impresses and motivates them most about the figure of St. Joseph and the Holy Father’s letter about him. Today it is Klaus Wittmann from Germany, active with the InternationalRead More
Interview with Ulrich Grauert, Switzerland, on Economy of Francesco • “I am one of the 2000 young people who were selected for The Economy of Francesco in Assisi,” Valentina Alarcón, an engineer from Chile, wrote to me in the chat of a video conference on social justice and the new social order, which was organized by a group of Chilean Schoenstatters motivated by the social thought of Joseph Kentenich. “We have to talk about this specifically”, I write back, “I know someone from Switzerland who is also present. I referRead More
GERMANY, Matthias Hülfenhaus • Take yourself out of the stress of your everyday working life. Find time for yourself and for God, and to receive nourishment for mind and soul: that was the offer of the silent retreat for leaders that took place from 1-5 December 2019 in the House of the Family, in Memholz, with seven participants. —  The beneficial basic structure of the days consisted in Morning Prayer, times of silence, Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. In the mornings and afternoons Fr Michael Hagan ISch gave impulses for ourRead More
GERMANY, Maria Fischer • He should have taken a selfie. However, even without one we can vividly imagine the face of the general manager who had set out earlier than usual for work – that day important potential investors were due – and suddenly came to a stop in front of a ladder. Right at the top — no, not one of the janitors, but the personnel manager with an electric light bulb in hand. To his perplexed question: “What are you doing up there?” he received the answer fromRead More
GERMANY/SWITZERLAND, Melanie und Ulrich Grauert • The IKAF (International Kentenich Academy for Executives), together with P. Michael Hagan (ISch), is offering a silent retreat for executives from 01 – 05 December 2019 for the second time. The venue will be the Schoenstatt Center Memhölz in the Allgäu region of Germany, which invites you to breathe deeply with its landscape and location.— One participant in the pilot project last year still enthuses today: “What particularly appealed to me last time was the experience of simply being able to dive into silence.Read More
GERMANY/SWITZERLAND, Maria Fischer • It was almost at the end that the words were spoken that describe these ten years of IKAF, and at the same time the next year’s programme and challenge: Around the Table. With these words Fr Kentenich described his concept of communication. “Around the Table” – that is the new name for the biennial meeting of leaders and business people prepared by the International Kentenich Academy for Leaders (IKAF). — Around the table: Fr Kentenich developed this concept already in the founding period and applied itRead More
GERMANY/SWITZERLAND, Helmut Kirschner • “What does God want me to say?” There is often not enough time in everyday life to set ourselves apart with this question. The International Kentenich Academy for Leaders (IKAF) has therefore invited – for the first time this year – under the title “Just breathe” to a silent religious retreat for leaders at the Schoenstatt Center on the mountain in Memhoelz in the Allgaeu region.— It started on the 1st Sunday of Advent and ended on the day of St. Nicholas – a very specialRead More
GERMANY, Melanie and Ulrich Grauert • Intense, strenuous, rewarding because intellectually stimulating, good atmosphere, wonderful climate – somewhat relaxed, light: those were the feelings of some of the participants at the end of the weekend for business people and leaders, which took place in glorious autumn weather from 9-11 November in the Schoenstatt Centre, Memhölz. Following the proven IKAF (International Kentenich Academy for Business Leaders) method,  learnt from studying the MTA magazine,  the programme consited in the participants and their experiences. — Three participants had shared an experience shortly before this whenRead More
GERMANY/SWITZERLAND, Melanie and Ulrich Grauert • The mission statement of the IKAF (International Kentenich Academy for Leaders) states, among other things, “Genuine love of God, which should burn within us, gives us a new vision, a new understanding …” This “new understanding” shone out in a special way during the IKAF weekend at the beginning of March in Memholz, Germany. Based on very different actual situations we could clearly feel that as a team – in the plenary sessions – we could strengthen and enrich each other through the charismsRead More
GERMANY, from Melanie and Ulrich Grauert, Maria Fischer • Respectful listening, courageous talking, docility to the Holy Spirit – these were the three attitudes Pope Francis encouraged the members of the extraordinary and Ordinary Synod on the Family to practice during their discussions. He wanted them to be absolutely open, and he encouraged an honest dialogue on critical subjects even when upholding diametrically opposed opinions. Unity, Francis said, is guaranteed by the presence of the Pope – not an advance compromise for the sake of peace so that all getRead More