Brief News - Schoenstatt International
October / November 2000
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New Movement
House in Heiligenstadt, dedicated on October 3, 2000 |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Heiligenstadt © 2000 |
Germany
Eichsfeld Movement Center Dedicated. On October 3, 2000, on the tenth anniversary of Germany's reunification, the new Movement Center by the Shrine in the "Little Paradise" in Heiligenstadt, Eichsfeld, Eastern Germany, was dedicated. Approximately 1,000 Schoenstatt members and friends joined in the celebration. The mayor of Heiligenstadt was present and announced that the street leading to the center will be named "Father Kentenich Street." The Shrine in Heiligenstadt was built in thanksgiving for the peaceful revolution in Eastern Germany in 1989 and the reunification in 1990. More (in German): http://home.t-online.de/home/kleines.paradies
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"And what
do you tell me, Sister Emilie?" |
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October 3,
2000: Displays on Sr. Emilie's life |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Metternich © 2000 |
Koblenz-Metternich: Presentation on Sr. Emilie. On October 3, a public holiday in Germany, the new biography on Sr. Emilie Engel was presented in Koblenz-Metternich where Sr. Emilie lived as provincial and where she died on November 20, 1955. Sr. M. Vita and Sr. Inge-Martha shared testimonies of people who turn to Sr. Emilie as intercessor in various needs. Displays, brochures, talks, meditations, and of course a visit to her tomb provided a profound insight into the life of Sr. Emilie.
Bamberg: A Pilgrim Mother for the Procession. Long before the Schoenstatt Shrine of the Bamberg Diocese (situated on top of a hill on the land of a former NATO base) was dedicated in October, the processions held there on Marian feastdays often attracted more than 1,000 people from the area. The Schoenstatt members in charge wanted to make visible that the Blessed Mother joins and leads these processions, and therefore had a big Pilgrim-Shrine-shaped MTA picture crafted - with an MTA picture on both sides! Father Treutlein said, "This Pilgrim Mother is loved by everyone. We have a real competition among the men who volunteer to carry the picture in the procession!"
Brazil
Network of Shrines: Your Shrine is our Bethlehem. On October 22, the Schoenstatt Movement of Southern Brazil celebrated the Holy Year in the network of Shrines around the world at the same time that the Schoenstatt Movement of Germany met by the Shrines (11:00 AM -1:00PM in Brazil).
Bolivia
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Shrine in
La Paz - Achumani, Bolivia |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Bolivia © 2000 |
Pilgrimage to the Shrine in La Paz-Achumani. The third pilgrimage to the Schoenstatt Shrine in Achumani took place on Ocotber 21, 2000. Close to 600 pilgrims came to visit the Shrine. La Paz Archbishop Edmundo Abastoflor, Fr. Carlos Vebes of Obrajes parish, Fr. Alejandro Munoz and Mr. Argandona (Deacon of San Miguel's parish) concelebrated Mass for all pilgrims and visitors. Archbishop Abastoflor emphasized the need for falling in love with Jesus and encouraged pilgrims to become missionaries of Schoenstatt by embracing the teachings of Jesus Christ. Also, he invited everyone to follow the exemplary life of the Virgin Mary who, he said, can help us to better follow Jesus. Hundreds of papers containing contributions to the capital of grace were burned during the offertory. For the first time, a goodly number of Paz Schoenstatters were present to support this pilgrim celebration. The Archbishop said he was happy that the Jubilee blessings were bestowed at the Shrine on this day. Before Mass ended, Archbishop Abastoflor blessed a huge painting of the MTA made by two Schoenstatt ladies of the Family League. The painting is almost 7 ft. high and almost 5ft. wide. A choir made up of eight people chanted Schoenstatt songs during and after Mass. Hundreds of flowers decorated an arch in front of the Shrine. Schoenstatt, Vatican and Bolivian flags were fluttering during the event. Following Mass, dozens of pilgrims took turns to visit the Shrine. Fabian Aguirre, La Paz
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21 Schoenstatt
Mothers who just made the Covenant of Love |
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Schoenstatt
Girls who sealed thier Covenant of Love during camp |
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Pilgrims
by the Shrine in Bujumbura, Burundi |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Burundi © 2000 |
Burundi
October Celebrations in Mutumba and Bujumbura. Approximately 1,500 Schoenstatt members joined in the October Celebration by the Shrine in Mutumba, Burundi, on October 28, 2000. On October 14, 2000, over 800 people had been at the Shrine in Bujumbura to renew the Covenant of Love. In gratitude, the Schoenstatt Movement reflected on the gifts and graces received in this Holy Year. More than 500 girls participated in eight camps held in four dioceses; 156 girls sealed the Covenant of Love. On August 19, 2000, the girls crowned the Blessed Mother as Queen of the Youth. There are 400 groups of Schoenstatt Girls in that small country. On August 15, approximately 5,000 pilgrims came to the Shrine in Bujumbura. A big Pilgrim Shrine had been made, which was used in the liturgical dance of thanksgiving after Holy Communion; 150 Pilgrim Shrines were blessed and sent out on that day. The Schoenstatt Movement in Burundi feels called to contribute toward peace in this war-torn country, where peace talks on the political level are held again and again without results. The new year's motto for Schoenstatt in Burundi is a response to that situation: "In the Covenant of Love, let us be a place of forgiveness and mutual trust." Sr. M. Lisette / Fr. Charles Widmer, Burundi
Ecuador
Network of Home Shrines. Families from the Schoenstatt Movement in Ecuador want to promote the existence of Home Shrines within the Schoenstatt Movement. The Holy Father, they say, asked the Schoenstatt Movement to work for the canonization of Father Kentenich. One way of doing so could be the large number of Home Shrines existing in the world. A Home Page was created for America, where families and individuals can place the name and a picture of their Home Shrine: www.geocities.com/santuarioamerica. So far, Schoenstatt members from Argentina, Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile participate. Alvaro Arosemena, Guayaquil
Mexico
20,000 Mexicans celebrating in Querétaro. Like every year, October 18th was celebrated as the "Feast of the Shrine" in Querátaro. At least 20,000 people came to the Shrine on that day.
Schoenstatt Meeting in Monterrey – Year's Motto 2001. On October 28, members of the Girls' and Boys' Youth, Families, and Professionals met in Monterrey. Father Horacio Lopez, who was in charge of the meeting, prepared a video about the Shrine. The motto of the Schoenstatt Family in México is: "Like Mary, Living Shrines for the newest era." Rossy Rada, Nuevo Laredo
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The Schoenstatt
family of Bydgdoszcz is preparing for the dedication of their Shrine
(Photo: corner stone laying, June 27, 2000) |
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Archbishop
Muszinki, Gniezno, on the day of the corner stone laying for the
Shrine in Bydgoszcz, Poland (6-27-2000) |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Polen © 2000 |
Poland
Covenant Celebrations by the Shrines. Throughout October, the Schoenstatt members of the various Polish dioceses met by the Shrines to celebrate the Covenant of Love. On October 1, the Schoenstatt Movement of the Diocese of Koszalin met by the (so far) only Shrine dedicated by the Holy Father (in 1991); on August 15, the picture of the MTA was crowned - and 8,000 -10,000 people came to celebrate the Queen! On the same day, the Schoenstatt Movement of the Gniezno Diocese gathered by the construction site of their future Shrine; on June 27, Bishop Muszynski had laid the cornerstone for this Shrine. Archbishop Alfons Nosol of Opole celebrated Holy Mass with the Schoenstatt members in the Cenacle Shrine in Opole on October 14. During the annual Leaders' Convention in Swider near Warsaw, the leaders decided on the year's motto for 2001. Picking up the Holy Father's dedication of the third millennium to the Blessed Mother, they say, "Mother Thrice Admirable, we entrust to you ..." Sr. M. Lidia, Swider
Scotland
Crowning in the Shrine - 25th year. On October 22, the Scottish Schoenstatt Movement had their Covenant celebration. The main celebrant was the Most Reverend Keith Patrick O'Brien, Archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, the same Archbishop who joined in the Home Shrine Project 22000 On Saturday, they had their "mini version" of an October Conference when the different Branches came together for talks and a Ceilidh in the evening. A Ceilidh is an evening of Scottish dance, a very energetic evening in which everyone participates, young and old. You don't need to know the dances as the compere/band leader directs the people in the different moves and exchanges of dance partners. On Sunday, Holy Mass was at 3.30 pm, with the annual crowning of the Mother Thrice Admirable in the Shrine. The Scottish Schoenstatt family has had the tradition of "crowning" the MTA every year in October for the past 25 years. This is also a day when many Pilgrims come for Holy Mass and the Crowning ceremony. Michael Hartley
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MTA altar
in St. Petersburg |
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Polish Newspaper
in St. Petersburg, Russia |
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Foto: Schoenstatt, Polen © 2000 |
Russia
The MTA on the cover of a St. Petersburg Magazine. In its recent issue, the St. Petersburg magazine for culture and education (edited in Polish and Russian for the Catholic inhabitants of Polish origin) had the MTA picture on the cover and a long article inside with more "Schoenstatt pictures." October 1-8, an International Congress on the Rosary took place in St. Petersburg (formerly Leningrad). At the beginning of this Congress, Archbishop Kondrusiewicz crowned the MTA picture on the side altar in St. Stanislaus' Church. Three years ago, soon after the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary began to work in St. Petersburg, this altar was erected and blessed by Primas Glemp of Poland. A Russian artist, Wladimir Grozorovicz, painted the MTA picture. Along with a report about the Congress, the magazine had an article about Schoenstatt and Father Kentenich, quoting a talk given by him in 1951 about the Blessed Mother's mission for Russia and his conviction of the Russian people's conversion through Mary's intercession: "Mother Thrice Admirable, be the missionary of the Eastern countries, be the Mother Thrice Admirable of the Russian people!"
Zimbabwe
Novena for peace. October 27-29, the Zimbabwean Schoenstatt Family had their October weekend. The theme was the Covenant of Love. The motto for the coming year is "May our ovenant bring hope and healing to the people of Zimbabwe." One of the resolutions coming out of the weekend was that they plan to crown the MTA as Queen of Zimbabwe on January 20, 2001. Since 1981, the Schoenstatt Movement in Zimbabwe crowned the Blessed Mother as Queen of Africa every year. On November 18, 2000, the Schoenstatt family of Harare decided to make a nine-week novena to prepare for the crowning on January 20, 2001. The novena has caught on like "wildfire." They are printing more each day. They give it to priests, send it to surrounding countries and to other towns in Zimbabwe where the Pilgrim Mother is, and shared it via e-mail. One Schoenstatt member's comment, when hearing about Schoenstatters in other countries joining in the prayers for peace in Zimbabwe, was, "Isn't the internet wonderful. One feels as if one could send messages to heaven via it!" The text of the novena: "Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt and Queen of Africa, Descend, take the sceptre of love, hope, and healing in hand, and reign over your beloved people here in Zimbabwe in their hour of utmost need. Accept us as your possession, use us as your instruments, and lead us to true freedom and enduring peace. Amen. " Marlene Peter, Harare
English edition: Joan Biemert, New Franken, Wisconsin, USA