Letter from the Schoenstatt Fathers

To the worldwide Schoenstatt Family

Vallendar Schoenstatt, 21-01-2001

Dear Schoenstatt Family:

Probably you have already found out from the Media that today The Holy Father, John Paul II has appointed as Cardinal of the Catholic Church our former General Superior and current Archbishop of Santiago, Chile,

Most Reverend Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa

On behalf of our General Superior, Fr. Michael J. Marmann, I would like to announce this good news.

Cardinal Errazuriz was for two periods the General Superior of the Schoenstatt Fathers, until he was called to serve in the Roman Curia in 1990. During this time he encouraged the Jubilar celebration of the Centennial Anniversary of Father Kentenich's birthday. He was as well the President of the International Council of the Schoenstatt Work, which allows him to visit the Schoenstatt Family in the different countries.

We are happy for the trust that the Holy Father place in the new Cardinal. As Archbishop of Santiago he is strongly attached to our Sion Community and the local Schoenstatt Family, as was evident in his participation in the celebrations of the Fiftieth Anniversary of Schoenstatt's Third milestone on May 31, 1999.

As Schoenstatt Family we would like to invite the new Cardinal to Schoenstatt during the weekend of March 17 and 18, 2001. All are cordially invited to come.

We will work out a program in the coming weeks, if you are interested, we'll be glad to send you a copy. It will also be available through our Homepage www.schoenstatt.de

So far we would like to have on Saturday a more informal Family oriented celebration and on Sunday, in addition to the Schoenstatt Family, we would like to invite representatives from the Church and the society and other friends of Schoenstatt. We ask you that you please mark your calendars for that weekend so that you can join us in this celebration.

Some days after the end of this Holy Year the Blessed Mother has given us a great gift. We are therefore happy and grateful as we are encouraged to renew ourselves in our marian mission for the Church.

From the holy places in Schoenstatt, I cordially greet you on behalf of Father Michael J. Marmann,

Fr. Karl Bausenhart