Schönstatt - Begegnungen

Brief News

Around the Original Shrine and All Over The World, March 2001

Vorbereitungstreffen zur Heilig-Land-Fahrt im Haus der Familie
Foto: POS, mkf © 2001

SCHOENSTATT

Preparing for a Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Families who plan to participate in a Schoenstatt pilgrimage to the Holy Land met in the House of the Families on March 10/11, 2001. Their get-together began with a Holy Mass in the Original Shrine on Saturday morning. The longing to walk in the footsteps of Jesus and Mary in the land where they lived and the longing to develop a deeper relationship with them - that's the reason these families want to go to the Holy Land. Those who had been there before admitted that this longing, however, does not end afterwards; on the contrary - it will grow. Many of them also want to pray there for children, grandchildren, other relatives and their needs. "We are taking two backpacks along," someone said, "it's not so heavy then." The families' pilgrimage to the Holy Land is a way of living according to their year's motto: Finding God's Footsteps - As A Family.

May Sunday in Schoenstatt

"Go with us on our way" – That's the motto for this year's "May Sunday in Schoenstatt", explained Sr. Anne-Meike Brück when she presented the posters and flyers for the event on May 13. "We want to open the doors and invite all to come and join in singing for the Blessed Mother." This year, May Sunday Singing is also an invitation to all to bring along the Pilgrim MTA pictures. After the singing, coffee, cake and other refreshments will be offered as well as a program for children. Information: schoenstattmarienland@t-online.de

Dr. Barbara Buck, Diplomchemikerin und Bereichsleiter Qualitätssicherung
Foto: POS, mkf © 2001

Leadership - A Mutual Responsibility

"Personality - Team: Chance and Challenge" - that's the subject of the 4th workshop on leadership in the workplace, to be held in Schoenstatt on November 17/18, 2001.Those in charge of the workshop met on March 4/5, 2001, in House Sonnenau. "How much effort do we make to get along with each other!" Father Kentenich's statement inspired them to choose this subject. Dr. Barbara Buck, Manager Quality Control, who initiated this workshop in 1998: "People are different, and some are very different – and then, these very different people should work together as a team. A chance and a challenge for strong personalities. Globalization and the pressure to work efficiently call for the willingness to understand each other and for the ability to get along with almost everybody." This workshop is open for all those who, out of a Christian concept, feel responsible for co-workers and want to share their experiences.

Children Preparing for First Holy Communion

On March 10, children preparing for first Holy Communion met in Schoenstatt in the House of Pilgrims. A Pilgrim MTA picture was present, and at the end the children decided to keep this picture. The Pilgrim Mother will visit each of the children twice as they prepare for their first encounter with Jesus in Holy Communion.

Pater Guillermo Maria Cassone beim Heiligen Vater
Gebetszeit mit dem Heiligen Vater
Foto: © 2001

ARGENTINA

Holy Father's Blessing for Schoenstatt and Argentina

Mid-March, concrete planning began in preparation for the construction of a future Schoenstatt Shrine in Córdoba. In January, Father Guillermo Mario Cassone from Córdoba had been in Rome and attended a Mass with the Holy Father. The Holy Mass was celebrated on January 11, 2001, at 8:00 AM in the Holy Father's Private Chapel. The Pilgrim MTA belonging to Father Cassone was placed by the crib during the Mass. Just before Mass ended, Father Cassone took the picture, as seen on the photo. At the end, the Holy Father greeted each one personally. Father Cassone asked him for a blessing for the entire Schoenstatt work (seen on the other photo), thanked him for his recent visit to the Schoenstatt Shrine in Rome, and also asked him for a blessing for Argentina. The Holy Father's gifts to him were a rosary and his latest Apostolic Letter.

Monina Badano, Buenos Aires

USA

Family Retreat in Rockport/Lamar

Twenty-five couples from various cities in Texas gathered at the Confidentia Shrine/Schoenstatt Center in Rockport/Lamar, Texas for a weekend retreat. The motto for the families in Texas is: In The Shadow Of The Shrine - Renewed Families, Into the Newest Times. Schoenstatt Father Christian Christiansen did an excellent job in explaining the graces that are received from the Shrine: being at home, transformation, and apostolic fruitfulness. Noe and Ruby Moraida made their Covenant of Love during this weekend. The families were also very grateful to their Schoenstatt advisor, Sr. M. Daniela Rensing, for all her help in making it a memorable weekend. They all received something very special from their weekend experience and left with the resolve to try to do a little bit more of prayer, self-education and apostolate.

Carlos Cantu , LaFeria, Texas USA

AUSTRIA

Graz Diocese: Schoenstatt Web Site

The Austrian Schoenstatt Family of the Graz Diocese created their own website with many pictures and reports about Schoenstatt events in their diocese (in German): http://www.dobl.steiermark.at/bildung/0370_schoenstatt.htm

Franz und Christa Habith, Dobl

GERMANY

Weiskirchen: Friendship with you!

There was great joy during weekend of March 10 - 11 at the shrine in Weiskirchen! Twenty-seven girls from the Diocese of Mainz and Limburg met for a weekend of fun and adventure. The highlight was on Saturday evening when four girls made their Covenant of Love with Our Lady. The girls have often experienced that Mary is their friend and they wanted to say to her that they are her friends too. On Saturday afternoon the girls chose a symbol for this friendship and decorated a candle with it. This candle was then blessed and presented to the girls in the shrine as a rememberence of their friendship with Our Lady. On Sunday morning a rally was planned; but because of the rain, it didn´t look as though it could take place. However, God was good to the girls; and the rain stopped in time for the rally. The rest of the day it rained and rained.

The weekend ended with coffee after Holy Mass. The prizes for the rally were given out and all the girls went happily home - some hours later than scheduled because they did not want to leave!

Sr. Ann Marie Nicholas

Führungsteam der Schönstatt-Gemeinschaft Berufstätige Frauen, Nordkreis tagte in Frohlinde
Foto: Pütz © 2001

Frohlinde: Responsibility for Style, Ideal and Spirit of the Community

Those who took part in the Northern Germany's Professional Women's Leaders' Convention on March 9-11, 2001, won't forget about this meeting, as it brought a new definition of the leaders' team and its task. For the first time, all actively participated with suggesting subjects to be discussed. At the beginning of the meeting, all were invited to fill in up to 15 cards, writing down all of the items they personally thought important for the community. In doing so, the participants became more aware of their responsibility: "Organization and coordination of our apostolic projects are important; but our task as leaders is far beyond that," said one. The group made the decision to delegate organizational tasks to the full responsibility of local teams, while the leaders' team would be responsible for style, ideal and spirit of the community and to sense, reflect and support the lifestreams. With awe and joy, the participants also understood that the process of finding the community's ideal came to an end: "For five years, we have lived out of the idea of the 'Dachau Shrine' - the idea of extending the place of grace, the Schoenstatt Shrine, to all Dachau situations, specially in our workplaces, to open the doors of the Shrine for all, and to see the potential for heaven touching earth - like Father Kentenich did in Dachau," said Gabriele Sudermann. "Now we are ready to see this as our ideal, a vocation, a mission; we want to work for the Open Shrine, not restricted by walls!"

Aulendorf: Retreat for Managers

"Eucharist: Christ In Our Midst - Source Of Leadership Skills" - a challenging title and a challenging endeavor. Seven managers from various companies, all of them Schoenstatt members, joined for a silent retreat February 4 -10, 2001, in Aulendorf. Two talks given by Fr. Erwin Hinder, Holy Mass, meditation, Bible studies, and adoration were included in the program. "What they most long for, however, is the silence", said Fr. Hinder. Responsibility and leadership, he said, are experienced as a possibility for creativity, freedom of decision and prestige; but at the same time, leadership always means a certain loneliness - especially for managers who try to act according to Christian standards. "It's important to have strong leadership in a community of believers."

Göppingen: Day for Families in the Parish

On February 11, 2001, 24 young families and 54 children accepted an invitation of the local Schoenstatt Families for a Day for Families in St. Mary's Parish. While the children enjoyed stories, group discussions and a lot of fun games, the adults listened to a talk given by Fr. Lipp about finding God and his love in everyday situations of family life. He highlighted marriage as the most intense mirror of God's presence and love. All met again for coffee and cake, sharing and games. Information about Schoenstatt and family spirituality was offered. The Day for Families ended with a Holy Mass in the parish church, where the children proudly presented songs and their crafts! Many of the families expressed the desire for another day like that in their parish at a future time.

Herxheim: Website of Schoenstatt Center

The Schoenstatt Center of the Speyer Diocese, "Marienpfalz" in Herxheim, is present on the internet: www.marienpfalz.de

Procession with the Pilgrim Mother
Prozession mit der Pilgermutter
Meeting of Schoenstatt Youth in Nigeria
Schönstattjugend in Nigeria
Foto: Schoenstatt, Nigeria © 2001

Nigeria

Love for the Blessed Mother

A growing number of people in Nigeria got to know Schoenstatt in the past months, especially through the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign and various activities of the Schoenstatt Fathers in Nigeria involving the youth. The pictures speak of a strong love for the Blessed Mother and Schoenstatt.

English edition: Joan Biemert, New Franken, Wisconsin, USA

 



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