Panorama of the area: the read circle indicates the place of the future Shrine Aus der Vogelperspektive: der rote Kreis zeigt die Stelle, wo das Heiligtum gebaut werden soll

Holy Mass in Naters during the Schoenstatt Family's Meeting Heilige Messe in Naters während der Jahrestagung der Walliser Schönstattfamilie

The Schoenstatt wayside Shrine in Birgisch/Naters, at the place of the future Wallis Shrine Schönstatt-Bildstöckchen in Birgisch/Naters auf dem Gelände, auf dem einmal das Walliser Heiligtum stehen soll

The Schoenstatt wayside Shrine in Birgisch/Naters, at the place of the future Wallis Shrine Schönstatt-Bildstöckchen in Birgisch/Naters auf dem Gelände, auf dem einmal das Walliser Heiligtum stehen soll

Fotos: PressOffice Schönstatt, hbre © 2001

(Fr. Cristof Horn) "Let there be the Wallis Shrine!" – This was the motto of the annual meeting of the Schoenstatt Family from Wallis, a province in Switzerland, in Naters/Birgisch – the small town where the future Shrine is to be built. A wayside shrine is erected there as anticipation of this Shrine.

On April 1, on a day with brilliant sunshine and cloudless blue skies, the Schoenstatt family of Wallis, Switzerland, met for their annual meeting. The village hall proved to be a perfect place for this meeting, with approximately 120 members and friends of the Schoenstatt family joining in. The motto of the meeting and all the activities were focused on the longing to soon erect a Shrine in Wallis. The wayside shrine on the land for the future shrine is the anticipation of this Shrine, and at the same time the place where the Schoenstatt family is centered as community.

What the Shrine Means in Every Day Life

Also the bishop and the parish priest at each place where Schoenstatt exists, said Fr. Stadelmann, should experience the joy of being supported by active lay persons, who encouraged through the graces of the Shrine bring new life to the local church and contribute to the life of the parish. The Shrine in Birgisch is to be a blessing for the whole province and diocese. In the afternoon, the Schoenstatt Youth's presentation was about the meaning of the Shrine in every day life: the Shrine is a home, center, powerhouse, "gas station" and place of community experience.

After the Holy Mass, all processed to the "Bildstockji", the wayside Shrine on the land of the future Shrine and movement center. Each person brought a stone and placed it by the wayside shrine as sign of the readiness to collaborate for the spiritual and material construction of the Shrine: "Mother Thrice Admirable, we want to carry stones for you, thick and heavy stones! With your help we dare to go on, we build the Shrine for you!"