Schönstatt - Begegnungen

God's Imprint

June Covenant Celebration in Schoenstatt

Strawberry punch for all after the Covenant Celebration - sponsored by the Schoenstatt Families
Erdbeerwbowle nach der Bündnisfeier - schon traditioneller Beitrag der Schönstattfamilien
Watching the Covenant fire: missionaries from Ecuador with Sr. Consuelo
Blick aufs Bündnisfeuer: Missionare der Pilgernden Gottesmutter mit Sr. Consuelo
Like on each 18th of the month: new pictures of the Pilgrim Mother in the Founder Chapel
Wie an jedem 18.: neue Pilgerheiligtümer in der Gründerkapelle
The imprint of the missionaries from Ecuador in the Founder Chapel - Pilgrim Mother pictures and various signs of trust and love for her
Spuren der Pilger aus Ecuador in der Gründerkapelle - Bilder der Pilgernden Gottesmutter und viele Zeichen des Vertrauens und der Liebe zu ihr
Fotos: PressOffice Schoenstatt, Fischer © 2001

(mkf) Human beings as God's imprint, his favorite way to reveal his presence, closeness, love and wishes - this was the central message of the June Covenant Renewal in Schoenstatt. As on the 18th of each month, those who are in any way attached to the Schoenstatt Shrine and the Covenant of Love, met in Schoenstatt and by hundreds of Schoenstatt Shrines, wayside shrines, Schoenstatt altars in parish churches, and home shrines, to unite with the stream of life and grace born from the Covenant of Love first sealed on October 18, 1914, in the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt.

Early in the morning, new pictures of the Pilgrim Mother were blessed in the Original Shrine, and afterwards brought to the Founder Chapel where they stayed until after the Covenant Renewal in the evening. A group of missionaries of the Pilgrim Mother, and Professional Women, from Ecuador, had a Covenant Mass in the Original Shrine; a man from Chile joined them and sealed his Covenant of Love at the place where Schoenstatt began! Afterwards, a group of retired professional ladies of the Schoenstatt Women's League who had been on retreat came to celebrate a Covenant Mass in the Original Shrine. Some of them dedicated themselves as missionaries to bring the Pilgrim MTA to lonely or old persons who they visit.

Finding God's "Imprints" in Every Day Life

They, along with pilgrims from Grimmitschau (Eastern Germany), 70 mothers from Hildesheim, the local Schoenstatt family and Schoenstatt members from all continents living and working in Schoenstatt, met in the Adoration Church at 7:30 for the Covenant renewal; the Schoenstatt Family League's year's motto - Finding God's imprints in daily life - set the tone for the prayer service.

In his sermon, Father Beller pointed at God's imprints in general, but specially at God's most favorite ones: human beings living or being close to us. It is through persons who are close to us that God is close to us, speaks to us, greets us, wants to use us, he said, and "A person in my very surrounding, a person close to me, is God's "logo", and the encounter with another person becomes an encounter with God: with God who spoils me, surprises me, helps me, serves me. Sometimes God wants to greet me through a person who needs me (not only my help, me); sometimes he wants to greet me through a person who is a burden to me. Through a person's need or love, God asks for my prayer, my capital of grace."

The Family Movement's "Imprint": Strawberry Punch for All

Fr Beller invited all to think of what they can give as a gift to the Blessed Mother, as their personal contribution to the Capital of grace: the work done, bearing with each other, the pain and suffering, the own insecurity and fear.

Girls collected the sheets of paper with these gifts written in them, while members of the family league provided music. United with all who anywhere in the world live their covenant of love, then all renewed the Covenant, representing all at the place of origin.

After the final blessing, all processed outside where the fire was burning. The slips of paper with the Capital of Grace were burnt, songs were sung, and then the Schoenstatt families invited all to enjoy strawberry punch. This is since the Schoenstatt family party on May 31, 1999, the Vallendar Schoenstatt Family Movement's "imprint".

It had rained almost all day, and it still drizzled when all came out, but then it ceased to rain. The pilgrims from Ecuador also came and joined the big "crowd" waiting for and then enjoying the punch! When the pilgrims from Ecuador – missionaries of the Pilgrim Mother Campaign, and Professional Women - had visited the Founder Chapel in the course of their tour of Mount Schoenstatt that day, they had placed several Pilgrim Mother pictures, big MTA pictures, photos, medals, and many items on the carpet, an "imprint" of their confidence in Father Kentenich's intercession.

Although the weather was really bad on that June night, many persons stayed long to enjoy the family atmosphere created by the Schoenstatt families.



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Last Update: 02.07.2001 14:26 Mail: Editor /Webmaster
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