Schönstatt - Begegnungen

From the Shrine of Light, New York – a Light of Hope, Peace, and Faith

Schoenstatt Sisters in New York expressing Gratitude for the Prayers and Solidarity of the Schoenstatt Family


Schoenstatt-Center New York - USA
Candelaria Shrine 337 Cary Avenue
Staten Island, NY 10310-2041 USA
Fotos: Archiv © 2001
An American flag in the Founder Chapel - silent reminder of the victims of the terror attack and sign of solidarity in prayer
Eine amerikanische Flagge in der Gründerkapelle - schweigende Erinnerung an die Toten und Verletzten des Terroranschlags und Zeichen der Solidarität
Foto: Fischer, PressOffice Schönstatt © 2001

(mkf) One week after the terror attacks that hit New York and Washington, on Covenant Day, Schoenstatt members all over the world will continue to join in prayers for the victims and their relatives and friends. On September 17, the anniversary of Father Kentenich's visit to New York in 1965, the New York Schoenstatt family gathered in the Shrine of Light, in Staten Island, to ask the "Queen of Light" to once again shine a light of hope, peace, faith into the hearts of all. Schoenstatt families from Germany suggest to lit a candle today in the Schoenstatt Shrines and home shrines to remember all those who lost their lives in the terror attack, and also all those who die of starvation or are not allowed to live before they are born – as the Covenant of Love is a Covenant of and for Life.

On September 15, Pilgrims from Sao Paulo, Brazil, on their way to the dedication of the new Schoenstatt Shrine in Araraquara prayed the rosary for the victims of the terror attacks and for peace and hope; at 8:00 PM on the same day, the Schoenstatt family of Guayaquil, Ecuador, gathered in the Shrine to pray the rosary and crown the Blessed Mother as "Queen of the Universe", as Father Kentenich did 55 years ago on October 20, 1946 in Weesen, Switzerland – inviting the whole Schoenstatt family to join in a renewal of this crowning. In the Shrine in Nittenau, Germany, on September 16, a Holy Mass was celebrated for the victims of the attack; missionaries of the Pilgrim Mother in Chubut and Entre Rios, Argentina, wrote that they offered "Thousand Avemaria" for the victims and their families and friends. A special gift and incentive for Schoenstatt members around the world was the awareness of Mary being present in the Shrine in New York and walking the streets of New York and Washington as Pilgrim Mother.

Gratitude and Hope – a Letter from New York

On the anniversary of Father Kentenich's visit to New York on September 17, 1965, the New York Schoenstatt family gathered in the Shrine of Light; in a letter to PressOffice Schoenstatt, Sister Marita expressed the gratitude for the prayer solidarity of the international Schoenstatt family:

"Dear Schoenstatt Family,

Our heartfelt thanks and prayers to all those who have so graciously offered their prayers and contributions to the capital of grace for our Schoenstatt Family here in New York at the Shrine of Light.

At this time, we know only of one brother of one of our Schoenstatt Couples who was working in the WTC at the time of the attack. His name is Francisco Cruz - he was able to call his wife from the building at 9:14 am after the planes hit, but they have not heard from him since.

This devastation has reached into countless families. Here near the shrine - just across the street our neighbor has lost a husband and a daughter in this tragedy. One can hardly go anywhere without meeting someone who has not been affected by this.  

"Most importantly they are our Brothers and Sisters in Christ"

To look across the water and see the continuing spoke and the place where these two majestic towers stood and to think of the thousands who have perished can only bring one to their knees. As of this morning there are now officially over 5,000 still missing. Many of these will be friends perhaps relatives, but most importantly they are our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We have had adoration in our Shrine - one evening one of the firemen who was working at the scene came to the Shrine to pray... he has lost many of his companions, the look of devastation on his face is beyond words, he was to rest a while and then return to the scene. Please continue to pray for these brave men and women who are doing all they can to keep the hope alive that they will still find survivors as the days continue to pass.

We must all turn to our Covenant Partner and pray for world peace!  Today we will gather as Schoenstatt Family in our Shrine of Light. For us it is the anniversary date of our Father and Founders visit to New York on his way to Rome...  We will all unite in this prayer for world peace.  Many of our members will not be able to come because they need to use the public transportation and the ferry that runs between our two cities is not operational. They will join us in their home shrines - that our Queen of Light - from our Shrine of Light here in New York will once again shine a light of hope, peace, and faith into the hearts of all. And once again our heartfelt thanks for all your prayers, Sr. Marita"

Covenant Day a Week after the Attack: a Light of Hope

"We have been and are still praying," wrote Marlene Peter from Harare, Zimbabwe. "Tomorrow our covenant service will be in St. Martins starting with Mass at 5.45 p.m. We will be praying for all those affected by what happened. Much lower down the scale, our country is in a bad way with over 2000 people dying weekly from AIDS and a very serious economic situation. Please continue to pray for us." – The terror attack and the loss of so many human lives at one moment changed the world and also changed priorities, activities and prayer. "Maybe we will become more aware of our responsibility for human life," said a profession woman from Germany: for the 2,000 people dying from AIDS and starvation in Zimbabwe each week, for the unborn babies who will never be born. A Schoenstatt family from Germany who is very active collecting signatures for the protection of human embryos decided to reduce the planned activity after the Covenant celebration in Schoenstatt and ask instead to focus on the threats for human life in general: "We want a light to shine hope… wherever we are called to remember persons who lose their life suddenly and innocently. We want to light a candle in our Shrines for the victims of the terror, for those who die of starvation or lose their life before they are born – because our God is a God of Life and our Covenant of Love a covenant for life. We invited and invite all to today, on this Covenant Day, light a candle in our Shrines and home shrines as a sign …" Sr. Isabel, New York, wrote: "May SHE see to it, that our hearts burn with the flames of faithful Covenant love, which can overcome the flames of hate which burnt at the WTC on September 11. May SHE be for us the sure sign of hope and victory."



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Last Update: 18.09.2001 14:15 Mail: Editor /Webmaster
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