Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz passed on the Apostolic Benediction of the Holy Father. Kardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz übermittelt den Teilnehmern der Oktoberwoche den Apostolischen Segen des Heiligen Vaters.

Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz: "John Paul II knows Schoenstatt very well." Kardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz: "Johannes Paul II. kennt Schönstatt gut."

The Schoenstatt Family should be a sign of hope in the light of the Blessed Mother. Die Schönstattfamilie, so der Kardinal abschließend, solle ein Zeichen der Hoffnung im Licht der Gottesmutter werden.

Informal encounters Begegnungen am Rande

Fotos: Brehm, POS © 2001

(mkf) A break during the Bishops' Synod in Rome provided the time necessary for Cardinal Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa to pay a short visit to Schoenstatt on October 20 and join in the final session of the German October Week. In his address to the delegates, he personally passed on the Holy Father's Apostolic Blessing of the International Schoenstatt Movement, and encouraged Schoenstatt to evaluate the pedagogy of hope inherit in Father Kentenich's teachings, in order to become a sign of hope in a world marked by resignation.

Cardinal Errázuriz' visit to the Founder Chapel was noticed by some of the delegates attending the Holy Mass in the Adoration Church, and word of mouth quickly spread and announced the surprise.

"John Paul II. knows Schoenstatt very well"

At the end of his dinner with the Holy Father, on October 18, Cardinal Errázuriz, Schoenstatt Father, Archbishop of Santiago de Chile and head of the Chilean Bishops' Conference, had received the Holy Father's Apostolic Blessing for the entire Schoenstatt Movement. Two days later, he could personally pass on this news to the over 700 delegates of the German October Week. Before Father Angel Strada began his talk, Father Beller invited Cardinal Errázuriz to speak to a highly attentive and thrilled audience who had received the Cardinal with enthusiastic applause. "John Paul II. knows Schoenstatt very well," Cardinal Errázuriz said. A couple of years ago, he added, the Pope had been given an MTA picture. John Paul II said that he would know it because such a picture had been in his parents' house. In the thirties, Pallottine Fathers had spread the MTA picture in his hometown. With obvious joy, Cardinal Errázuriz thanked Father Matthias Rummel SAC for this "Schoenstatt apostolate of the Pallottines". After a time of work in Rome, Cardinal Errázuriz shared, he had some years ago bid farewell to the Holy Father and started to discuss with him the successes and failures of his task, asking for advice. The Holy Father's answer: "You belong to Schoenstatt, therefore you are a spiritual son of Father Kentenich, and that's enough".

For the Hope of the World

The Bishops' synod, he shared, had been asked by John Paul II to consider ways of sharing the gospel of hope to a world marked by hopelessness, to proclaim the gospel for the hope of the world, Cardinal Errázuriz shared. In his own contribution, he continued, he had spoken from the background of Schoenstatt's education through and to ideals, through and to confidence. "Our pedagogy is a pedagogy of hope, a pedagogy through and to hope!" As persons who know the promises of God, he said, we are called to treat all people in a way that they feel we believe in their dignity, and trust in the fulfillment of God's promises with them, as God is almighty and faithful. He can and wants to invite them all from death to life, as well as he calls them to be co-operate with him to construct his kingdom of justice, love, peace and holiness. Each time when we say an unconditioned yes to God's will like Mary, and each time when we support and help the initiatives of the others in that we discover the work of the Holy Spirit, we become a sign of hope, he said.

Our family, Schoenstatt, is called to be sign of hope in a world of resignation and hopelessness, a sign of hope in the light of the Blessed Mother, as we have been given an education to and through hope.

Cardinal Errázuriz took part in the entire final session of the October Week in the morning, as Father Angel Strada spoke about organic love as way towards holiness, and Father Beller briefly summarized the inputs of the three days. In the afternoon, the diocesan delegations met to discuss their input for the German Schoenstatt Movement's work in the next year.