An array of PCs, laptops, cables, printers... the first workshop of Press Office Schoenstatt had an equipment (yet) slightly different to usual Schoenstatt meetings. PCs, Laptops, Kabelgewirr, Drucker - beim ersten Seminar für Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit sah es (noch) etwas anders aus als bei üblichen Schönstatt-Treffen

Sr. Kornelia Fischer, Press Office Schoenstatt, communication scientist, led the workshop. Seminarleiterin: Schw. Kornelia Fischer, Kommunikationswissenschaftlerin, Press Office Schoenstatt

A pc place for each participant was provided: Maria Heizmann, Federation of Families -r-, Elfriede Wespel, Family League Ein PC-Arbeitsplatz für jeden gehörte einfach zum effektiven Arbeiten: Maria Heizmann, Familienbund (r), Elfriede Wespel, Familienliga.

Holy Mass in the House Chapel of House Marienau. Heilige Messe in der Hauskapelle der Marienau.

Fr. Tilmann Beller, Movement Director of the German Schoenstatt Movement: "We want to give Schoenstatt a voice." P. Tilmann Beller, Bewegungsleiter: "Lasst uns Schönstatt eine Stimme geben."

Sharing experiences of lucky or less lucky interviews (l to r): Elfiede Wespel, Christine Haaser, Ulrike Much, both candidates of the Women's Federation Austausch über geglückte oder weniger geglückte Interviews (v.l.n.r.): Elfiede Wespel, Christine Haaser, Ulrike Much, beide Kandidatinnen des Frauenbundes

Listening to the first drafts of reports: Stephan Huber and Christian Sester, Schoenstatt Boys' Youth, Marco Wolf (Young Schoenstatt), Jutta Hansen (Women's Federation) Aufmerksame Kritiker der ersten Entwürfe von Artikeln: Stephan Huber und Christian Sester, Schönstatt Mannesjugend, Marco Wolf (Junges Schönstatt), Jutta Hansen (Frauenbund)

Webmasters' sharing: Peter Quan (Switzerland), Johannes Link (Young Schoenstatt) Webmaster unter sich: Peter Quan (Schweiz), Johannes Link (Junges Schönstatt)

Surrounded by High Tech: Fr. Tilmann Beller Von High Tech umgeben: P. Tilmann Beller

An atmosphere of openness for each other from ther very beginning: Arno Hernadi, Maria Heinzmann, Sr. Maribirga Atmosphäre der Offenheit füreinander von Anfang an: Arno Hernadi, Maria Heizmann, Sr. Maribirga

The authors: Chrstine Haaser (l), Ulrike Much, Women's Federation Die Autorinnen: Chrsitine Haaser, Ulrike Much, Frauenbund

Fotos: PressOffice Schoenstatt, Brehm, Johannes Link © 2002

SCHOENSTATT, Ulrike Much, Christine Haaser. How difficult, and how refreshing it can be to do press or media work, the 17 participants of a seminar sponsored by Press Office Schoenstatt experienced on February 2 and 3, 2002.

What does one expect when participating in a meeting in Schoenstatt? Beautifully decorated meeting rooms, a candle providing a cozy atmosphere, sharing about religious themes … nothing of that!! Eight PCs, seven Laptops, and a tangle of cables in the middle of the room (plus CD-writers, printers, cell phones, digital cameras) made for the basic equipment of the workshop sponsored by Press Office Schoenstatt in House Marienau, Schoenstatt, titled: "Life Enkindles Life".

Maintaining the Swiss Schoenstatt website (Peter Quan), working for the newsletter of "Young Schoenstatt" (Arno Hernadi, Marco Wolf), Public Relation for the Schoenstatt Center in Oberkirch, Archdiocese of Freiburg (Christine Haaser), maintaining the Bamberg Schoenstatt Center's website (Johannes Kaut) – these are only some of the reasons and motives that made the participants travel hours to join in this first-time-ever seminar on press work and PR in and for Schoenstatt.

After a short theoretical input it was the participants' turn – their task was to say Schoenstatt terms in a way that others simply understand them, to "de-complicate" them, because: "What sounds uncomplicated will be understood!"

"Back-breaking Journalistic Work!"

What followed then was backbreaking journalistic work! One task was to go to the different houses in Schoenstatt and to take interviews there to the end of writing a report about what was going on in Schoenstatt on this sunny Saturday. The other task made three teams head for the little town of Vallendar to start a poll. With this exercise, reports resulted about a meeting of US Military women from Ramstein retreating in House Sonnenau, the diocesan meeting of the Trier Schoenstatt Boys' Youth in the Youth Center Marienberg, the Literature seminar on Mount Moriah, a seminar for Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary who work in the movement, and a study about how well known Schoenstatt is in the population of Vallendar.

Tips and Tricks for Correspondents

After these first attempts as free collaborators of Press Office Schoenstatt, it was about sharing the experiences and some tips and tricks for correspondents. What makes for a good journalist? "A professional journalist is said to be excellently skilled and to be disrespectful," said Father Beller. A Schoenstatt journalist, however, is well skilled as well but marked by a high degree of respect for each person. A quote from Father Kentenich became a "guiding star": "I have to think with all that the other one says. My soul has to swing in the rhythm of the other's soul. That is essential. If I only listen, only rationally digest the information, I cannot call that a personal understanding. I need to feel what the other one feels and does not articulate. It also means to say a yes to the other's point of view. It is also necessary to believe, to honestly believe in the value of what the other one wants and strives for. It means the firm belief in the other's personal mission."

Sr. Kornelia who led the workshop is an excellent model of this style of journalism. Her enthusiasm for her work was so contagious that the participants, a theoretical part only just being finished, ran to their PCs to put into practice what they had heard (and could hardly be talked into leaving them for a meal or sleep!!!)

At the end of the workshop a number of participants volunteered to be correspondents for PressOffice Schönstatt, and all wished this seminar to be repeated and continued, also in other places.