Original Shrine on March 10, 2002, early afternoon: pilgrims used the free time for personal prayer. Many lightes a candle. Urheiligtum, 10. März 2002, früher Nachmittag: Pilger nutzen die Zeit zum persönlichen Beten; viele entzünden Kerzen.

Foto: POS, Fischer © 2002

SCHOENSTATT

End of Winter Break: Pilgrimages Started Again

Since the beginning of March, buses with pilgrims from German parishes and dioceses began to come to Schoenstatt again after the winter break. "Love is stronger", the motto of the German Schoenstatt Movement, is also the motto for the pilgrimages to the Original Shrine in this year. The end of the winter break is also tangible on Mount Schoenstatt, where the Father – Kentenich –House re-opened on March 1. Sister Astrid's cafeteria in the filiation of the Schoenstatt bookshop re-opened already a week before. The regional newspaper published a portrait of Sister Astrid, summarizing the mission she sees for this "always open house": "Always time for an encouraging talk".

Extension of the Father House on Mount Sion under construction. Erweiterungsbau des Vaterhauses auf Berg Sion im Werden

Foto: Grill www.schoenstatt-patres.de © 2002

Extension of Father House on Mount Sion – Building Project by the Tabor Shrine

The extension of the Father House of the Schoenstatt Fathers is advancing. The extension – initially already planned with the construction of the house - is built because more rooms are needed for the students of the Schoenstatt Fathers who spend a tertiate in Schoenstatt to get to know the place of origin. – The building project of the men's branches, the small retreat house by the Tabor Shrine, began earlier this year and is advancing also.

Tatiana Goritschewa spoke in Schoenstatt. Tatiana Goritschewa sprach bei einer Tagung in Schönstatt

Foto: Archiv © 2002

Tatiana Goritschewa in Schoenstatt

During a retreat for priests, deacons, and theologians in House Marienau, Tatiana Goritschewa, Russian free-lance writer and speaker, gave talks in Schoenstatt about the spiritual development of Russian Christianity before and after the fall of the Iron Curtain.

Girls from Ireland in Schoenstatt

A group of approximately 20 girls from a school in Ireland spent a week in Schoenstatt, House Sonnenau, and in the St. Mary's school (Marienschule) of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. Besides the language program, they also got to know about Schoenstatt, and visited the Original Shrine and the Founder Chapel, where they documented their stay with the signatures in the visitors' book.

Schoenstatt Mothers' Retreats

With the beginning of Lent, Schoenstatt mothers from several German dioceses have taken turns for retreats in House Marienland: from Fulda, Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Speyer, Bamberg.

Invitation to the First International Festival of Flower Carpets

Surfing the Internet for possible candidates for the few places given to groups from outside Italy, the committee for the First International Festival of Flower Carpets in Ancona, Italy, found the reports and pictures from last year's Corpus Christi procession on Mount Schoenstatt and invited the Schoenstatt Sisters to take part in the festival to take place in June. Although the Sisters for time and other reasons could not meet the criteria for the participation, this invitation is a honor and acknowledgement for the volunteer work of many, also from the Schoenstatt Movement that "transform" Mount Schoenstatt into a flower paradise for Jesus each year for Corpus Christi.

The first Shrine in England on the day of its dedication Das erste Heiligtum in England am Tag der Einweihung

Foto: Beebe © 2002

ENGLAND

Monday Evening Talks

Following Evening Prayer in the Shrine in Bolton, Manchester, on Monday evenings Fr. Duncan will meet with individual Schoenstatt Family Groups from Liverpool, Manchester or Leeds. Themes: 'The Vine and the Branches; `When God breaks through`. 'The Cana Experience`.

`The Vine and the Branches` looks at the Covenant of Love from the perspective of Jesus’ conversation with his twelve disciples before his Passion. The Covenant of Love means that we want to reach out for the extraordinary Christian Life.

`When God breaks through` looks at the beginnings of Schoenstatt and how the Covenant of Love in the Shrine developed. The Gospel of St. John relates the beautiful story of the Wedding Feast at Cana, when Jesus performed his first miracle and his disciples believed him. Schoenstatt has a Marian Charisma. This passage of the Holy Scripture gives us a unique insight into the relationship between Jesus and us. It is a means to understand Mary’s role in our Covenant of Love.

Fr. Duncan McVicar

A new Shrine is growing... Entrance to the construction site in Córdoba, Argentina Hier entsteht ein neues Heiligtum - Am Eingang der Baustelle in Córdoba, Argentinien

Foto: Alvarado © 2002

ARGENTINA

New Shrine in Cordoba: Construction Slowed Down by Economical Crisis

The Shrine of the Father Kentenich Center in Cordoba, Argentina, is "in the foundations", but the construction is at a standstill as the economical crisis did not allow to go on. "But we hope that soon it can go on with the walls and the rest", wrote Rosita Alvarado.

The Shrine is scheduled to be dedicated on August 31.

The Schoenstatt Movement of Córdoba is anticipating with much joy and pride the return of "their Senegal missionary", Hellen Otero, who in March 2001 went to Dakar for a youth missionary year and took the "Jubilee Pilgrim Mother" for Senegal along - one of the 50 pictures sent out during the International Meeting of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Santa Maria in November 2000. In September 2001, the Pilgrim Mother started to visit young people in Dakar. On February 28, 2002, Adam Sambu made his missionary compromise to carry on the Campaign in Senegal.

Other countries where the Jubilee Pilgrim Mother pictures already have been sent to are Turkey (from Uruguay, in Smyrna), and Haiti (from Dominican Republic, in Port-au-Prince).

Joint Venture: the water from many small jars is poured into a big one - symbol for the joined efforts to build the Shrine. Gemeinsam sind wir stark: das Wasser aus vielen kleinen Krügen fließt in einen großen, Symbol für das gemeinsame Mühen um das zukünftige Heiligtum

Foto: Gódany © 2002

HUNGARY

Capital of Grace for the Future Shrine

The Schoenstatt Movement in Hungary is working for the spiritual conquering of the future Shrine, having made the resolution to take concrete steps in view of the realization of the long-term dream of a Hungarian Schoenstatt Shrine. The decision was made visible with the "pouring together" of the water from the individual jars to the one big jar symbolizing the Shrine: it must become reality through the joint efforts of all!

Since the beginning of the month, the Hungarian Schoenstatt Movement maintains an own homepage, so far in Hungarian only, but a German mirror site is planned.

GERMANY

Gilbert Schimmel on EWTN

In the English program radioed by the German section of EWTN, documentation on Gilbert Schimmel was presented severally during the month of February. Gilbert Schimmel, and his wife Joanna got to know Father Kentenich in the fifties during his stay in Milwaukee, USA. Together with some other American couples they formed the group that listened to Father Kentenich's Monday Night Talks. A committed apostle of Marian devotion, and a layperson who saw work and working conditions as challenge for putting "every day sanctity" into practice, Gilbert Schimmel wanted to be a "Joseph Engling for USA", that is to offer his all, like the founding generation, for the spread of Schoenstatt in the USA. Like Joseph Engling, he offered his life for this goal.

Exhibition in Kassel: "Human Being – Heavenwards"

"Human Being – Heavenwards" – this is the title of an exhibition sponsored by the diocese of Fulda and the Catholic Parishes of Kassel from May 29 through September 22, 2002, in the St. Elizabeth's Church in Kassel in behalf of the "Documenta 11", an international Exhibition of Contemporary Art. The exhibition combines the altar paintings of Johann Tischbein Sr. and modern sculptures of Professor Virnich. According to spokesman Stefan Weiler, the title originated without knowing about Father Kentenich's prayers from Dachau with the title "Heavenwards".

More about the exhibition: www.mensch-himmelwaerts.de

Focolare Movement's Magazine on Blank Check and Schoenstatt's Second Milestone

The March edition of the Focolare Movement's magazine "Neue Stadt" (New City) covers the 60th anniversary of Schoenstatt's second milestone, Father Kentenich's decision of January 20, 1942, with an article titled: "Blank Check". The same magazine has an excellent report and several color pictures on the Initiative for the Protection of Human Embryos – a joint initiative of Focolar Movement, Bread of Life, and Schoenstatt – and their delegation's meeting with leading German politicians on January 23 and 24, 2002. Copies of the magazine are available in PressOffice Schoenstatt or can be ordered directly (at 2,10 € plus postage): verlag@neuestadt.com (Germany), Neue.Stadt.Wien@eunet.at (Austria), neuestadt@swissonline.ch (Switzerland).

ZIMBABWE

Gratitude for International Prayer Support

The Schoenstatt members thanked for the strong international prayer support received from the Schoenstatt Movement during the fear-ridden days before and during the General elections on March 9 –11. They received prayer promises from Canada, Argentina, Germany, Ecuador, USA, and England. Schoenstatt members who had received the call for prayer issued by Marlene Peter, Schoenstatt Mothers' Union, Harare, initiated rosary prayers, and morning prayers, or asked for prayers for Zimbabwe on group or branch meetings. On March 11, Marlene Peter wrote: "It is so encouraging to know of the worldwide prayers that are covering Zimbabwe at this time. A very big thanks you to all. There is so much tension and deep- seated fear. This evening at mass when the priest led us in the novena of Grace to St. Francis Xavier when it came to the part where there is a pause while everyone makes their private intentions, one of the parishioners prayed a beautiful prayer for Zimbabwe, our beautiful country. I shall in turn say prayers for all those who are praying for us that God will bless them in a special way for their open-heartedness. Our MTA's mantle is very wide and that is so reassuring."