Cor Ecclesiae Shrine, Rome: a lot is going on in Rome ... Cor Ecclesiae Heiligtum, Rom: es tut sich einiges ...

Meeting of top representatives of nine Ecclesial Movements in the Schoenstatt Sisters' House in Rome. Treffen von Hauptverantwortlichen von neun Geistlichen Bewegungen im Haus der Marienschwestern in Rom.

Sharing: Dr. Andrea Riccardi, Founder of Sant' Egidio (l), Fr. Dr. Michael Marmann, Schoenstatt. Im Gespräch: Dr. Andrea Riccardi, Gründer von Sant'Egidio (l), P. Dr. Michael Marmann, Schönstatt

Chiara Lubich, Foundress of the Focolar Movement, with Dr. Andrea Riccardi Chiara Lubich, Gründerin der Fokolarbewegung, mit Dr. Andrea Riccardi

Fr. Marmann with Dr. Luis Jensen and Pilar Jensen Escudero, Chile, Institute of the Schoenstatt Families. P. Marmann mit Dr. Luis Jensen und Pilar Jensen Escudero, Chile, Institut der Schönstattfamilien

Getting to know each other, sharing of activities, working for the unity of the church - the objective of the meetings. Einander kennen lernen, von Aktivitäten erfahren, miteinander für die Einheit der Kirche wirken - Anliegen der Begegnungen.

A Pilgrim Mother picture from Santa Maria, Brazil, the cradle of the Campaign, a gift for each of the present movements. Sr. Neida (from Santa Maria) passing on the Pilgrim Mother to Chiara Lubich, Ein Bild der Pilgernden Gottesmutter aus Santa Maria, der Wiege der Kampagne, als Geschenk Schönstatts an die Bewegungen. Sr. Neida (aus Santa Maria) überreicht ein Bild an Chiara Lubich.

... and to Dr. Andrea Riccardi. ... und an Dr. Andrea Riccardi.

The gift is obviously welcome! Chiara Lubich, Fr. Marmann Das Geschenk macht offenbar Freude! Chiara Lubich, P. Marmann

Farewell by the wayside Shrine. Abschied am Bildstöckchen

Fotos: Horacio Conde © Centro S.Chiara Audiovisivi, Rocca di Papa, italia

ITALY, Sr. M. Lisianne Braunbeck/mkf. Something is moving in Rome... In the week after Easter, the Acts of Sr. Emilie's process of Canonization arrived in Rome, the two Schoenstatt Fathers who are to work for Schoenstatt in Rome and Italy set out from Argentina, and the way side Shrine for the Vatican Gardens, donated years ago by the Memhölz brass band, will actually be erected there. Specially through the Pilgrim Mother, Schoenstatt is spreading in Italy where more than 100 pictures are visiting ... and some more, donated to the top representatives of Ecclesial Movement on Father Michael Marmann's initiative.

Since 1999, the top representatives of Ecclesial Movements from time to time meet. The objectives are getting to know each other, information about activities and working for the soecific contribution of the Movements towards the unity of the Church.

On November 24, 2001, such a meeting took place in the House of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary in Rome, by the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine, following an invitation of Father Marmann.

Representatives of Nine Movements present

The 24 participants represented nine Ecclesial Movements: Focolare Movement (Chiara Lubich), Sant’Egidio (Andrea Riccardi), Comunione e Liberazione (Jesús Carrascosa), Charismatic Renewal (Salvatore Martínez and Matteo Calisi); Regnum Christi (P. Álvaro Corquera), Canção Nova (P. Stefan Abib); Equipe Notre Dame (Mr. and Mrs. De Roberty und P. Fleischmann); Cursillos de Cristiandad (Fr. Martin Bialas), and Schoenstatt.

The meeting began with a welcome and refreshments in the entrance hall. The participants were welcomes by Father Kentenich - present in a life-size picture.

The discussion started around 4:00PM - current activities being the main onbjective of the sharing. Noth the unique and characteristic features of the Movements and well as the common ground became obvious and clear.

The Pilgrim Mother for Each Movement

At approximately 6:00 PM Father Marmann invited all to join in a common prayer in the Shrine. Sr. M. Neida gave a short introduction about the meaning and mission of the Schoenstatt Shrines and specially the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine - the Shrine "Heart of the Church". Placed on the communion rail of the Shrine, medium size pictures of the Pilgrim Mother - smaller than those for families and bigger than the popular small pictures that pilgrims often take home from Santa Maria - greeted the visitors. Father Marmann had asked for these pictures to be sent from Santa Maria as a gift for each Movement. Along with the picture of the Pilgrim Mother, each participant received a card with a photo of the Cor Ecclesiae Shrine and Father Kentenich's prayer "Let us reflect your image" in German and Italian. With this the prayer could be prayed together, followed by the "Salve Regina". The representatives of the Movements accepted the gift with obvious joy... and the ringing of the bell underlined the meaning of this encounter. Father Marmann later commented that the representatives of the Movement obviously did not take the picture of the Pilgrim Mother as a "nice gift" but that the moment was close to a real compromise...

Closing the Day in Trastevere

Some alreay had to leave right after, others stayed for dinner, when a big cake with a Shrine decoration was shared.

Father Marmann invited to join in the Holy Mass in Sta. Maria en Trastevere, sponsoered by the Community Sant’Egidio. Some of the participants met there at 8:00 PM and closed the day afterwards in a little restaurant owned by Sant’Egidio.

Since Pentecost 1998, when the Pope entrusted the New Evangelization to the Ecclesial Movements and had motivated them to join forces, specially the Focolare Movement, faithful to their spirituality of unity, worked for this objective.

Several meetings took place on national, diocesan and regional level aiming at a better knwoledge of each other's mission and identity. Meanwhile, some common activities have been put into practice, as recently the Initiative for the Protection of Humal Embryos in Germany. In view of common activities, the Pilgrim Mother was an adequate gift - only in the North East of Brazil, for example, more than 40 different Movements and communities work together in the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Campaign for the new evangelization of the people.