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Deacons' ordination
in Schoenstatt on the Feast of Ascension, May 9, 2002
Diakonenweihe in Schönstatt am Himmelfahrtstag, 9. Mai
2002 |
Pushpa Irudayaraj,
India; Jerzy Grycko, Byelorussia; Wilson Parekkatil, India; Thomas
Jochheim, Germany (l. to.r.)
Pushpa Irudayaraj, Indien; Jerzy Grycko, Weißrussland;
Wilson Parekkatil, Indien; Thomas Jochheim, Deutschland (v.l.n.tr.) |
Stephen Xavier,
Joy Puthussery, Sahaya Benjamin, India; Mark Joseph Niehaus, USA
Stephen Xavier, Joy Puthussery, Sahaya Benjamin, Indien; Mark
Joseph Niehaus, USA |
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Auxiliary
Bishop Dr. Alfred Kleinermeilert, Trier: "The most beautiful task
of a Bishop"
Weihbischof Dr. Alfred Kleinermeilert, Trier: "Die schönste
Aufgabe eines Bischofs" |
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Moments before
the ordination: Symbol of total surrender to God
Vor der Weihe: Zeichen der völligen Auslieferung an Gott |
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Ordained
as deacon through the imposition of the hands
Zum Diakon geweiht durch die
Handauflegung des Bischofs
Foto: POS Fischer © 2002 |
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Receiving
the gospel
Überreichung des Evangelienbuches |
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Indian liturgical
dance
Indischer liturgischer Tanz |
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Relatives,
friends, and Schoenstatt members congratulating
Gratulation von Verwandten, Freunden, bekannten und unbekannten
Schönstättern |
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Fotos: POS
Brehm © 2002 |
SCHOENSTATT, mkf. It was the biggest number of deacons to be ordained
on the same day in the Adoration Church in Schoenstatt, announced Father
Michael Joh. Marmann, Superior General of the Schoenstatt Fathers, in
his welcome address at the beginning of the celebration early in the afternoon
of Ascension day: eight young men, members of the Community of the Schoenstatt
Fathers, from Byelorussia, USA, Germany, and India, today were ordained
as deacons in the presence of a big number of relatives, friends, and
Schoenstatt members - as international as the group of deacons - that
filled the Adoration Church to capacity.
"This is a gift and a day of great joy for our entire Schoenstatt Family!"
Radiating with joy, Sr. Cecilia from the Dominican Republic expressed
her gratitude for experiencing the ordination of eight young men on this
sunny afternoon of the Feast of Ascension. "I feel very privileged to
have witnessed this," a Baptist Schoenstatt visitor from England said.
Methodist friends, who were on a pilgrimage to Schoenstatt with him, added:
"It was very emotional. We did not understand the words, but the gestures
and symbols, and the atmosphere of commitment and love for Jesus was tangible.
This is hope. During the ceremonies, I thought: This is about loving God
with all heart and soul. In this love, we are more one as Christians than
we sometimes think. This is future. Thank you for inviting us!"
"The Most Beautiful A Bishop Can be Asked to Do"
The Adoration Church filled with relatives, and friends of the new deacons,
with many young people, participants of retreats and pilgrimages, and
many Schoenstatt members of whom many had driven many hours just to join
in this celebration. To the tunes of a well-known Easter Song, more than
40 Schoenstatt Fathers, several Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests, students,
seminarians, and postulants of the Schoenstatt Fathers solemnly and joyfully
at the same time processed into the Church, accompanying the eight young
men who would leave the church as newly ordained deacons 2 hours later:
Jerzy Grycko from Byelorussia, Mark Joseph Niehaus from USA, Thomas Jochheim
from Germany, and Joy Puthussery, Pushpa Irudayaraj, Sahaya Benjamin,
Stephen Xavier, and Wilson Parekkattil from India.
At the beginning, Father Marmann welcomed all who had come, especially
Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Alfred Kleinermeilert, "famous throughout the world
for the many members of our community that you, have ordained as deacons,
members from all over the world, already since 1970, soon after our founding!"
Hardly ever if ever, Father Marmann added, so many young men had their
deacon's ordination at the same time.
He had gladly accepted the invitation, Auxiliary Bishop Kleinermeilert
answered, and because "the most beautiful a Bishop can be asked to do
is to ordain a person as deacon or priest", he thanked the families and
friends of the future deacons and "all who accompanied them so far with
their prayers. It is a profound source of joy for us to experience and
accompany today these eight young men who answered to God's call."
"Where People Love God and Love each other, the World is Changed!"
Among the participants of the Mass were the couples from the diocese
of Paderborn who had a retreat, a group of Methodist couples from England,
and many members of the Schoenstatt Boys' and Girls' Youth.
"Remain in my love" – this word from the gospel of John was the motto
that the future deacons had chosen for their celebration. The whole celebration
was marked by joy in the vocation, in Schoenstatt, in the Blessed Mother,
in God the Father. The Schoenstatt band Esperamor from Vallendar provided
songs and music, taking turns with students and seminarians of the Schoenstatt
Fathers who contributed songs from Poland, India, and Latin America, each
accompanied by typical instruments. The readings were read in German,
and English. In his sermon, Auxiliary Bishop Kleinermeilert picked up
the gospel of the Feast of Ascension, speaking about the risk that Jesus'
Ascension meant, leaving his church to fragile, doubtful, weak disciples
– and the Holy Spirit to guide and transform them, a work-in-process up
to the day. In order to bring ahead Jesus' kingdom, the disciples neither
organized an academic symposium, nor worked out a new social system. On
the other hand, indeed, he added, they tried and sold all they had to
the end of St. Paul having to organize a campaign for donations to save
them! "What really brought the church ahead was love!" Where people love
God and love each other, he stated, the world is transformed. Mary had
changed the world not by creating a new social system but by giving her
"fiat", her unconditional Yes to God.
We could expect, thus, that God would work through us, would strengthen
us and make our work bear fruit. Promising his prayer, he wished the future
deacons the strong experience of God's strength and the joy of being able
to give his love to people.
"I am ready!"
Eight times Father Dr. Lothar Penners, rector of the Joseph Kentenich
College, called a name, and eight times a firm voice responded: I am ready!
The liturgy of the ordination began with the personal presentation of
the candidates to the bishop, and continued with the invocation of the
Holy Spirit and the personal promise of each candidate to follow Jesus'
example, living in celibacy and obedience towards their superiors, serving
God and mankind, and to pray the hours. While the Litany of All Saints
was sung in Spanish, the eight candidates lay outstretched on the floor,
symbol of their total surrender to God. The most emotional moment was
the center of the rite, the bishop's imposition of hands and his prayer.
With joy impossible to hide the eight new deacons walked to the side of
the altar, where they put on the deacon's stole and vestment, assisted
by Schoenstatt Fathers – one of them the older brother of a new deacon!
The bishop then gave the Bible to each one; after the song "Oh the word
of my Lord", the Bishop, then Father Marmann, and Father Walter (Regional
Superior) embraced the new deacons – a moment of shared joy.
Entrusting Their Way to Priesthood to the Blessed Mother
The Mass continued with festive and joyful songs, the new deacons for
the first time assisting according to their liturgical role. After communion,
the Latin American students sang a song: "God, who you know all". Then,
two girls performed an Indian liturgical dance – an emotive expression
of veneration of God with body and soul.
Before the blessing, the eight newly ordained deacons offered a big bouquet
of flowers to the Blessed Mother, then entrusted their way to priesthood
to her, asking her to give them and preserve a childlike heart, a pure
heart, and a heart filled with joy in their vocation. The consecration
prayer ended with the petition for faithfulness, to "remain in the love
of your Son."
Father Walter thanked all who had come, and specially all who in any
way had contributed to the preparation and performing of this celebration
– from the Bishop to the choirs and music groups, and the Sisters who
had decorated the church and done background services.
A Family Celebrating
After Mass, all gathered on the place before the Adoration Church (just
for exception, the weather was warm and sunny!), waiting for the deacons
to come and accept their congratulations! Schoenstatt members from the
diocese of Mainz ("100% of the German deacons are from the diocese of
Mainz!"), and from several other dioceses, Schoenstatt Sisters and Sisters
from various communities from India, relatives of the deacons, Schoenstatt
Fathers not only from Germany, but from England, South Africa, USA – and
many young people everywhere (some of them strategically taking the advantage
of a big waiting crowd to distribute piles of flyers with an invitation
for the World Youth Day Program in Schoenstatt): a moment of family joy
shared. While the guests of the new deacons (among them some invited spontaneously)
drove to Mount Sion for a Snack and more private celebration, many of
the participants of the celebration stayed until soon before 6:00 PM,
greeting friends, sharing, and delighting this "gift and day of great
joy for our entire Schoenstatt family".
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