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| Starting the
Schoenstatt Girls' Youth's foot pilgrimage to Schoenstatt with the
blessing of the bishop: Schoenstatt Girls' Youth from Fulda, and Erfurt,
with Bishop Algermissen, Fulda Start der Fußwallfahrt der Mädchenjugend nach Schönstatt mit dem bischöflichen Segen: Mädchenjugend aus Fulda und Erfurt mit Bischof Algermissen, Fulda Foto: Baumgarter © 2002 |
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| Pentecost
Sunday, Schoenstatt: the final pilgrimage headed to the tumb of Father
Kentenich Pfingstsonntag in Schönstatt: die allerletzte Fußwallfahrt ging zum Grab Pater Kentenichs |
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| Arriving at
the Original Shrine: Girls from the diocese of Freiburg Ankunft am Urheiligtum:Mädchen aus der Diözese Trier |
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| "It is good
to be here!"- Prayer time in the Original Shrine "Hier ist gut sein!" - Gebet im Urheiligtum |
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| Tired, wet,
and happy: Girls from Rottenburg-Stuttgart Müde, nass und glücklich: Jugendliche aus Rottenburg-Stuttgart |
| Fotos: POS, Fischer © 2002 |
GERMANY, Cornelia Weber. Approximatey 70 girls from the Schoenstatt Girls' Youth of different dioceses, the day before Pentecost went on foot to Schoenstatt. The girls from Fulda and Erfurt participated with a special blessing from the Fulda Bishop, Heinz Josef Algermissen.
On of the youth from Fulda tells the story: "On the 17th of May the girls from Fulda together with the girls from Erfurt, started the pilgrim walk to Schoenstatt. Of course we needed a blessing to properly set out.
One week before a few of us were wondering which priest would be willing to give us this blessing. One of us, in reality just kidding, said: "How would it be if our Bishop could do it?" With that this idea was born and we set off in that moment to write a letter to Bishop Heinz Josef Algermissen. We really didn’t believe he would have time for us, but how many times do things happen that would have never been thought!"
"The Bishop has half an hour of time for you"
"Only a day after we sent this letter we received an answer through our Youth Sister. The Bishop’s secretary asked whether 6.00 pm at the Fulda Cathedral, by the tomb of St. Bonifatius, the apostle of Germany, would be okay for us. She added that the Bishop had half an hour for us (and we had only asked for 10 minutes).
So we prepared a benediction service, and on Friday approximately 15 young women between ages 17 through 21, and two Youth Sisters went to Fulda. Punctually at 6 pm, Bishof Algermissen came, and greeted each of us individually. Our diocesan leader gave him a pilgrim sack - one of the kind that all of the pilgrims had gotten -, and he asked us how far we had to go and how many others would join us on the way to Schoenstatt.
During the prayer service, after a song and prayer, the Bishop gave a small talk. He pointed at the true presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives and that our goal would be to let him show us the way and follow the red thread in the Labyrinth of life. We spontaneously combinded that with the Covenant of Love and the Blessed Mother as red thread of our life! As closing he gave us our travel blessing.
Afterwards we took some pictures all together and the Bishop wished us a beautiful Pentecost. Everything was such a beautiful experience.
On the next morning we started for our 20 km walk from Montabaur. Although the weather was not too good (but it did not rain really hard), we all arrived safe and sound in Schoenstatt,(with some blisters on our feet) . There we found ourselves with 70 other girls and met with them for a joyful time under the theme "Einfach mehr" (simply more). The meeting lasted until Sunday afternoon.
More: 
Pentecost in Schoenstatt
and:
Eve of Pentecost in Schoenstatt
Translation: Cousett Ruelas, Austin, TX, USA