Representatives of the Schoenstatt Mothers' Initiative "That you may live"; soon the initiative will move into this room in the "Covenant Home". Vertreterinnen der Initiative "Ich wünsche dir Leben" der Schönstattbewegung Frauen und Mütter im Bundesheim; bald wird die Initiative hier einziehen

Covenant Home: on the anniversary of its dedication, August 15, the agreement was signed that will allow the Initiative to use rooms of this house. Bundesheim Schönstatt: am Jahrestag der Einweihung, 15. August, wurde die Vereinbarung über die Raumnutzung durch die Initiative unterzeichnet.

Fernando Arrau (r) expressing his joy about the event of this day; left, translating: Franciso Nuño, Superior General Schoenstatt Institute of Families, member of the board of trustees. Fernando Arrau (r) äußerte seine Freude über das Geschehen des Tages; links, bei der Übersetzung, Francisco Nuño, mit seiner Frau Anneliese Generalobernfamilie des Schönstatt-Instituts Familien und Mitglied im Kuratorium.

In Father Kentenich's room the agreement was signed; Maria Engler, diocesan leader, thanking Fernande Arrau. With her: Schoenstatt Sisters M.Caja (l), M. Violaine (2nd from l.), and Marie-Jeannette, working with the mothers. Im Zimmer Pater Kentenichs wurde die Vereinbarung unterzeichnet; Maria Engler, Diözesanverantwortliche der Schönstattbewegung Frauen und Mütter, dankt Fernando Arrau. Mit dabei: Sr. Caja (l), Sr. Violaine (2.v.l.), Sr. Marie-Jeannette, die in der Mütterbewegung arbeiten

Holy Mass in the house chapel; celebrant: Fr. Sidney Fones, deputy chariperson of the General Presidium. Heilige Messe in der Hauskapelle: Zelebrant P. Sidney Fones, stellvertretender Vorsitzender des Generalpräsidiums

Approximately 40 persons attended the Holy Mass Ungefähr 40 Personen waren bei der heiligen Messe dabei.

In the room of the Initiative: "Protect us with your mantle" in four languages Im Raum der Initiative: "Breit um uns deinen Mantel" in vier Sprachen

In Father Kentenich's room: a song of faithfulness to him and his mission Im Zimmer Pater Kentenichs: ein Lied der Treue zu ihm und seiner Sendung

Fotos: POS, Fischer © 2002

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. The Schoenstatt Mothers of the diocese of Trier on this August 15^th, feast of the Assumption of Mary, made a decisive step in view of the development of their initiative for pregnant mothers in conflict situations, "That you may live". The Fundación María Reina del Trabajo (Foundation Mary Queen of Work), present owners of the Covenant House, the "Bundesheim", and the Schoenstatt Mothers of the diocese of Trier, signed an agreement to let "That you may live" use rooms in the Covenant House as office, reception, and store-room for donated items: children's wear, child's beds, maternity wear, child's safety seats, bottles, baby's changing tables…

The date to sign the agreement had been deliberately chosen, as Fernando Arrau, representing the foundation, emphasized at the beginning of the Holy Mass in the house chapel of the Covenant House. Approximately 40 persons gathered in the house chapel where Father Kentenich said Holy Mass very often: Representatives of the Schoenstatt mothers of the diocese of Trier, Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary working in the Mothers' League, members of the board of trustees of the Covenant House, students and seminarians of the Schoenstatt Fathers.

August 15 – Day of the Blessing of the Covenant House

"On a day like this," Fernando Arrau said, "it is a special joy to sign the agreement and to have rooms blessed in this house, to open the house for a social project of the Schoenstatt Movement, of the Schoenstatt Mothers." August 15 is the day of the blessing of the House – it will be 75 years since the blessing of this house on August 15, 1928. Since then, the House had been the "Retreat House", the "House of the Federation" (which at that time meant "Schoenstatt"), with countless retreats, and workshops, taking place there. Father Kentenich had his office and private room there until he left Schoenstatt in 1951. After the separation of the Pallottines and the Schoenstatt Movement in 1964, the Pallottines had used the house for retreats that they sponsored there, until a couple of years ago they offered the house to the Schoenstatt Movement. – The joy and gratitude about the fact that rooms of the house in near future will be used for a Schoenstatt Initiative, was tangible!

In his sermon, Father Sydney Fones picked up the theme, emphasizing that visiting a historical place means to immediately think of the persons who lived there and marked the place by their presence. Like visiting Avila means to talk about Therese, and thinking about her relevance for today, visiting this house would mean to talk about Father Kentenich and the mission that he left and that becomes alive once we touch "his places".

A mission summed up in the word "Mary"

Father Kentenich, said Father Sydney, summed up in one word what God expects from persons and how God loves persons. The word is: "Mary". Celebrating the feast of Mary's assumption to heaven, he said, means to celebrate her way of serving God and people. On this day, we would ask her that her presence would create the longing in each one of us to be more like her, to walk her way, the way of a strong, interiorly rich, and noble person.

It also means to bring people closer to her so that, in her presence, they would feel the longing to share her dignity, her strength, her richness of life.

"Schoenstatt is no self-sanctification club", he quoted Father Kentenich. The founder wanted a family, a community that shares its experience of God and of the Blessed Mother, with others. The group of Schoenstatt mothers who were ready to dedicate their time and love to this initiative would help to make Father Kentenich's vision and desire for a sharing family come true. "How beautiful would it be if women who come here, searching women, women in conflicts, would return home being a little bit more at peace, a little bit more confident, a little bit more religious!"

The seminarists provided the songs for the Mass – in English, German, and Spanish; adding a joyful and international touch to the Mass.

Soon a place of hope

In the room where Father Kentenich lived during many years, the agreement was signed by Fernando Arrau, and Sr. Anne-Meike. A song to Father Kentenich, sung in Spanish by the seminarists, interpreted the event – everything is entrusted to Father Kentenich, in faithfulness, all those involved want to serve people as he did. Maria Engler, diocesan leader of the Schoenstatt Mothers, thanked Fernando Arrau for his generosity that made the moving into the house possible, giving the initiative for the first time a place where persons can find counseling, advice, support and concrete material help.

In procession, an MTA picture carried ahead, all walked to the rooms that soon will host the initiative "That you may live". Father Sidney blessed the rooms with holy water, the Schoenstatt mothers prayed a simple dedication prayer, inviting all to renew the Covenant of Love and entrust the work and all women who would come there to the Blessed Mother.

With "Protect us with your mantle" being sung in German, Spanish, English, and Portuguese – this song being sung in this house so often! - , the simple celebration ended.

Soon these rooms may be a place of hope for women who search support during their struggle to accept the child that they are expecting, facing social, financial, and professional challenges and hardships in the case of deciding for the life of the unborn baby. "We want to reach out to these women, offer them material help, emotional support – and not only during the pregnancy but also afterwards," said Ulrike Eichenberg. "It does not help to only complain about the political decisions hostile to children, we need to act and offer help, thus creating an atmosphere of growing fondness for children. Today was a decisive step in that direction – 'that you may live'!"