17 de noviembre de 2002: Alianza fraternal de la familia de Schoenstatt de Mendoza, Argentina November 17, 2002: Fraternal Covenant of the Schoenstatt family of Mendoza, Argentina 17. November 2002: Die Schönstattfamilie von Mendoza, Argentinien, schließt das Bündnis untereinander

En el Santuario: Miguel y Lilian Mateu, Dirigentes diocenos In the Shrine; Miguel and Lilian Mateu, diocesan directors Im Heiligtum: Miguel und Lilian Mateu, Diözesanleiter

Foto: Mateu Mendoza © 2002

ARGENTINA, Mendoza, Michael and Lilian Mateu. On November 17, the Schoenstatt family of Mendoza sealed their fraternal Covenant. The fraternal Covenant belongsto and forms an essential part of the Marian family-like character of Schoenstatt's charisma. This Covenant is not another ascetic or devotional addition, but means that the the Covenant of Love with Mary reaches a special maturity and development, assuring and guaranteeing that Schoenstatt, as a sincere Family of the Father, helps to reconstruct from within the social fabric and the attachments and relations that constitute it, in truth, justice, freedom, and love.

The preparation of the Fraternal Covenant began with all Schoenstatt members from Mendoza present for the 50^th anniversary of the National Shrine, on January 20, 2002, promising to Father Kentenich to seal such a Covenant. During the current year all were preparing to seal this Fraternal Covenant; little by little every group or course was sealing the Covenant as community; the Diocesan Council did so on November 5. The Covenant with the Father and Founder is the foundation of our fraternal Covenant, since in God's plans it was foreseen that he and we us were belonging together in a singular depth, as real family.

To reconstruct the social fabric from within

The Schoenstatt family of Mendoza is convinced that with their Fraternal Covenant they qualify themselves in a special way to serve Argentina in these chaotic and difficult moments marked by the economic, political and social crises, with the social fabric crushed by lie, corruption, injustice, violence... "We are sure that with this Covenant we will help, through the heroism of brotherhood and solidarity, to reconstruct from within the social fabric and the relations that constitute it in truth, justice, freedom, and love. Let us be builders of peace and of unity where ever we are. Let us believe in the faith and consciousness of the victory of aour Father and Prophet who taught us to live this Covenant through his example and his charisma. Let us believe in the power of the mission of our Shrine, and of our family, called to be for all times and for all people: NAZARETH, ONE HEART IN THE FATHER, LAND AND GUARANTEE OF UNITY.

Hand in hand, together we stand in the shadow of the Shrine

"Because we are children of the same Father, we take each other by the hand in the shadow of the Shrine, and surrounding it, we sing the prayerof the children of God: Our Father... " . An unforgettable moment on November 17. This day, on the eve of Father Kentenich's birthday, approximately two hundred persons of the Schoenstatt family of Mendoua, representatives of the mothers' branch, professionals, couples, and youths, sesled the Fraternal Covenant in a very emotive ceremony. With this act they try to growdeeply into their Diocesan, Mission "One heart heart in the Father, guarantee of Unity", and into the name of their Shrine, "Nazareth of the Father, Land of Unity".

That the light that radiates from this Open Shrine will become a secure path leading people to you…

In the prayer of the Fraternal Covenant, the Schoenstatters from Mendoza made promise to Mary: Dear Mater, as proof of this commitment and love, we offer you our availability to work that your Shrine more and more become a warm home of the family, the common house of a brotherly family, so that all those who come here may say: It is good to be here. We promise to attend to it spiritually, physically and materially, with our prayer, our presence, the care and the assistance of the pilgrims. That the light that radiates from this Open Shrine will become a secure path leading people to you… Strengthened with your grace, we initiate the triennium of preparation towards the silver jubilee of our Shrine; longing that this jubilee will meet us, joined as brothers and sisters, sheltered under your mantle, living your kingdom as an authentic Nazareth of the Father ". The Schoenstatt family of Mendoza hopes that this Covenant is a primary link of unity inside the Dicesan family, and a guarantee that the Fraternal Covenant that they sealed will spread to the Schoenstatt family, and the society of Argentina. The final singing was like a promise: family is a mystery, is to share the heart, to feed a fire, to smile in communion...