Pesebre en la Casa del Padre Kentenich Nativity scene in the Father Kentenich House Krippe im Pater-Kentenich-Haus
Drawing competition in the Father-Kentenich-Haus Malwettbewerb im Pater-Kentenich-Haus
Nativity play in House Marienland Krippenspiel in Haus Marienland
Bendición en el Santuario Original, primer minuto del Año Nuevo Blessing in the Original Shrine in the first minute of the New Year Segen im Urheiligtum in der ersten Minute des Neuen Jahres
"Feliz Año Nuevo" frente del Santuario Original "Happy New Year in front of the Original Shrine "Frohes Neues Jahr" vor dem Urheiligtum
Aida desde Querétaro, Mexico (der.), Chilenos en la noche del 1 de enero Aida from Querétaro, Mexico (right), and three Chileans in the New Year's Night Aida aus Querétaro, Mexiko (rechts) und drei Chilenen in der Neujahrsnacht
Rosa Espinoza desde Bariloche, Argentina: voluntaria en la Oficina de Prensa Rosa Espinoza from Bariloche, Argentina, working in the PressOffice Rosa Espinoza aus Bariloche, Argentinien, bei der Arbeit im PressOffice
Hector y Inés Rocha, Inglaterra, con sus cuatro hijos: "Una maravillosa Navidad en Schoenstatt!" Hector and Ines Rocha, England, with their four children: "A beautiful Christmas in Schoenstatt!" Hector und Ines Roche, England, mit ihren vier Kindern: "Ein wunderschönes Weihnachten in Schönstatt."
Fotos: POS, Fischer © 2003

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "This is a dream!! My Christmas in Schoenstatt!" – Aida, a student from Querétaro, Mexico, studying pedagogy in Paris since fall, seemed to not be able to believe that her dream had come true: Christmas in Schoenstatt! The "Ten minutes by the crib" offered a "permanent program" for all those who came to Schoenstatt during this time, be it as participant of one of the numerous workshops or retreats, as pilgrim from Argentina, England, Ecuador, South Africa or Mexico, or "spontaneous visitor". The Nativity Tours to Schoenstatt, offered by the Schoenstatt Mothers' League, were a big seller again. In the Father Kentenich House, a multifaceted program for children and adults attracted many, in the first days of January, after the end of vacation, specially kindergarten groups.

Aida spent almost two weeks in Schoenstatt, participating with great joy in the Midnight Mass, and in the ringing in of the New Year in the Original Shrine. The small group gathered there at midnight was a truly international one – from Germany, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico, Poland… Father Matthias Rummel presided over the short prayer service at 11.45 PM, and then, at the first minute of the New Year, to the ringing of the bell, gave the blessing with the monstrance. The blessing was given for all those who in the year 2002 spiritually or physically visited the Original Shrine, or will do so in the year 2003. Afterwards, all joyfully wished each other a happy New Year, crossing language barriers with smiles.

The "young generation" meanwhile celebrated with a party at the Youth Center and Holy Mass. The days before, a group of young women did spent some days of reflection in House Sonnenau, Schoenstatt Girls' Youth did so afterwards.

Michelle from Cape Town and her daughter Jackie (12) left soon after New Year after spending the Christmas time in Schoenstatt. Jackie fell in love with the Nativity tours and eagerly helped there; on the last day of their stay, she made her Covenant of Love. Rosa Espinosa from Bariloche, Argentina, who had been in Schoenstatt for some weeks helping two days a week as volunteer secretary and translator in the Press Office, is taking home not only precious memories, but a special treasure: a shingle from the Original Shrine, "for now for our beautiful wayside shrine, and then as first part of the Schoenstatt Shrine in Bariloche!"

Nativity Tours in Schoenstatt

The Schoenstatt Mothers' League of the diocese of Trier again offered three Nativity tours to Schoenstatt with visits of the different crib sceneries in the house chapels and shrines on Mount Schoenstatt, a talk for the adults, practice and performance of a Nativity play of the children, and, afterwards, participation in the "Ten Minutes" (tea and cookies inclusive). This year, the final part of the Nativity tours was a visit to the Father Kentenich House where the children could participate in a drawing competition, or listen to an audio; for the adults, various short videos with Christmas-related subjects were offered. The big crib scenery in the entrance hall of the house, and the corner with the drawings of the children attracted the attention of many visitors. When the Christmas break in the kindergartens ended on January 6, various groups of kindergarten children came to participate in the program offered in the Father Kentenich House.

The highlight of the Nativity tours always is the Nativity play of the children – when the smallest ones, dressed as little sheep, are crawling on the floor of the house chapel in Marienland, you can always be sure of onlookers on the gallery! At the end of the play, Father Künster gave the blessing to the children. The number of participants in these tours is constantly rising, on one of the days more than 180 persons somehow tried to find a place in House Marienland.

Meanwhile, the "Ten minutes" ended, Schoenstatt is covered with a thin blanket of snow, all is calm… and colorful cardboard stars, bells, tea cups, Schoenstatt Sisters and other "fans" are waiting for December 26, 2003, 3.00 PM, when the "Ten minutes" start again!