Jean-Marie Duvoisin de la Suiza escribió: "Fue mucho más lindo desde el momento en que estuvimos en la oficina de Prensa, que   tiene una atmósfera especial, y fue mucho más real que estar en la sala de Sonnenau, por lindo que sea, sentados en círculo..." Jean-Marie Duvoisin. "I liked the idea to work in the PressOffice; it was a different, and a special atmosphere, and much more real than sitting in a nice group in the conference room of the Sonnenau, as nice as it is there!" Jean­Marie Duvoisin: "Gut gefiel mir, dass wir im PressOffice gearbeitet haben. Es war eine andere Atmosphäre, als schön im Kreis zu sitzen."
Jean-Marie Duvoisin, administrator de schoenstatt.ch, Suiza Jean-Marie Duvoisin, web administrator of schoenstatt.ch, Switzerland Jean-Marie Duvoisin, Web-aAdministrator von schoenstatt.ch, Schweiz
Hna. M. Adriana Ortiz, Ecuador Sister M. Adriana Ortiz, Ecuador Schwester M. Adriana Ortiz, Ecuador
Michael Schulte (der.), Federación de Familias, explica a Peter Quan como viajar a la Granja José Kentenich en Hillscheid, sede de la Federación Michael Schulte, r., Federation of Families, explaining Peter Quan how to drive to the Joseph Kentenich Farm in Hillscheid, center of the Federation Michael Schulte, r., Familienbund, erklärt Peter Quan, wie man zum Josef-Kentenich-Hof in Hillscheid, dem Sitz des Familienbundes, kommt.
Johannes Kaut, webmaster de marienberg.net, página web de la diocesis de Bamberg Johannes Kaut, webmaster of marienberg.net, web page of the diocese of Bamberg Johannes Kaut, webmaster von marienberg.net, der Homepage der Diözese Bamberg
Hna. M. Rosequiel Favero, Brasil, ahora estudiando en Roma Sr. M. Rosequiel Favero, Brazil, since some years studying in Rome Sr. Rosequiel Favero, Brasilien, studiert zur Zeit Kommunikationswissenschaft in Rom
P. Oskar Bühler trabajando con el articulo Fr. Oskar Bühler working on the article Pfr. Oskar Bühler bei der Arbeit am Artikel
Misa en la capilla de Sonnenau Holy Mass in the chapel of House Sonnenau Messe in der Hauskapelle der Sonnenau
Erich Berger, Viena, Austria, con nuevas ideas... Erich Berger, Vienna, Österreich, with new ideas... Erich Berger, Wien, Österreich, hat weitere Ideen...
Fotos: Archiv, Familienbund © 2003

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Find the Schoenstatt meeting with 11 participants coming from five countries, some of them traveling more than 8 hours, spending their time maltreating their notebooks not giving them a rest in hours, and stubbornly (and successfully) resisting to the attempts of the seminar leader to close the working session. This is only interrupted from time to time by a good laugh or the desperate search for an Internet connection, a photo of the new archbishop of Hamburg, a free telephone line to Berlin, and a cup of coffee… This is the scenario of PressOffice Seminar II taking place February 8/9 in Schoenstatt.

"It was just beautiful; the group could not have been better composed. Very nice and interesting people! We shouldn't talk of 'family-like atmosphere anymore, we learned, but I must say, it was pleasant and had a beneficial effect," commented Sister Adriana Ortiz, from Ecuador, who works in the Father Kentenich House in Schoenstatt. She is right – "there was a family-like atmosphere" the other day had been elected "cliché of the year", replacing the traditional "At the end, they all returned home full of joy and gratitude". – "It was so good that the comments and advices were given while we were working on our articles," Jean-Marie Duvoisin said. "Thus we did not have to listen for hours to classes. It was also very good that we worked in the Press Office, instead of sitting in a seminar room. It was quite a different atmosphere there."

Schoenstatt Journalism - Selflessly serve other people's life, and selflessly serve the Schoenstatt stream of life and grace

Erich Berger, founder of the Schoenstatt Family Academy and the Kentenich Academy in Vienna, Kahlenberg, wanted to know how Father Kentenich, and the Mother Thrice Admirable use the Internet. In the line of the Document "Church and Internet"(2002), in the line of "Communio et Progressio" (1971), and in the line of the first Schoenstatt publication, the "MTA magazine" of 1916, they – and with them those who work in this field, use it to spread Schoenstatt "to the ends of the world", and to create or strengthen the attachment, the connection of the Schoenstatt movements, groups and communities with the Shrines, with the Original Shrine, with each other. Motivation, solidarization, creative, and synergetic effects were studied as well as the effects of spreading Schoenstatt through Internet, and other media, and effective press and Public Relations work. "What is the difference between normal journalism, and Schoenstatt journalism?", Sr. Rosequiel Favero, from Santa Maria, who is studying communications in Rome. "Don't say that it is less professional," someone joked; the difference, the participants found, is the quality of serving, selflessly serving other peoples' life – and also serving the media so that they can fulfill a mission; serving also and especially the Schoenstatt media instead of only using them. "The main goal is not to ceaselessly present ourselves, but to give our input to the diocesan newspapers, to the media of the neighbor ecclesial movements, to the secular media as well," Sr. Rosequiel said. A recently published article of the Eichstaett diocesan newspaper about new accesses to the rosary, based on material found on schoenstatt.de and rendered by the Press Office, served as an example for this service.

Key qualifications – tested in the "field"

Personal interest, respect, listening, empathy, the ability and willingness 'to place oneself in the other's position', a sense for life, life processes, the ability to marvel in the many different forms of life that the same Covenant of Love can create, and a strong apostolic Schoenstatt love are key qualifications, besides and additionally to the skills and qualifications of modern journalism.

The participants first worked on articles that were published on schoenstatt.de – challenged to find (at least) one information they did not have before/without reading the article; one motivation, inspiration for themselves, their community, or their apostolic tasks. "I am impressed that 40,000 persons walk 90 kilometers, with heavy rain, and obviously find an answer to their needs in the Shrine. We should be more daring to offer the Shrine as an answer to the needs of our people," Father Oskar Bühler found reading the article about the pilgrimage Hasenkamp – La Loma on October 18. Two participants had chosen the article about the blessing of the foundations of the new pilgrims' church in Tuparenda, Paraguay. Heinrich Brehm: "I am impressed that Father Antonio Cosp takes such a clear stand on human cloning, and the war against Iraq, and dares to speak out as Schoenstatt member. That encourages me to go on with the talks with politicians that some Schoenstatt families will have these weeks, regarding the collection of signatures in view of school policy." Jean-Marie Duvoisin, from Switzerland: "The University Youth and Boys' Youth of Burundi with their social commitment, and the generosity they have, really is a challenge to us…". Sister Ingrid-Maria from Austria felt inspired to think about the social commitment of the Pilgrim Mother groups in Austria, for that she is responsible, after having read an article about how the missionaries in Goya, Argentina, try to help the neediest. And Sr. Adriana's wondering why on God's green earth it could be important to add the information about the festive dresses of the missionaries from Sevilla, Spain, who were to renew the crowning of the Pilgrim Mother, made Sr. Rosequiel from Santa Maria, Brazil, share about Joao Pozzobon who always wore a suit and necktie when carrying the Peregrina, and who always paid a ticket for her on the bus so she had a noble seat suitable of a Queen.

Reality Check – Working on articles under time pressure

Theory and studies are great, but will they pass the reality check of time limits, deadlines, missing information, and subjects that not at once create high enthusiasm? The participants did not have to visit the annual meeting of the local rabbit breeders in order to test the degree of genuine (!) personal interest out of love, but it's true that they had to visit the Schoenstatt meetings taking place on this weekend – with the only condition of not choosing a meeting of their own branch: Sr. Rosequiel interviewed the participants of a workshop sponsored by the Schoenstatt Mothers' League, Sr. Ingrid-Maria and Sr. Adriana tried to find out why the Federation of Women will celebrate the 100^th birthday of Gertraud von Bullion (it was hard to stop them from inviting all the participants afterwards to join this event end May), Peter Quan, from Switzerland, drove to the Joseph Kentenich farm and was enthused with the "Marriage Profile" workshop there, while Heinrich Brehm, after taking photos in House Sonnenau, gathered information about the Weekend Meeting of the Schoenstatt Boys' Youth of Trier, and the Schoenstatt Federation of Men. Fr. Oskar Bühler, and Johannes Kaut, trained the editing job – or the miracle of transforming given (and lacking) information and an abundance of material into an article. Jean-Marie Duvoisin chose to do interviews in front of the Original Shrine, Michael Schulte in Vallendar… going a bit astray with a story of a stolen Christmas tree – in 1944! Erich Berger managed to do the most international article, writing as an Austrian in Germany about an event in Switzerland!

Time was running, and seemed too short… "It was good to force a break for Mass and supper," Johannes Kaut said, "I had worked on for hours, once I got into it, it was just fascinating!"

"Who is this gracious Lady?"

On Saturday, and Sunday, the participants celebrated Holy Mass in the House Chapel of House Sonnenau. Father Oskar Bühler managed to sum up the "why" of all the efforts in his sermon on Saturday, picking up the entrance song: "Who is this gracious Lady? Yes, when those who visit schoenstatt.de or one of the others homepages here present – schoenstatt.ch, marienberg.net… -, and all the others, just wonder and ask: Who is this gracious Lady who awakens such a life, who works all these miracles? Who is this gracious Lady? – Let us work, and let us pray, and give our capital of grace, that they look for her and find her in the articles we write."