Hermana Petra en Chile: una experiencia profunda del Padre Sister Petra in Chile: a profound encounter with Fr. Kentenich Schwester Petra in Chile: eine tiefe Gründerbegegnung
Hermana Petra con un grupo de matrimonios de la Federación Sister Petra with a group of couples of the Federation Schwester Petra mit einer Gruppe von Ehepaaren aus dem Bund
Tapa de la revista "Vínculo", mayo de 2003 Cover of the magazine "Vínculo", may 2003 Titelseite der Zeitschrift "Vínculo", Mai 2003 Fotos: Hna. Jimena © 2003

CHILE, Jimena Alliende. "As it happened to the disciples of Emmaus, our hearts are burning ... ", this is how Cristina Quiroz de Tagle began an article that she wrote for "Vinculo", the magazine of the Schoenstatt Movement of Chile, about the Territorial Encounter of the Family Federation of Chile and Bolivia. Not only the Family Federation but the entire Movement experienced a profound and vital encounter with the Father and Founder of Schoenstatt, Fr. Kentenich, thanks to the testimony of Sister M. Petra who visited Chile for four weeks.

It is incredible, and it was not planned what happened in Chile. We had four weeks of heaven and encounter with Father. It spread like wild fire through the branches, Federations and even farther. Somebody said: "This is like an earthquake!" Who provoked it? Sr. M. Petra Schnuerer from Milwaukee. It was a huge gift that will thankfully remember for a long time. It all began with the initiative of the Family Federation, who invited her to their annual meeting with representatives from all of Chile and Bolivia. Sr. M. Petra came with the moral authority of having been Father Kentenich's secretary in Milwaukee for three years before she became a sister. With her spontaneity, joy, sincerity and sense of reality, she passed on her love for Father Kentenich.

An Encounter with Father Kentenich

She told us her experience, she showed unrecognized facets of his personality, she brought very close the person of Father. It was like opening a book that was closed with seven seals; her testimony made the "Father of exile" became more and more, ‘Our Father.’ Enthusiasm spread, and she was invited to circles of families, leaders, youth, mothers, and not just of Santiago; she also traveled to La Serena, Rancagua, Temuco, Concepción, and Puerto Montt (she was in eleven of the seventeen shrines of Chile). In all areas happened the same: a profound and joyful experience of gaining a closeness to Father Kentenich; all wanted to know more and more. Each encounter closed with a gift: a picture of Father’s hands for each person, after sharing that one day Father said: give your freedom to me! … Everybody understood: Father said the same to each one. At this moment there is no circle of the movement in all of the dioceses that would not be working to perpetuate this encounter with Father.

A tangible presence of Father, superior to all that was experienced before.

Father Kentenich has gotten a presence, a reality, and a vigor superior to that of any moment of our history. Without doubt this is rooted in a longer process: the centenary celebrated in Germany (1985), then the Golden Anniversary of January 20, 1942, celebrated by the "Shrine of the Father" (January 20^th 1992 in Argentina), then the Golden Jubilee of the 31^st of May (Bellavista 1999) and ultimately 50 years of going to his exile (2002). There is a great red thread that goes through the core of Schoenstatt and the fruitful reality of the three contact points: The blessed Mother, the shrine and Father.

Our suggestion: invite Sr. Petra to your country! Do not wait any longer! Do not let more time pass! For more information read the magazine "Vínculo" of May and June.

Translation: Cousett Ruelas, Austin, Texas, USA