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Pesebre en la Iglesia de la Adoración, Misa de Nochebuena: estrellas con más de 6.000 nombres desde 18 países Crib scenery in the Adoration Church, Christmas Mass: stars with more than 6,000 names from 18 countries Krippe in der Anbetungskirche, Christmette: Sterne mit über 6.000 Namen aus 18 Ländern sind angekommen |
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Oración en el pesebre, Misa de Nochebuena Prayer at the crib, Mass at midnight Gebet an der Krippe in der Christmette |
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Estrellas en la tumba del Padre, 24/25 de diciembre Stars in the Founder Chapel, December 24/25 Sterne in der Gründerkapelle, 24./25. Dezember Fotos: POS Fischer © 2003 |
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Peregrinos de Japón Pilgrims from Japan Pilgergruppe aus Japan Foto: Sr. Miriam Lopez © 2003 |
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Encuentro navideño después de la Misa de Nochebuena: chicas de Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, con el P. Ángel Strada Christmas meeting after the Christmas Mass: young women from Argentina, Chile, and Ecuador, with Fr. Angel Strada Weihnachtswünsche nach der Christmette: Jugendliche aus Argentinien, Chile und Ecuador mit P. Strada |
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Encuentro navideño después de la Misa de Nochebuena: pilgrims from South Africa, and Mexico Christmas meeting after the Christmas Mass: pilgrims from South Africa, and Mexico Weihnachtswünsche nach der Christmette: Pilger aus Südafrika und Mexiko |
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Levinia Pienaar, de Sudafrica Levinia Pienaar, from South Africa, in traditional African dress Levinia Pienaar aus Südafrika kam in traditioneller afrikanischer Festkleidung |
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Banda de música a las 2.00 de la noche Brass band intoning Christmas carols at 2.00 AM Trompetenklänge vor der Anbetungskirche um 2.00 Uhr morgens |
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El Santuario Original, 25 de diciembre The Original Shrine at December 25 Urheiligtum am ersten Weihnachtstag |
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Fotos: POS, Fischer © 2003 |
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Pesebre en la Iglesia de la Adoración Crib scenery in the Adoration Church Krippe in der Anbetungskirche |
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Diez minutos junto al pesebre Ten minutes by the crib Zehn Minuten an der Krippe |
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Un coro de hombres A Men's choir Männerchor gestaltet mit |
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Cada día se llena la iglesia Each day the church fills with children and adults Tag für Tag füllt sich die Kirche |
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Una "estrella" A "star" Einmal ein Star |
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Presentación Star dance Sternentanz |
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Es una experiencia de Navidad para todos It is a Christmas experience for all Es ist ein Weihnachtserlebnis für alle |
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Hay unas 1000 personas cada día Some 1,000 persons come each day Jeden Tag kommen etwa 1000 Personen |
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Cierre con té y galletitas Closing with tea and cookies Ausklang mit Tee und Plätzchen |
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Fotos: POS, Brehm © 2003 |
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SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Schoenstatt, December 24th. There was a thin layer of snow, transforming the scenery into the typical Christmas of the north hemisphere. But the characteristic feature of Christmas in Schoenstatt isn't the snow, but the international mix – this year it was very noticeable due to the presence of about 20 Japanese Christians -, the stars that come from every corner of the Schoenstatt world and the "Ten minutes by the Crèche" packing the Adoration Church with children and adults from December 26.
For a minute, when Christmas Mass began, a little before midnight, the German participants felt like participants from Japan, Chile, Argentina, Ecuador, India, and South Africa for the rest of the Mass: they did not understand anything of what Msgr. Zimmerer said when he greeted everybody in English, Spanish and Japanese. The Japanese group took the first row benches and were filled with happiness to participate in such a Festive Mass and to celebrate Christmas with many other Christians. Their link to Schoenstatt is through Sr. Elizabeth, Schoenstatt Sister from Japan who works and lives in Rottenburg, located in the southern part of Germany. In the days prior to Christmas, the Japanese participants visited the different Schoenstatt places to pray, to buy a few souvenirs … Before Mass, On Christmas Eve, there was a multinational and tri-lingual Christmas celebration at House Sonnenau, with participating visitors from Japan, South Africa, France, Chile, Mexico, Argentina, Ecuador, Germany...
Carols at two in the morning…
Every year, Christmas Eve Mass climaxes with a very special touch: all priests pray before the Crèche in unison. It takes several weeks to build the Crèche with all its details; through the Christmas Novena days, the shepherds arrived, the ox, the donkey, Mary and Joseph… and on Christmas Eve Baby Jesus with his arms wide open was inviting everyone to get close to His crèche… The priests stood by the crib to pray in the name of the whole International Schoenstatt Family: for all those who got close to the Crèche during these days and for those who haven’t; for the believers and non believers; for the strong and the weak; seeking peace and justice; for those who suffer, for those who are in doubt, for those who trust… Between each paragraph of the prayer, all sang "Silent Night", and this is the moment to feel: "It’s Christmas"
After Mass, at two in the morning, a brass band was interpreting carols, at the sound of the trumpets… outside the Church of the Adoration, in the cold and the darkness of the night, while people were interchanging Christmas greetings in their own language…
"A small place in the Schoenstatt Crèche"
A few days before Christmas, Nora Bracci from Villa Ballester, Argentina said, while messages for the Original Shrine and Father’s tomb kept on coming, "It was a huge feeling to be near the origins, where this great gift from Father started".
Without having to travel, hundreds of people shared the Schoenstatt Crèche via the Internet. More than 3300 names came from Brazil alone, closely followed by Argentina, and also from Chile, Bolivia, Peru, United States, Zimbabwe, Germany, Austria, El Salvador, Paraguay, Mexico, Panama, Costa Rica, Italy, Spain, and Portugal.
Monica Malatino, from Puerto Madryn, Argentina wrote: "Thank you for letting us be part of the stars with our heart, stars that gather to adore Our Savior Child".
Julieta Escobar also wrote: "When I opened the Schoenstatt’s web site and learned that we could send messages to our Shrine on December 24th, I felt so happy. I’d appreciate if you could put in the names of my family in the proper place. The Mater and Our Founder Father are very good to me. On December 24th I needed something special so that day would be complete, and I found that special something with the stars by the crib."
Many messages came with numerous names: family names, names of sick people, kids, neighbors, politicians… The Holy Father is in the Stars, also for the children from broken homes…
Isabel S, from Tandil, Argentina wrote something that touches the secret of the meaning of the stars, not only for who sends names but also for Jesus and the Mater.
"The truth is I have too much to thank for, therefore, I believe the stars can add up. In reality, it’s one star. Its name is the heart of Isabel S. M."
Ten minutes with Baby Jesus
December 26th, at 2:30 in the afternoon there were no more parking spaces available on the parking lot at Mount Schoenstatt. Vehicles that came later had to find a place far away ("I was next to the cows"), or park in the street, blocking the traffic. This chaos normally would give headache to the Sisters of Mount Schoenstatt, instead filled their hearts with joy. Never before in the seven years of "Ten minutes by the Crèche" had the Church been so full. It is just like always: Sisters singing carols accompanied by guitars, keyboards, and flutes; children with stars made of paper, with bells, disguised as shepherds, stars, sheep, Mary and Joseph. To write the names of their beloved ones in paper stars, some praying, and singing. To go back home or to drink a cup of tea, without feeling obliged to join a group, subscribe to a workshop, or go to catechises classes.
On December 26th, there were about 1000 people, and practically every day afterwards, at least the same number of visitors come. These figures are huge for Schoenstatt in Germany. The assistant of the Federation of Families, Sr Gertrud Maria says: "The part I like the most about the Schoenstatt participants is that they are regular people. Everybody can participate, without conditions" An elderly couple from Krefeld comments "Every year we travel two hours from Krefeld to participate; this year we drove two cars because we invited our friends and neighbors." Even though the great majority of the participants come from Schoenstatt’s surrounding areas, there are families coming who live two or three hours away. On Saturday, December 27th, there was a live male chorus ready to participate. The 3:00 p.m. participants didn’t leave until 10 minutes after mass had ended,-but really were 40 minutes thanks to the chorus- for that reason Mass ended at about 4 p.m.
Martina Rasch - who has been volunteering for the "Ten Minutes" for three years now, offering several days of her vacation -, says: "Thus, there were no children at that moment. While I was looking for children I was joking with a couple of young kids, and told them: you could be Mary and Joseph! To my surprise, they said yes! Later on, and accompanied by a few little shepherds ages 3 and 4, came in with dresses a bit short, a Mary, 17, and a Joseph, 18 years old…"
There are kids who come daily with their parents, uncles, or grandparents. They know exactly how everything has to go...
It is a Christmas experience for all, the experience to get close, fearless and without obligations. Jesus arrived to stay with mankind, with each and every one of His children.
Translation: Vera Gamez, Austin, Texas, USA; Andrea Stephens, USA