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Estrella del Mar Star of the Sea Meeresstern |
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Jardín de Maria Garden of Mary Mariengarten Fotos: Schoenstatt Family Magazine © 2005 |
USA, Sr. Anna Astell/mkf. In June 2005, the Schoenstatt family of Indiana, USA, for the third time will be on pilgrimage to theExile Shrine, and International Schoenstatt Shrine of the Father Kingdom in Waukesha, Wisconsin. A bus trip of several long hours just to visit a small Shrine? What makes people do somehting like that? Or better: who? The "Star of the Sea", and the longing to transform Indiana into a "Garden of Mary"…from a much longed-for future Shrine in Delphi at the shores of the Erie Canal… The Pilgrim MTA paving the road, Schoenstatt is growing in Indiana.
The decision for a third bus pilgrimage to Milwaukee was born in May 2004, when the second bus pilgrimage from Indiana closed… The busload of twenty-six pilgrims made the pilgrimage in the spirit of holy childlikeness. That theme was emphasized at each station of the journey: at the National Shrine of Saint Therese in Darien, Illinois; at the Saint Joan of Arc Chapel at Marquette University; at Holy Hill; at Marytown; and especially in the Exile Shrine and at the Schoenstatt Center, where the pilgrims stayed and found a natural and supernatural home. For some of the pilgrims, the trip brought them their first experience of Schoenstatt. For others, the journey deepened their love and fervor.
Blessing of the land offered for a Shrine
With the Covenant of Love, with the blessing of Home Shrines, and thanks to the Pilgrim MTA, the land for the future Shrine in Indiana is prepared… Last October, eight new home shrines were dedicated in Lafayette and in the surrounding towns of Monticello and Brookston. The picture of grace of the Mother Thrice Admirable was crowned in the already established home shrines of Sally and Don Faderan, Tom and Rosemary Speaker, and Suzanne and Dick Gardiner. At a holy Mass celebrated in the "Mary, Help of Christians" home shrine of the Gardiners, the eight mothers in the "Star of the Sea" group made their dedication as associate members of the Schoenstatt Mothers League. Randy Smith made his covenant of love. Father Langsch blessed the land in Delphi that has been offered for the building of a Schoenstatt Shrine.
After the shrine dedication of the home of Susana and Randy Venis, three mothers were accepted as new members of the "Garden of Mary" Schoenstatt Mothers group, which now numbers nine members. Six Pilgrim MTAs received little crowns in a simple ceremony at the home of Janine and Rex Reklaitis, where all shared a festive evening meal after a full day of dedications. The following morning, Father Langsch con-celebrated Sunday Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church with Father David Douglas and had the opportunity to speak to the congregation about Schoenstatt in a parish where there the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign is very active. The MTA picture has also been installed in the daily Mass chapel of that church.
Thanks to the efforts of Carole DiFabio and Marlene and Jeff Jarboe, on the evening of October 17, 2004, the Schoenstatt Family in Indiana had its first official celebration together of Schoenstatt’s foundation ninety years ago on October 18, 1914. After the Sunday evening benediction and a rosary at Saint Boniface parish in Lafayette, the parishioners were invited to the parish hall for a "birthday" celebration of our Lady in Schoenstatt. Many families in that parish belong to the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign. Fifty-five people gathered. Sister M. Anna spoke to them about Schoenstatt’s Founding Document. Afterwards they sang a "Happy Birthday" song to the MTA and shared refreshments.
A Day of Recollection at the land of the future Shrine
At the start of Advent, a Day of Recollection was held in Delphi at the Interpretive Center, a short walking distance away from the land promised for the future Schoenstatt Shrine. The Interpretive Center and the land are on the banks of the historic Erie Canal. Forty people participated. They began with holy Mass at St. Joseph’s Church, a few blocks from the Interpretive Center. Sister Anna gave the first talk, entitled "Mary Immaculate, Mother of the Eucharist." She explained how Schoenstatt’s spirituality aims at the formation of a Eucharistically-normed "little Mary," who lives "from Mass to Mass." Patty and Bob Durbin gave a second talk, drawing inspiration from the "Fiat" title of their home shrine, to witness to their own experience of trying to live lives of daily obedience to the Will of God as revealed by Divine Providence. Suzanne Gardiner gave the third talk, "From the Altar to the Arena," in which she emphasized the heroism of childlikeness in Schoenstatt’s spirituality. Each talk was followed by small-group discussions. They prayed a decade of the rosary before each talk and the Angelus at noon.
An "environment" committee had worked hard to make the beauty of the world of Schoenstatt symbols come alive for the participants. Besides the central altar, with a large MTA picture mounted on an easel, there were two side altars, one for each of the Schoenstatt Mothers groups.
The "Garden of Mary" altar featured an MTA picture in the midst of the flower symbols of the individual mothers of that group. The "Star of the Sea" altar surrounded the MTA with aquatic symbols: seashells, a little boat, a life-saver, a lighthouse. The artists principally responsible for these altars—Sally Faderan and Gloria Thompson—had an opportunity to explain these symbols and to share a little about the lives of these groups.
As a crowning gift for the year 2004, on Friday, December 17, the first Schoenstatt couples group held its first meeting in Sister Anna’s apartment.
With the year 2005 well on the way and the pilgrimage to the Schoenstatt Shrines in Milwaukee ahead, the Schoenstatt family in Indiana continues to spiritually conquer a future Shrine.
Taken from: Schoenstatt Family Magazine, USA, Spring 2005