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Roma, 18 de abril: fumata negra Rome, April 18: black smoke Rom, 18. April: schwarzer Rauch |
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Miles de personas en la Plaza San Pedro Thousands crowding at St. Peter’s Tausende sind auf dem Petersplatz Fotos: Donnelly © 2005 |
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El Santuario Original con flores de primavera Spring at the Original Shrine Ein Frühlingstag am Urheiligtum |
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Preparación de la peregrinación de motociclistas Preparation for the bikers’ pilgrimage to Schoenstatt Vorbereitung für die Biker-Wallfahrt nach Schönstatt |
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Iglesia de la Adoración: fotos de los cardenales en el conclave Adoration Church: photos of the cardinals in the conclave Anbetungskirche: Fotos der Kardinäle im Konklave |
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Quema de los papeles con las contribuciones al capital de gracias The slips of paper with the contributions to the capital of grace are burnt Die Zettel mit den Beiträgen zum Gnadenkapital werden verbrannt Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005 |
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It was 8:05 PM local time in Rome when the black smoke came out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, which announced, as was expected, that the 115 electoral cardinals gathered in conclave had not found a successor for John Paul II. Some 40 thousand persons waited in the square of St. Peter's, many with national flags, to see the cloud of smoke...At the same time in Schoenstatt, after celebrating the Covenant of Love, all came out of the Adoration Church to burn the papers with the contributions to the capital of grace for the election for the future Pope.
For the first time in history, the television cameras from all the world were present Monday afternoon when the cardinals took the oath at the beginning of the conclave and they heard the <<extra omnes>>(everyone out), with which the electors have locked themselves in the Sistine Chapel. Now the Cardinals, among them also is Cardinal Francisco Errazuriz, member of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers, with "mature faith" (as Cardinal Ratzinger said in his homily in the morning Mass), place themselves at the disposal of the Holy Spirit.
John Paul II - the Church paternally united
The Covenant of Love celebration in Schoenstatt, under the direction of Monsignor Peter Wolf, was a mere prayer for the electoral cardinals; for the Church, for the future Holy Father - and an expression of gratitude for John Paul II. With "a look towards Rome", he said, we find ourselves together with all the Church. "Again each time we want to participate, to see what is happening, to be present", he recalled the sensation of the last two weeks. The Holy Father, John Paul II, once more profoundly touched the hearts of everyone, believers or not...
"In him, said Monsignor Wolf, "we experienced much of what our Founding Father wanted for the Church. We especially felt as one Church paternally united, united by a Father. John Paul II showed: One man in his giving of self unites men. We did not lose a person in charge to death, a father died and that is why there was so much sorrow...
He also stressed that it was in the last stage of his life where his total giving of self to Mary was noticeable, even more han before.
The mystery of the personal vocation
Looking at his life the mystery of the vocation is seen; since his youth God had prepared him for his mission to be a Pope. Monsignor Wolf said that God guides his Church through personal vocations, vocations that he prepares, hidden during a long time. The cardinal will now elect someone prepared by God some time ago, someone whose history of vocation is written by God. The renewal of the Church is founded on many vocations. We are also called to contribute to the Church with our personal vocation. With my personal vocation I want, I can, and I should help, the new Pope to fulfill his mission from my unique place.
Then he invited us to meditate in silence, accompanied by a beautiful hymn from Hungary, about the personal vocation and how to use it to help the future Holy Father.
In a prayer that he prayed afterwards, Monsignor Wolf expressed gratitude for John Paul II, praying to the Blessed Mother for the Cardinals - there was a poster with photos of the 115 Cardinals close to the image of the MTA -, he also epxressed gratitude for the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine in Belmonte, Rome, praying that from there Schoenstatt will be able to offer its support to the Church.
While renewing the Covenant of Love, he prayed that now all the streams of grace from the Original Shrine, from the Daughter Shrines and the recently blessed Shrine in Hungary, flow towards Rome.
The 18th of April began cloudy in Schoenstatt, as was forecast, but during the course of the morning it became a spring day like few others: with sunshine, and a blue sky, that made the color of the flowers and the "new" green of the trees glisten.
There were many persons praying in the Original Shrine throughout the day, uniting themselves in prayer with those from the morning Mass "for the election of the Pope", today the novena offered by the international family for the conclave and the future Pope ends.
A rosary for the future Pope
This 18th some special pilgrims arrived: the so called "Motorcycle Priest with his companion, Mr. Walter Spannagel, organized the first pilgrimage of motorcycles to the Original Shrine, which will take place on the 18th of June!!! Walter Spannagel, a passionate motorcyclist, said: "Father Kentenich's photo is on the black tank of my Harley Davidson, he always accompanies me!"
In several Shrines, there were Holy Hours, Masses and rosaries for the conclave. On Sunday, at the parish in Frohlinde, the parish where the Schoenstatt Shrine of the Diocese of Paderson, Germany is located, a group of professionals offered an Illuminated Rosary for the election of the future Pope. In spite of the absence of other Schoenstatters there were some 20 persons present, the majority from this parish, one with all the difficulties of a parish in an industrial zone of Germany.
In Nebraska, United States, Sunday they celebrated a special Covenant of Love day: they celebrated the 111th Anniversary of Father Kentenich's consecration to the Blessed Mother when he was nine years old, they invited the parents to take their children to the MTA. Some 100 persons, the great majority were children and youth, arrived at the land of the future Cor Mariae Shrine, and it was a time of many graces and joys.
Photos from Schoenstatt, April 18th