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18 de julio, 10.30 hrs. : Misa de Alianza en el Santuario Original July 18, 11.30 AM: Covenant Mass in the Original Shrine 18. Juli, 11.30 Uhr: Messe zur Erneuerung des Liebesbündnisses im Urheiligtum |
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P. Franz Widmaier, celebrante; los Padres de Schoenstatt celebraron su 40° aniversario Fr. Franz Widmaier, celebrant; the Schoenstatt Fathers celebrated their 40th anniversary P. Franz Widmaier, Zelebrant; die Schönstatt-Patres feierten ihren 40. Gründungstag |
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Dagmar Schmitz sellando su Alianza de Amor Dagmar Schmitz sealing her Covenant of Love Dagmar Schmitz schließt das Liebesbündnis |
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Firma en el Libro de Alianza Signature in the Covenant Book Unterschrift im Bündnisbuch |
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Santuario Original, con peregrines, cuadros de la MTA, tinaja, libro de Alianza Original Shrine with Pilgrim MTA’s, MTA pictures, jar, Covenant Book Urheiligtum mit Bildern der Pilgernden Gottesmutter, MTA-Bildern, Krug, Bündnisbuch |
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Felicitaciones Congratulations Glückwunsch Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005 |
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Celebración de Alianza en la Iglesia de la Adoración: banderas, fuego, canciones... Covenant celebration in the Adoration Church: flags, songs, fire... Nach der Bündnisfeier in der Anbetungskirche: Fahnen, Feuer, Lieder Foto: POS Brehm © 2005 |
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Empresarios de Austria: trasmitir el pensamiento y la paternalidad del Padre al mundo del trabajo Industrialists and their families from Unternehmer und ihre Familien aus Österreich: Denken und Väterlichkeit Pater Kentenichs in die Industrie bringen Foto: POS Fischer © 2005 |
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SCHOENSTATT, mfk. It was a very special day which began with the Covenant of Love Mass in the Original Shrine, that starting today, will be celebrated every 18th at 10:30 a.m. Apparently it was not only a great joy for about 40 Schoenstatters – from Germany, Argentina, Brazil – who participated, but it was a joyful occasion for the MTA, who gave them a beautiful summer day, sunny and hot, ideal for an open door Mass…And that was not all She also gave them a Covenant…that was sealed during the Mass.
This 18th of July is the 91st anniversary of a key event in the history of the Original Shrine: On the 18th of July 1914, Father Kentenich read an article in the newspaper about Valley of Pompeii, the Marian pilgrimage place located in the ruins of ancient Pompeii. The article informed that Our Lady of Pompeii "has done irrefutable miracles". And furthermore, it affirmed, "the greatest miracle was that an unknown lawyer was able to establish a pilgrimage place in modern Italy over the ruins of an impious city, in 1871. In July of 1914 the St. Michael Chapel in Schoenstatt, was placed at the disposal of the Marian Congregation, which was founded in April of that year. Father Kentenich connected this event with the article about Pompeii, and the question in his heart was: "isn’t it be possible that God also has special plans for this little chapel in this place.?"
Three months later, on October 18th, in this little chapel, he, himself, a young and unknown priest, along with some boys, asked the Blessed Mother to make her dwelling in this place...that today is known as our beloved Original Shrine.
United to the thousands and millions, who seal and renew their Covenant of Love on this day
Although only a few of us are present in this Mass today, said Father Franz Widmaier at the beginning of the Mass, "We are united to the thousands and millions who seal or renew their Covenant of Love on this day…". Special gratitude was expressed for the Schoenstatt Fathers, who celebrated the 40th Anniversy of their founding; we prayed for all who receive the Pilgrim MTA, for the World Youth Day and all the youth that will come on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt in the month of August– some 2,500 will attend the Schoenstatt Youth Festival, and another 3,000 from different countries will pass through Schoenstatt in the days before and after World Youth Day for the purpose of knowing this place of grace and its spirituality; we also prayed for the victims of hurricane Emily and for those who are in danger of being struck by it ( news that became personal because: yesterday, a new group for the Family Work was supposed to begin in Cancun, but the meeting had to be postponed because the area was evacuated); we also prayed for the young boys, who in the company of Father Martin Gomez, left yesterday for a mission in Entre Rios, with the motto: Missionaries of the Blessed Mother, Totus Tuus". The mission began last night with a Mass in the Shrine of La Loma, Parana. Today, the 18th of July until Friday, the 23rd, more than 30 secondary boys will be in Puerto Curtiembre, province of Entre Rios, on a work mission – not only spiritual but also physical. They have planned different activities for evangelization and of support for the intense work that the parish is carrying out in this small town of Entre Rios. They will also participate in concrete work involving personal effort, such as…painting a school!
I want to be an instrument for Mary
From here, – said Father Franz Widmaie,r in the Mass in the Original Shirne, the MTA went out to the whole world seeking allies, for the purpose of creating places of grace for the men of today. He stressed that each 18th is a day to renew the Covenant, united as a family. "It is a special gift that today we can participate in a new Covenant of Love sealed in this Shrine", he said. The lady that sealed her Covenant of Love arrived at Schoenstatt last Wednesday to spend some days of "spiritual repose". The following day she received a visit from the Pilgrim MTA and she spontaneously decided to seal her covenant, because of the vivid and convincing testimony given by a young girl of the Professional Branch, who was on vacation and who was unceasingly doing apostolic work!. "I searched for something that would give joy and meaning to my life for a long time", commented Dagmar, the new "ally", "and now I know that I have finally found it. I want to be an instrument for the Blessed Mother!"
"It is my first Covenant Day in Schoenstatt, and I was an altar boy in the Covenat Mass in the Original Shrine," a young boy from Ecuador said excitedly. He is a volunteer with Pastoral of the Original Shrine. "And there was a Covenant! Although, I must say that in Ecuador this day is more festive, there is more music, and there is more celebration…"Everyone is invited to this Mass," he affirmed, "and they are also invited to add their own songs and to have their own feast!"
Kentenich businesses…vision and reality
Covenant Day began with a spontaneous vigil last night, when at the moment the doors of the Original Shrine were to be closed, three couples from Austria and Switzerland, along with their children "invaded" the Shrine to pray and to sing… They are businessmen who have the idea of running their businesses – in the areas of production and leadership – according to Father Kentenich’s principles. "What has Father Kentenich given you today?"
Alois Herschmugl asked two Brothers from Italy. They responded, "Every day in Schoenstatt is a gift", and that today they had followed Father’s footsteps in Schoenstatt. "Father Kentenich accomplished everything with the Blessed Mother, and he is the greatest saint for me", commented the young Johannes, a first grader. "Would you believe that my religion teacher does not know him?"
At noon they met for a talk about the vision of networking, of Kentenich businesses…Alois Hirschmugl recalls with emotion that he was so inspired by a business in Tandil, Argentina, several years ago, that they established one in their business in Austria. The Schoenstatters in Tandil found out about this through Schoenstatt.de. There is talk about the Kentenich schools, such as in Switzerland and in City Bell. "I was very impressed by what I read in the article," commented Alois Hirschumugl. "Because our spirituality should not be left out of our work," he says. A school, yes, but oil and detergent – the products of his business – in the style of Father Kentenich? "Yes, Father Kentenich’s thinking also influences the decisions to try to make something new of this, starting with the decision about raw materials – in our case, a plant that grows in the fields – to the vision of new products that will serve humanity.." On Father’s tomb there is a bottle of the natural detergent of the Hirschmugl business!…
On the way to World Youth Day – with the Queen of the Boys’ Youth Journey
The "traditional" renewal of the covenant with the burning of the Capital of Grace took place that night in the Adoration Church. Flags from many countries, representing all those who live their covenant with commitment and giving of self, inspired us to think about the thousands and thousands, who were meeting on this day to celebrate the Covenant in the Shrines and wayside shrine, in the jail of Bururi, Burundi, in the offices of the World Youth Day in Cologne, in Harare, Zimbabwe…The postulants of the Sisters of Mary played during the celebration. In his talk, Father Penners, spoke of the joy there will be in August when so many youth will arrive in Schoenstatt. Fifty years ago when Father spoke about the "growing unity of the world" –today we say globalization –he expressed the desire that the Blessed Mother would be seeking allies in all nations, uniting them through the Daughter Shrines throughout the world. Father Penners said, that the Schoenstatt youth who will arrive in August are like Father’s desire becoming a realtiy…At the same time, throughout the 20 World Youth Days, a new generation of youth in the Church has grown in the world – they are the generation of John Paul II -, and now they are coming to Germany, giving new life and joy to the Church in Germany!
After the celebration everyone enjoyed the warm night with songs and conversation…the storm did not arrive until everyone had returned to their homes!