Like that star, you will illuminate this land

WYD is past…..now history and mission

Misa de despedida en la Iglesia de la Adoración

Farewell Mass in the Adoration Church

Abschiedsmesse in der Anbetungskirche

Jovenes de Chile se despiden de Schoenstatt donde el Padre se despedió de José Engling Young chilenas bid farewell to Schoenstatt where FAther Kentenich gave Joseph Engling his last blessing before leaving Junge Chileninnen verabschieden sich von Schönstatt an der Stelle, an der Pater Kentenich Josef Engling den letzten Segen gab
Alegria, nostalgia, compromise Joy, nostalgia, commitment Freude, Abschiedsschmerz, Sendung
Padre, vamos contigo... Father, we go with you... Herr Pater, wir brechen auf mit dir…
Tu Schoenstatt, nuestra misión Your Schoenstatt, our mission Dein Schönstatt – unsere Sendung
Despedida: jovenes de Campanario, Chile, el viernes, 26 de agosto Farewell: youth from Campanario, Chile, Friday, August 26 Abschied: Jugendliche aus Campanario, Chile, am 26. August Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005

WYD – SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "Thank you, Germany, thank you, Schoenstatt, for this gift of faith, love, and friendship which you have given to our children. In our city we are building our Shrine which will be blessed in November. Our pilgrim youths will bring much strength and enthusiasm to this ‘Chilean cowboy land.’ Welcome, sons and daughters, we await you with joy! You bring the star of Cologne to the Shrine. Like that star, you will illuminate this land," writes in the schoenstatt.de "meeting" Julia Yeñez Gutiérrez from San Fernando, Chile. On Wednesday afternoon, the Chilean Girls’ Youth group was the last group to leave Schoenstatt…..

The volunteers from the Project Office in Schoenstatt and members of the German Schoenstatt Youth Movement gathered at the Original Shrine on Tuesday afternoon to participate in a Holy Mass. During the Mass they expressed their gratitude for the great hour of graces which they experienced at the festival and during WYD. It all began with the arrival of the WYD Cross in Schoenstatt and then in October of last year, the arrival of the icon They took to the altar as an offering symbols which represented their completed labors and symbols of the fruits of their labors. At a given moment, Father Duncan McVicar, who celebrated the Holy Mass along with the national leaders of the Boys Youth and Girls Youth and Father Pedro Kuhlcke, invited them to share their "brightest moments": meeting the Pope…..the jubilant wait for the passing by of the Pope in front of "María in der Kupfergasse"…..the human chain from the Shrine to the Cathedral…..There were several small, big, intimate, and happy events….. After Holy Mass, the celebration continued with a party in the Youth Center. The next day, the majority of the German youths returned to their homes as did the first volunteers. The "Project Office" will continue working until late August in order to put everthing in order and to put things away. But something is very clear: WYD is history, a history which becomes a mission for each and everyone who was involved.

One final greeting to the Original Shrine and to Father’s tomb…..

On Wednesday, after a day of recollection, the girls from the Girls Youth in Chile make their arrangements to return to their country. In the morning they again went to the Original Shrine to say farewell to the Blessed Mother at the place of grace…..there were tears and they also made promises….. After lunch, at 1:30 PM, they gathered at the Adoration Church for their farewell Mass and to be sent on their mission. Gratitude, commitment, joy, and nostalgia, all was expressed in their prayers, songs, and on their faces….. Girls from Mexico and Argentina and Sisters of Mary who stayed around for a few more days also participated in the Holy Mass. After Holy Mass, they went to Father’s tomb – still completely covered with flags, letters, photos, symbols – where they each received a small candle as a gift from Father….. From this moment in which they came together and on their way to Chile, they left as bearers of the graces from this "youthful August" from Schoenstatt and the Church to their homeland.

It is my family, they are my brothers and sisters, they are a part of my life

"It has been a great joy to follow the events of the worldwide meeting of youths, both in Schoenstatt as in Cologne," writes Maximiliano Silva from Valdivia, Chile. "We are certain that such vitality and depth will bear fruit in the young and generous hearts which have placed themselves at the service of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt and of the entire Church," shares Sarah Leah Pimentel from South Africa. She is one of the volunteers who will stay in Schoenstatt until October. She labored untiringly to the end so that the youths from Senegal could obtain their visas. "It was very sad in the end that they could not come, but Paul’s response was most impressive…..Thank you for all your efforts. Even though in the end we were not able to go, we now know we are a part of something, a part of a beautiful family, he wrote. That is also my experience. From now on, I want to help with the webpage schoenstatt.de, I want to make it known there how we live in South Africa. I knew the webpage existed, but I only connected to it once or twice a year. I thought: What do I have to do with a Shrine in Peru or with a retreat in Germany? It did not interest me at all….. After this meeting, I am now interested because it is a part of my family, of my Schoenstatt, of my life!!! I want to know everything. I want to live everything with everyone because it is my family. My family which also wants to know what we are doing in Johannesburg…..It is sensational! This is what I take with me from this life experience: it is my family, they are my brothers and sisters! We are all a part of something big, part of an international family, part of Father’s family!"

Translation: Carlos Cantu, LaFeria, TX, USA