We will be the youth that inflames the world again

Covenant of Love for the youth of the world

Viva Schoenstatt! Viva la Mater! Viva el Padre!

Long live Schoenstatt! Long live the MTA! Long live our Father!

Viva Schönstatt! Viva MTA! Viva Pater Kentenich!

Foto: POS, Fischer © 2005

Procesión de entrada Entrance procession Einzug der Priester
„Equipo Benedicto XVI“ de Portugal „Bendict XVI team“ from Portugal “Benedikt XVI Team” aus Portugal
Predica Sermon Predigt
Jovenes de Nigéria llevan su tinaja Youth from Nigeria bringing their jar Jugendliche aus Nigeria bringen ihren Krug
Las banderas encabezan la procesión Flags at the top of the procession Fahnen ziehen voran
Emoción con la medalla Moving: the very special covenant medal Ergriffen schauen sie die besondere Medaille an
Todos se dirigen al Santuario Original All heading to the Original Shrine Alle ziehen zum Urheiligtum
Todos estan presentes… All are present… Alle sind hier dabei ...
Representantes de los paises llevan sus banderas al Santuario Original Representatives of the countries carrying their flags to the Original Shrine Vertreter der Länder bringen ihre Fahnen ins Urheiligtum
Un mar de banderas... A sea of flags Ein Fahnenmeer
Entusiasmo sin fronteras Enthusiasm without limits and frontiers Begeisterung grenzenlos
Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005

WYD-SCHOENSTATT, mkf. If the change of weather between the opening Mass and the closing Mass of the International Festival for the Youth in Schoenstatt was a sign of what happened during these four days and nights, the world will never be the same again. With a radiant sun and blue sky, flags, handkerchiefs of all shapes and colors, stars, colors, shouts, songs and multilingual songs and sounds, in the amphitheater in Schoenstatt vibrated with joy Enthusiasm and giving of self…culminating in the Original Shrine with the Covenant of Love for the youth of the world.

There was already anticipation on the way to the pilgrims’ square. The morning presentations about social activities and missionaries already inflamed with youthful idealism, the desire to address others. "It is possible to change the world", is how a young man from Paraguay summarizes it. "I already know where I want to start in Paraguay, I want to take children off the streets. It is not enough to say it, something must be done. We are going to change the world!"

This was the reason for sealing the Covenant of Love for the youth of world, just a few hours later. The Mass begins. Led by the flags of the nations that were in attendance, a very long procession of altar boys, seminarians, and priests enter going toward the altar; Monsignor Robert Zollitsch, archbishop of Friburg entered last. There were so many young at the Pilgrim's Place., and some not so young ones, also – it seems that all Schoenstatt is now "International Festival" and no one wants to be left out-. But the general impression is the one of the wave of youthful joy. It was a WYD in miniature. Esperamor (a musical band) and a "spontaneous choir" offered the rhythms and melodies that were appropriate for the Mass.

Because I care for you!, because your valuable to me!

During these days a message from God arrived, that says: I have sealed a Covenant with you, says Monsignor Zollitsch in his homily. If it sounds familiar or you had not heard it before we would ask ourselves: God seals a covenant with me? How does it happen? And God responds simply and in a straight forward manner: Because I care for you! Because you are valuable to me "God knows me personally, he knows my name and he speaks to me. This is something so incommensurable, so unimaginable, that only by listening to him carefully can we be aware what these words mean,"

"This is the foundation, the fundamental experience of our Schoenstatt Family. We are in the place of grace, very close to the Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt. On the 18^th of October 1914 the founder of Schoenstat invited the young boys to give themselves to

The Blessed Mother, and for them to make a Covenant with Her.From this Covenant with the Blessed Mother, from this Covenant with Mary the Schoenstatt Family emerged and developed; it lives from it". The Covenant with Mary helps us to see the world with her eyes. In the Covenant, Mary gives us her heart, a new heart, a heart like the heart of her Son. In the Covenant of Love She allows us to participate in her task. This celebration is the center and the

summit of our Festival of Youth in Schoenstatt. At the beginning of the festival the monitor told us: As youth from all the world we seal the Covenant of Love with Mary for the youth of the world: You and I for them! We seal it not only for ourselves; we do it for them, for the youth of the world: We want the youth of the world to participate in what were given, in what we have discovered. Those of us who are present here make this Covenant, which means that we want to move and to act from the Covenant of Love and in the sense of this same Covenant. From now on we will be guided in a very special way by the word "for": for the Mother of God, for the youth of the world.

The petitions were read in English, Kirundi, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Polish. The youth, many of them in their national costumes and with their flag, carried the vessels to the altar, a symbol of their giving of self; the water of each full vessel filled the large vessel that is in front of the altar. The moment of the sign of peace was very emotional..After the final blessing, they are all invited to go in procession to the Original Shrine. They were preceded by the flags, by those carried the vessels, the bishops and priests. It is a solemn and moving moment…the youth of the Blessed Mother are going to her Shrine. At the entrance to the grounds of the Original Shrine each one receives a special Covenant of Love medal; on one side it has a small piece of shingle from the Original Shrine, on the other side it has the logo of the festival and the date of the Covenant for the youth of the world. You can see the emotion in the faces when they realize the treasure they hold in their hands. "When I received the medal, I felt: that Now Father is calling me to be a founding generation!" "The heart of Schoenstatt is here", says the moderator. The Founding Document is read, in the place where it was proclaimed more than 90 years ago.. Some youth jump and they sit on the wall, to be able to see, but now there is silence and attention. Representatives of the Boys’ and Girls’ Youth from different countries pray, the prayer in their language. "We want to represent all our generation. We say it to each other and with Mary in the Shrine: You and I for them. The jar that was in the Mass is taken.and papers with the names of loved ones and petitions that were placed in the glass Shrine that had been at the front of the Shrine during all these days were written until the last minute. Everyone is present. Some of the petitions are read –"freedom for the Church in Vietnam", this petition receives a great applause. The Bishop Blesses the medals, that everyonel held up high, directing themselves to the Original Shrine to pray the Consecration Prayer.

Set the world afire!

With blessing of the Bishop, the celebration is liturgically closed. Perhaps not – joy explodes. The volunteers embrace each other, the youth from

Portugal carry their gigantic flag of the MTA, they sing songs that everyone knows, flags wave….Now the youth of the world are in the Covenant…

The "Night of the Three Kings" ended the day as well as the festival.

Go out to inflame the world!

Photos:

http://www.pixum.de/viewalbum/?id=1820321

Listen to the Mass and the Covenant of Love at: www.schoenstattblog.blogspot.com