I am thirsty for God again

Encounters in the Original Shrine: diocesan pilgrimage from Limburg, visits from Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay…

Peregrinación de la diocesis de Limburgo: coro de Breitenbach Diocesan pilgrimage from Limburg: Choir from Breitenbach Diözesanwallfahrt aus Limburg: Chor aus Breitenbach
Misa de la peregrinación de Limburg Mass of the pilgrimage from Limburg Pilgergottesdienst der Limburger Wallfahrer
Familia Yarad, de Chile, en el “banco del Padre” The Yarad family, from Chile, on the “bench of the Father” Familie Yarad aus Chile auf der “Vaterbank”
Rossanna Heisecke, de Paraguay, con sus cuñados Rossanna Heisecke aus Paraguay with her in-laws Rossanna Heisecke aus Paraguay mit Schwager und Schwägerin
Misa de Alianza de la rama de madres de Ecuador Covenant Mass of the Mothers’ League from Ecuador Bündnismesse der Mütterliga aus Ecuador
La peregrinación de Ecuador The pilgrimage from Ecuador Die Wallfahrt aus Ecuador Fotos: POS Fischer © 2005

SCHOENSTATT, MKF. "Do you remember the feeling that overcame you when you returned home after a long time? The chill you felt when you knew you were about to arrive after a long absence? The pride you felt when you stepped on your own land and you felt at home? That was my first impression of Schoenstatt, specifically when I entered the Original Shrine the first time. Yes, for the first time. But it does not matter if it is the first or thousandth time the feeling is always the same: this place is your place why? Because it is in you, you live it, you dream about it, .the only thing that changes is that now you can experience it physically". Rafael Cuevas had no idea when he wrote about his experience about WYD and the Youth Festival in Schoenstatt that: Father Franz Widmaier would use his testimony as the main theme of the homily for the diocesan pilgrimage from Limburg, last September 25^th.

The Eucharistic celebrated last September 25^th was accompanied by beautiful music provided by thee Saint George of Breitenau choir and the band of wind instruments from Heiderbach. The pilgrims, especially the older ones, relived something of what happened in August during the international Youth Festival: the decisive and vigorous first love of the youth from all over the world for the Original Shrine. And as Rafael Cuevas spontaneously wrote in his testimony, the encounter with the Original Shrine is not just about feeling sheltered and welcomed, but it is also about allowing oneself to interiorly implore and to change and to ask oneself: What does God want? What does Mary want? What should I do for them now, what should I do for the world? This is what Father Franz Widmaier proposed to the pilgrims of Limburg at the beginning of their journey.

During the day of Sunday they could choose among several offers for reflection, meditation and information. At noon they met to briefly pray in the Shrine and they continued prying and singing as they went toward the Pilgrim’s Church, to finish with a tribute to Mary.

A magnificent autumn climate for the pilgrims from Chile, Ecuador and Paraguay

Although they could not foresee it when they planned their trip to Schoenstatt, they had the best week of the year to be in Schoenstatt. The magnificent autumn climate was "the best"for the pilgrims from Paraguay and from Chile, and for the large group of Schoenstatt mothers from Ecuador. Along with the spiritual program in Schoenstatt, they also visited Vallendar and Koblenz. They went shopping, they dined, and they rode on the Rhine, they visited churches and buildings built hundreds of years ago.

The Yarad Family from Chile, said that next time they would rent an auto to truly take advantage of the time in Schoenstatt since going to Mount Sion by foot takes too much time and the road is tiring, because the hills are steeper than they had imagined. Still on the last day of they short stay in Schoenstatt, they did not want to miss one more trip with their children to Mount Schoenstatt to see Father Kentenich’s room in the House of Formation and to travel the same road that he did in this place. They all sat on the bench where Father usually sat alone to pray. "I would like to take it home", said the youngest child, it’s a good thing that he was satisfied with taking a couple of rocks from Mount Schoenstatt.

"We were here for 36 hours, and for the second time in Mount Schoenstatt", said Rosanna Heiseck, from Asuncion, Paraguay. She arrived in Schoenstatt with her in-laws and it was very clear for them that the Original Shrine is the center of Schoenstatt: They were there for Holy Mass in the morning, and they finished their day there…and they were surprised that it was closed at a certain time, not like in August, when it was open for 24 hours…

Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine

On the 24^th of September, the Feast of Our Lady of Mercy, a group of pilgrims from Ecuador celebrated their Covenant Holy Mass in the Original Shrine: some mothers wanted to seal their Covenant of Love and all the others renewed their Covenant. It was a special moment when one by one, they said their names before praying the consecration prayer as way of expressing their willingness to renew and to live the Covenant of Love.

That same weekend in House Marienland there was a journey for Mothers along with their children from the Diocese of Aguisgran. In House Sonnenau there was a day of reflection for the parish of Rennerod and a journey for Philippine women, the first since 1999. One of them said, "Now I am thirsty for God again".

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA