From the Shrine, renew the world!

Leaders' Convention in Lamar, Texas

Discusión en grupos de trabajo Group discussion Arbeitsgruppe
Oración en el Santuario, con el lema nuevo en el altar Prayer in the Shrine, with the new motto on the altar Gebet im Heiligtum, mit der Jahreslosung auf dem Altar
P. Christian y la Sra. Verduzco Fr. Christian & Mrs. Verduzco P. Christian mit Frau Verduzco
Presentación Presentation Statement Fotos: Sr. Corelia © 2005

USA, Carlos Cantú. Schoenstatt Father, Fr. Héctor Vega officiated at a 5:00 PM Holy Mass in the Confidentia Shrine at Rockport/Lamar, Texas opening the annual Delegates’ Convention.

The delegates represented the Professional Women, the Mothers’ League, the Family League, the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign, and both Mothers’ and Family Federations. Also participating and facilitating were Schoenstatt Father, Fr. Christian Cristensen and Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, Sr. M. Daniela Rensing and Sr. M. Corelia Bechold. In his homily, Fr. Vega exhorted the delegates to open themselves to the power of the Holy Spirit, to let themselves be guided by a practical faith in Divine Providence; and in this openness to ask ourselves how God wants to guide the family in the coming year?

Fruits of the year

During the evening presentation, Fr. Vega elaborated on the reports which had been submitted by the different branches. The previous motto was Father’s Family, love the Church! The task at hand was to determine what the fruits of this motto had been. Of importance were the following: the various experiences of becoming more and more Father’s Family; the significance of the Year of the Eucharist and how they participated; the fatherhood of our Father and Founder; the impact of the death of Pope John Paul II; the election of Pope Benedict XVI and what it meant to us as Father’s Family; the World Youth Day experiences, especially those which involved the youth and the SRC; bringing Schoenstatt into the Church; and being more apostolic with Jesus and Mary.

The world is in crisis...

Before beginning the deliberations on Saturday morning, Perla Kifuri from the Professional Women’s League shared a beautiful meditation on the founding of Schoenstatt on October 18, 1914. The delegates then divided up into smaller groups with the task to review the Heavenward Mass texts attempting to see how they impel them to go forth into the world with our mission…..how they see these as extending into the world. There were many beautiful responses. One can sum them all up with the following: the world is in crisis, God is not at the center and therefore there is a tremendous loss of sacredness. The Schoenstatt family believes that the Christian culture comes about as a result of Mary’s yes so they want to become Mary for the world, for the redemption of all.

Josephine Hutchins from the Mothers’ Federation shared a beautiful prologue in which she narrated the visit of the German Federation of Mothers to our Confidentia Shrine. Imelda González from the SRC also highlighted some of the SRC’S events during the past year. Of importance was the 100^th celebration of the birthday of Don Joao Pozzobon, and the Journey of Love which was hosted in Texas at our Schoenstatt Center. Renew the world...

Kate Otto from the Family Federation then delighted the delegates with a touching poem on all that goes with the deliberations for a new motto. After deliberations, discussions, comments and prayer in the Shrine, they concluded that the general motto for the Texas Schoenstatt Family is FROM THE SHRINE,RENEW THE WORLD!

The evening program consisted of a beautiful video put together by Schoenstatt Father, Fr. Jonathan Niehaus on the 1948 visit of Fr. Kentenich to the USA.

The contribution of each branch

On Sunday, they divided up into the respective branches. Deliberations and discussions ended with each branch determining their mottos. They are:

Professional Women Renew our world, from the Shrine!

Mothers’ Branch From the Shrine, Radiate Mary!

Family Branch From the Shrine, Renew the Family!

The delegates continued with discussions on the upcoming October Day for the Texas Schoenstatt Family which will take place on October 23, 2005; the upcoming 50^th anniversary of our Confidentia Shrine in 2009; having a common prayer for the 18^th devotions each month; and the plans for the future Daughter Shrine in San Antonio, Texas which is planned for 2009 as a gift for the Golden Anniversary of the Confidentia Shrine. The planned Daughter Shrine will be offered for the canonization of Father and Founder..

The convention concluded with a prayer in the Shrine.