Schoenstatt, my great love

18^th of October celebration in Schoenstatt

Primeros minutos del 18 de octubre: en el Santuario Original hay Adoración First minutes of October 18: Adoration in the Original Shrine Este Minuten des 18. Oktober: Im Urheiligtum ist Anbetung
Misa de Alianza, procesión de entrada Covenant Mass, entrance procession Bündnismesse, Einzug
Concelebrantes Concelebrants Konzelebranten am Altar
P. Franz Brügger, Presidente de la Presidencia Nacional de Alemania: predica Fr. Franz Brügger, President of the National Presidium, Germany: sermon P. Franz Brügger, Vorsitzender des Landespräsidiums, bei der Predigt
Coro de la Federación de Familias Choir of the Federation of Familias Chor des Familienbundes
Llevan las tinjas de los Santuarios en Schoenstatt Bringing the jars from the Shrines in  Schoenstatt Die Krüge aus den Heiligtümern in Schönstatt werden gebracht
Banderas de Schoenstatt, Vaticano, y varios paises Flags of the Vatican, Schoenstatt, and several countries Schönstattfahnen, Landesfahnen…
Procesión al Santuario Original Procession to the Original Shrine Prozession zum Urheiligtum
Llegada de la procesión al Santuario Original Arrival of the procession at the Original Shrine Ankunft der Prozession am Urheiligtum
La Juventud Femenina llevó el cuadro del Padre The Girls’ Youth brought the picture of Father Kentenich Die Mädchenjugend brachte das Bild Pater Kentenichs
Schoenstatt es un Santuario con movimoiento Schoenstatt, a Shrine with a Movement Schönstatt, ein Heiligtum mit einer Bewegung
Entrega de peregrinas Presenting of Pilgrim MTA’s Überreichung von Bildern der Pilgernden Gottesmutter
Tinajas de los Santuarios en Schoenstatt en el Santuario Original Jars from the Shrines in Schoenstatt in the Original Shrine Krüge aus den Heiligtümern am Ort Schönstatt im Urheiligtum
Quema del capital de gracias The Capital of Grace is offered Verbrennen der Zettel aus den Krügen – Gnadenkapital
Schoenstatt, mi gran amor Schoenstatt, my great love Schönstatt, meine große Liebe
Unidos con la familia internacional United with the international family Verbunden mit der weltweiten Familie
Un momento de entrega y gratitud A moment of surrender and gratitude Ein Augenblick der Hingabe und Dankbarkeit
Jovenes de varios paises cantando en español Youth from different countries singing in Spanish Jugendliche aus verschiedenen Ländern singen in Spanisch weiter Mas fotos – more photos – mehr Bilder
Fotos: POS Brehm © 2005

SCHOENSTATT,mfk. "The 18^th of October" awakens love, giving of self, commitment. From every place in the world a procession of persons who love the Blessed Mother begins to travel, in a virtual procession –steady without end- of children inflamed by love for her and for her small Shrine. "Today we want to say THANK YOU! To our father because with his Yes to the Covenant he opened the doors to Schoenstatt, that immense gift through which God wants to slake the thirst of love that the world is lacking. Happy Covenant Day! Will you take us to the Shrine?, someone asks in one of these "processions"…In Tuparenda many person are working to welcome thousands of pilgrims who will arrive from different parts of the country. The press has published information about this great national celebration , as it is felt in Paraguay, during the whole week. "On this Covenant Day we unite ourselves to the Original Shrine, to our Father and Founder and to Joao, "little disciple" of Father Ketenich and unconditional ally of the Blessed Mother. May all the Schoenstatt family of Tucuman, and our Shrine, be sheltered in the shadow of our origins. We remain loyal. Take us with you to the Original Shrine"..And the Original Shrine opened its doors.

In the darkness of night, the light that irradiates from its windows invites everyone to enter, and they did: during all night and until dawn today, youths and adults gathered united in Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the Original Shrine. The first words that the Blessed Mother heard at the beginning of the 18^th was "Long Live Schoenstatt"! and the joyful song of the Girls’ Youth born of the experiences of the World Youth Day and the Festival: "Long live Schoenstatt –Love that moves us; we want to live for Schoenstatt, and for Schoenstatt to live in us – in the unarmed power of love we say: you and I for them".

In the closing talk of the Delegates’ Journey of the Schoenstatt Movement of Germany (October Week) the motto for the year was proclaimed: Schoenstatt our means and way –go forward!, let go on our way.

At 10:30 in the morning A festive Covenant Mass was celebrated in the Pilgrim’s Church. Although it was a work day the church was full with the presence of the delegates of October Week, who came from all corners of Germany and the persons who live in Schoenstatt along with a group of couples from Chile accompanied by Father Rafael Fernandez, a couple from Puerto Rico, volunteers from Argentina, Chile, Mexico, and Brazil, the sisters of Mary who on tertiary and the novitiates from India, Philippines and the Czech Republic, and -at the foot of the altar – the Iberian-American course of seminarians of the Schoenstatt Fathers who are here for their time in Sion. The choir of the Federation Families was in charge of the music and the songs for the Mass, whose main celebrant was Father Franz Bruegger, President of the National Presidency of the German Family.

Fruitfulness of "small things"

Using the readings of the day, the feast of Saint Luke, he referred to the "scandal" and the fruitfulness that all small things awaken and it is made very concrete. So concrete as was the manifestation of God, a God made man, made a baby, in whom neither the Jews nor the Muslims could deposit their faith. The man, Jesus –they say- is too "small" too concrete to be Emmanuel, the God be with us, the Savior...This is where the contemporary wise men are impeded from believing; while it is there where through Mary, we place ourselves in adoration. This Jesus, this concrete God, sends his apostles two by two, with a simple: go forth! Without waiting for everyone to understand, for everyone to welcome them with open arms, go, go and proclaim that God is close to man, go and proclaim that He works miracles in your midst.

Proclaim the message of Schoenstatt

In our case, Father Bruegger reminded us, it is about a concrete Schoenstatt, of our Schoenstatt, the Original Shrine, the prophetic charisma of the Father. As Monsignor Marx, Bishop of Trier, said, the Church has the right to receive the graces that are born in Schoenstatt, that are born of the Original Shrine. Schoenstatt has the experience of a concrete method of living, a concrete method of facing sorrow, a concrete method of being an instrument, a concrete method of experiencing the closeness of God. This "method" is the Covenant. It is the Shrine. Schoenstatt was a word that resounded in the events and experiences of World Youth Day with a new fervor, thanks to the youth and their strong love for him. And with his voice breaking for a moment, Father Bruegger affirmed: It is touching to hear and to see our youth sing: Schoenstatt my great love…"that song of the dark times of exile, that song that caused Father Menningen such great emotion when he heard it, until the day of his death.

We have before our eyes, he continued saying, the images of the Schoenstatt heroes, who in the shadow of the Original Shrine grew in sanctity, and through the youth we sense a stronger commitment with the Father who shows the way toward sanctity. We do not want remain silent about what we experience, rather, with the youth we want to tell the people: The kingdom of God is here, here we are in the closeness of God, go forward, we must be on our way taking the Shoenstatt message, Father is sending us two by two. Through the mystery of Schoenstatt we ally ourselves with the living God, and that makes us happy, strong and daring. This giving of self, this commitment takes us to loosen the chains of the Original Shrine! Let us go without fear!

Procession to Original Shrine

After the final prayers of the Mass, everyone went in a concrete and real procession from the Pilgrim Church to the Original Shrine – carrying flags, the vessels from the different Schoenstatt Shrines, the Auxiliary of Germany, and by spontaneous decision of the Youth, with the picture of Father Kentenich.

The great restlessness that marked October Week was made evident here: that the Schoenstatt Family of Germany and those who live in this place of grace should learn from the youth of other countries to throb like them for the Original Shrine. Many got lost in the rush of trying to leave (May it be God’s will that they were rushing to the field of the apostolate) therefore, they did not join the procession, they left and others got lost in the shop. But the vast majority arrived to the Original Shrine walking and praying beneath the radiant sun of a splendid autumn day. "In this place we represent the International Schoenstatt Family", they prayed, while the youth raised Father’s picture on high close to the door of the Original Shrine. Texts from the Founding Document were read, there were expressions of gratitude for the gifts received during the year, especially for World Youth Day and then the Covenant of Love was sealed, united with all those who renewed it today throughout the world. Just as every 18^th of October, there was a blessing and commissioning of Pilgrim MTA’s, Father Bruegger needed a little "help" since he could not say the phrase "She is the great missionary", and those who received the Pilgrim MTA’s did not know how to respond either since apparently it is still too new. But anyway the: "She is the Great Missionary – Thank you very much, and it made many of us smile! The Capital of Grace was burned in the fire that had been lighted earlier. There were songs in German and then Mary of the Covenant was sung in Spanish.

Miracle Baby

"We come in thanksgiving for Pablito’s miracle, said a young couple from Chile. "His photo was in the Original Shrine and on Father’s tomb. The photo of Pablitos photo taken here traveled throughout Chile! Pablito is a baby that was born premature, at only five months of development and his prognosis was very bad. They sent a petition from Chile asking for prayers for him in Schoenstatt, where many joined the Adoration Sisters in praying for him. Today his parents with all their Family Group brought another photo of Pablito, a sound and healthy child without after effects. He is a child radiant with happiness…."We are here in thanksgiving for the miracle", said his father, and the eyes of those who heard him filled with tears. The Blessed Mother works miracles, Pablito is a miracle of the Blessed Mother and of Father Kentenich! What a privilege to be able to come to this place in thanksgiving on the 18^th of October!" There were activities in Schoenstatt throughout the day, ending with another Covenant Mass and procession to the Original Shrine at night.

Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA

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