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 published: 2005-11-22

The "Pope's monstrance" in the Shrine

The Eucharist, Vocations, and Mary at Schoenstatt Heights

 

Adoración en el Santuario de Madison, con el Santisimo Sacramento en la custodia del Papa

Adorers before the Pope's monstrance in the Founder Shrine, Madison

Anbetung im Gründerheiligtum in Madison vor der Papst-Monstranz

 

La custodia en el Santuario

The monstrance in the shrine

Die Monstranz im Heiligtum

 
 

Hna Jennifer y sus hermanas Elizabeth y Erica Carlson cantando con las chicas

Sr. M. Jennifer and her sisters Elizabeth and Erica Carlson sing for the girls

Schwester M. Jennifer und ihre Geschwister Elizabeth und Erica Carlson singen mit den Mädchen

 
 

Procesión del Santuario a la Casa de Retiro

Eucharisitc procession from the shrine to the retreat house for benediction. Fr. Gerold Langsch carries the monstrance. He also gave the retreat and the talk for the public.

Prozession mit dem Allerheiligsten vom Heiligtum zum Haus, wo der Segen gegeben wurde

 
 

Bendición en la Casa de Retiro

Benediction in the retreat house

Segensandacht im Haus

 

La adoración continua

The Blessed Sacrament is returned to the shrine to continue adoration for vocations

Die Anbetung geht weiter

Fotos: Vinje © 2005

 
   

USA, Sr. Marcia Vinje. Last June the Bishop of Madison, Robert C. Morlino, visited the Schoenstatt Shrine in Madison, Wisconsin, USA. At that time he gave the Schoenstatt family two commissions: to help him foster devotion to the Eucharist including Eucharistic adoration, and to foster vocations to the consecrated life for women. When the opportunity came to combine these intentions, this was seen as the hand of Divine Providence.

On November 19 the Schoenstatt family was privileged to host a Day of Eucharistic Adoration for Vocations with a monstrance blessed by Pope John Paul II. Six monstrances had been blessed in November 2004 to send around the world to foster Eucharistic adoration for vocations. As one of the monstrances travels around the USA it stopped for five days in the diocese of Madison, coming first to the Schoenstatt Shrine. A further sign of Providence came in the timing of the arrival of the monstrance at Schoenstatt Heights on November 18, Father Kentenich’s birthday and at the exact time that the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary were dedicating a House of Adoration in Milwaukee, 70 miles away.

For such a blessed opportunity as many people as possible should be included, being invited to pray for vocations and to deepen their love for the Eucharist. Therefore it ended up with three concurrent programs.

How we discovered our vocation

From 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. people from around the diocese came for Eucharistic adoration in the Founder Shrine. At 2:30 p.m. Fr. Gerold Langsch, Schoenstatt Father, gave a presentation on Mary and the Eucharist to which members of the public had been invited. Following his talk all participants formed a procession to accompany the monstrance from the shrine to the conference hall where benediction of the Blessed Sacrament was held. An atmosphere of deep prayer was tangible. Private adoration then continued in the shrine until a closing Mass at 5:00 p.m.

The Marian Apostles and Little Crowns of Mary participated in the event by having a vocation day program running parallel to the other activities. The young girls and their mothers first had adoration in the shrine and then had a program to learn about the vocation of a Schoenstatt Sister of Mary. One of the novices, Sr. M. Jennifer Carlson, and her sisters, Erica (who is already a candidate for the sisters) and Elizabeth, also hoping to be sisters some day, shared about how they discovered their vocations. This was an opportunity for everyone to be informed about the signs of a vocation and then how to foster it.

Sister M. Victoria Heiderscheidt led the discussion on points to strengthen the spiritual life: prayer such as Holy Mass and Communion along with daily prayers, the Sacrament of Reconciliation and an evening examination of conscience, the virtue of purity by which the girls are encouraged to guard their senses in terms of use of media and appropriate language, wearing modest clothing, remaining joyful as one is aware of the blessings in her life, and finding joy in God’s loving presence. The girls finished off the day with a snack of "Sister cookies" prepared by one of the mothers with her daughters: cutout cookies "dressed" in blue.

From Mass to Mass

Since this weekend had also been planned for the fall retreat for the Schoenstatt family, the theme was chosen: Living the Eucharist in Daily Life. These days became a beautiful preparation for the Eucharistic day and an opportunity to deepen love for the Eucharist and discover how to make it the frame of daily life. Because of the publicity surrounding the special monstrance, new people could be welcomed to the retreat who had no former knowledge of Schoenstatt or who used the opportunity to become connected anew to the shrine. Highlights of the retreat included a Sister from Tanzania who spontaneously burst into song of praise during adoration, and a woman who witnessed to the power of prayer before the tabernacle in the shrine as she prepared a retreat for Project Rachel, which offers post-abortion healing.

Participants in the retreat were enthused about the possibility to live the Eucharist from Mass to Mass and to find a theological connection to the concept of the heart shrine. For a number of people who experienced the Schoenstatt spirituality for the first time they were awestruck at the beauty of these ideas and how practical they can become in daily life.

Of course, in the background of this busy weekend there was the hidden crew of sisters and volunteers who filled the capital of grace along with filling the bowls with food, rearranging the small retreat house to accommodate the different groups, and just troubleshooting for the unexpected glitches. It was sure symbolic that one of the sisters fell as she rushed for a forgotten tabernacle key and broke bones in both her hands. The sacrifices will continue for weeks so that the graces of this day may bear rich fruit in the hearts of those who came to adore the Lord and beg him to send more workers into the vineyard.


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