A Garden of Mary for 2014

Schoenstatt Christmas Covenant Day Celebration Atlanta, Georgia

Celebración de Navidad Christmas celebration Weihnachtsfeier Fotos: Schoenstatt Atlanta © 2005

USA, Theresa Caldwell. On December 17, the Schoenstatt Family of Atlanta, Georgia, USA, met by their "Garden of Mary" wayside shrine to celebrate Covenant Day and have an anticipated Christmas experience as a family. The day began at noon with the Rosary in the Marian Garden wayside shrine. At 12:30 p.m. Deacon Felix Marrero celebrated a Communion Service and gave a very inspiring homily. Most noted were the plans being made for the 2014 Celebration – the 100^th birthday of the founding of Schoenstatt.

Deacon Felix went on to explain about the Capital of Grace and encouraged all to offer them daily as a remote preparation for the year 2014. He encouraged them to bring them to the wayside shrine each month, and put the paper in the large wooden shrine near the altar. By the year 2014 they will see how much the families of Georgia have offered the Blessed Mother as a building block for a future Daughter Shrine in Georgia.

The Marian Garden- wayside shrine - was packed and there was standing room only. Parents were asked to have children sit on their laps to make more seating for adults.

More than 100 people joined for this wonderful celebration. At the end of the Communion Service Bob & Theresa Caldwell read the Christ Child letter that Sr. Mariengard composed for Christmas of 1941. A letter from Sr. Ligia of New York to the Schoenstatt Family in Georgia explaining more about the Garden of Mary - Mariengarten was also presented at this time. As the wayside shrine in Atlanta is named "Garden of Mary", Sister Ligia wrote, it is good to know about the historical "Garden of Mary" that was born in the Holy Night of 1941 – the name inspired by the name of Sister Mariengard who wrote a letter to the Christ Child. The meaning of the "Garden of Mary", in this context, was the mutual commitment of Father and Family, to offer all for Schoenstatt, for the mission entrusted to Father Kentenich, almost hundred years ago, in 1914. A Garden of Mary for 2014…

Leading the way for Baby Jesus

Papo & Lydia Concepcion invited everyone to come forward with their Christmas ornaments to decorate the Christmas tree and added ones from previous years. Then the Angels, six or seven ladies of Ana Maria Culverhouse’s Mothers group, sang a Christmas song and some of the children played the role of shepherds who led the way for the baby Jesus to be carried into the wayside shrine. The Angels continued the celebration by giving all the children bags of candy, and many of the smaller children received Christmas presents.

Finally it was time for the feast – roasted pig was the main course, and many other dishes to make a delicious dinner. There were so many people - the family room and the garage were filled. There was also a soccer game going on and children running everywhere.

It was a beautiful sunshiny day, a little chilly with some wind, but no one seemed to mind for it was so good to be together and each one did a part in making the day a wonderful celebration in honor of Our Lady of Schoenstatt.