Christmas in Schoenstatt

"Stars in the manger" – Celebration of the Schoenstatt Family in the Original Shrine on the occasion of the 40^th Anniversary of Father Kentenich’s return to Schoenstatt on Christmas Eve of 1945

El Padre Kentenich en el Santuario Original, despues de 14 años Father Kentenich in the Original Shrine, after 14 years Pater Kentenich im Urheiligtum, nach 14 Jahren Foto: Blanck © 2005
El Padre habla a la familia en el Santuario Original Father Kentenich’s first words to the family, in the Original Shrine Pater Kentenichs erste Worte an die Familie, im Urheiligtum
El Padre habla a la familia en el Santuario Original Father Kentenich’s first words to the family, in the Original Shrine Pater Kentenichs erste Worte an die Familie, im Urheiligtum
Urheiligtum

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. On the 6^th of December, Simon Donelly, a seminarian from South Africa, who is studying in Rome, who is candidate for the Federation of Diocesan Priests, announced that he wants to be in Schoenstatt on Christmas Eve "because it is the 40^th Anniversary of Father Kentenich’s return to the Original Shrine". Father Kentenich arrived at Schoenstatt from Rome on the afternoon of the 24^th of December of 1965, just as Simon Donelly will arrive this year…He arrived at Schoenstatt after 14 years of exile, on Christmas Eve, where the Family waited to welcome him. On the 24^th of December the Schoenstatt Family will gather at 3:30 p.m. local time through the initiative of the General Presidency to commemorate that moment that awakened the memory of so many persons of that time of another Christmas Eve that was very significant in the history of Schoenstatt: Christmas Eve of 1941, when the Marian Garden was born in a jail of Koblenz, an expression that is very close to the unity of life and the mission between the Father and Prophet and his Family.

It was a long time of waiting that ended that 24^th of December, after several weeks in Rome until the decree finally arrived on the 22^nd of October, freeing Father Kentenich of all the restrictions of the Holy See, that set ( or better said imposed) his place of residence, his contact with the Movement, all of his work as Founder. During the days he was in Rome Father Kentenich’s 80^th birthday was celebrated, the cornerstone of the future Matri Ecclesiae Shrine was symbolically blessed, and the question arose again in Rome, in Schoenstatt and in all the world: Will Father Kentenich return to Schoenstatt, and to his Original Shrine? Will he return for Christmas? The morning of the 24^th of December, literally at the last minute, the news spread like wild fire through all of Shoenstatt in the midst of the preparation for Christmas: "Father will return! He arrives today! The most desired thing had been realized, the Miracle of the Holy Night!" All the Christmas preparations were left aside, there were telephone chains to give notice and in just a few hours hundreds of Schoenstatters had received the great news. Many families asked grandparents and neighbors to take care of their children, and they started out toward the Frankfurt airport or to Schoenstatt…to wait for Father, many only knew him through photographs and through the testimony of other persons.

Father’s photograph

In one of the most famous photographs of Father Kentenich, Father is seen kneeling in the Original Shrine in profound prayer, after 14 years…This photograph was taken by Mr. Blanck, Brother of Mary, who – camera in hand – was close to the Original Shrine. Since he could not enter, he went to a window that faces the tomb of heroes, he cracked it open, he stood on tiptoes, he raised the camera and without seeing anything he took the photograph…Thanks to him and his filial "boldness" we have this photo of that dialogue of Father with his Queen on that Christmas Eve. It is Father, speaking to her; that just as that 18^th of October surely she spoke to him about this family also, and of those who one day would form part of the family, sharing the mission she entrusted to Father…After the silent meeting in the Original Shrine, Father greeted hundreds of Schoenstatters from all the branches and communities, who had rushed to Schoenstatt to welcome him, in a classroom of Marian School of the Sisters of Mary. The Sisters intoned Handel’s "Alleluia" with great happiness and emotion that even now, 40 years later, when this song is heart many relive the joy of the moment of that Christmas Eve with tears of joy in which Father spoke to them as if those 14 years had never existed, recognizing people he had not seen in 14 years, asking them about things that they had told him during some conversation with him, that they themselves hardly remembered. He greeted persons that he only knew from the letters they had written to him and he also perfectly remembered what they had shared in those letters. When Father spoke to his family he did not mention the years that had passed, rather, he spoke to them about the mission that they should undertake together as a sign of eternal gratitude to the MTA.

That night of grace ended with the Christmas celebration, which became more of a reality on that occasion. At midnight, Father celebrated the two Christmas Masses (according to the pre-conciliar rite) in the Original Shrine, the new Bethlehem.

My stars in Schoenstatt

Today, 40 years later, we also celebrate this very special Christmas with the Father; gathered in the Original Shrine close to him we ask him to intercede before the MTA for us and for our loved ones, and we ask him to lead us to the manger of the Child Jesus! While letters addressed to Father Kentenich on the occasion of his 120 birthday which was celebrated on the 18^th of November continue to arrive, to be placed on his tomb, the first emails requesting "My name on the star" have started to arrive."

Since the beginning of December, the Brasilian web page www.maeperegrina.com.br invites everyone to be present in "the Shrine our Bethlehem" along with their loved ones and everyone who needs the graces that Jesus and the Blessed Mother give on Christmas from the Original Shrine. "My name on the star" began in 1997 with the "Ten minutes by the crib", as an invitation for the people to write and to deposit their name and those of their loved ones, friends, relatives, as well as neighbors, those in the daily news…Since the beginning those who participated in the "Ten Minutes by the Crib", this has been one of the strongest experiences of this time by the manger. It was Tita Rios, from Parana, Argentina, who in 2002 was inspired to send the first "stars" via internet. Then the invitation was extended to everyone who visited schoenstatt.de to do the same which resulted in an avalanche of stars arriving at the Original Shrine...And each year there are more stars, better said, more names arrive. This causes us to reflect on each of those persons who want to be close to the manger of the "new Bethlehem" which is the Original Shrine, and suddenly it causes us to look farther than our relatives and reaching out to many others…write on a star "all my colleagues at work" then I decided to write the name of each one on an individual star...Before my email arrived at Schoenstatt, the Blessed Mother worked the miracle of the Holy Night in my heart: something changed in him, it changed my relationship with my colleagues, especially with those who bothered me..", a lady related.

Once again, this Christmas, everyone is invited to email the names of all the persons that you want to make present in the manger on Christmas Eve in Schoenstatt. These names, written on paper stars, will be taken on the 24^th of December to the Original Shrine so that everyone can participate in the holy hour that the Schoenstatt Family celebrates in this place of grace. Later, during the Midnight Mass, they will be deposited over Father’s tomb. "The stars in the manger have become a tradition in my family," shared Celina Garza. "Last night my aunt from Florida was telling me that when they decorated their Christmas tree she reminded her grandchildren to hang the stars that I had sent them last year with their names. I also explained that I had sent their names to Schoenstatt so that stars with their names would be placed in the manger. So now I will have to start my list for this year!"

Send a "star"