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Jovenes de Lima, Perú, en Schoenstatt
Young women from Lima, Perú, in Schoenstatt
Junge Frauen aus Lima, Perú, in Schönstatt
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Hannelore Spannagel (centro) llevó una peregrina para
su parroquia
Hannelore Spannagel (center) took a Pilgrim MTA to her
parish
Hannelore Spannagel (Mitte) übernahm eine Pilgernde
Gottesmutter für junge Frauen
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Peregrinos de Cauquenes, Chile
Pilgrims from Cauquenes, Chile
Pilger aus Cauquenes, Chile
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Un mensaje del Padre Kentenich para el día 18
A message from Father Kentenich for Covenant Day
Ein Wort von Pater Kentenich für den Bündnistag
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En el Santuario Original
In the Original Shrine
Im Urheiligtum
Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006
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SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "You gather what I am aiming at: I would like to
make this place a place of pilgrimage, a place of grace for our house
and for the whole German province, and perhaps even further afield." .The
prophet was correct. Or better said, the prophet detected God’s plan for
this place. He discovered a source of grace –which at that time was only
a very narrow stream of water –which has become a powerful stream of graces,
of life and of ideas, reaching many countries and all the continents.
These are the words of Father Esteban Uriburu in a book about Schoenstatt
as a place of pilgrimage. In spite of the inclement and rainy weather
on February 18th like a motto which resounded: "This is not
the time for pilgrims, everything is closed in Schoenstatt", those who
dared to challenge the inclement weather enjoyed Covenant Day with the
international family.
"We always remember to pray for everyone in the Original Shrine during
our "Covenant Mass" in the parish where the Blessed Mother is enthroned.
After the Holy Mass we gather in front of her to pray the consecration
prayer. We do it uniting ourselves with the international family that
is gathered spiritually in the Original Shrine. In this way we are many!",
reads an email from Argentina. Although on this rainy day there were no
large pilgrimages to the Original Shrine nor festive Masses, the Blessed
Mother’s presence could be felt around this international family. "It
was fascinating…I felt at home", Fernanda, a secondary student from Chile
commented. She and her brother belong to the pioneer group and they arrived
in Schoenstatt a few hours earlier after traveling for a whole day from
Brighton, England, where they have been studying English for five weeks.
"My sister almost started crying when we reached the bus stop in Schoenstatt
and everything was dark, we did not know which way to go, we could not
communicate with anyone .But we were so happy when we saw a light in the
window and to now be in Sonnenau, it is like being at home, like being
in family!" "What is the covenant?" asked a couple from Comodora Rivadavia,
Argentina, who were visiting Schoenstatt for the first time and did not
know very much about the movement. "It is what we are experiencing right
now", Maria Cristina Estrada, from Buenos Aires, the couple’s sister and
sister-in-law answered, smiling with a student from India and a Sister
of Mary from Germany. "We meet with the people, you speak with them and
feel as if you were among life long friends. It is the Blessed Mother,
in the Covenant, who makes us allies..as She herself is, in the Covenant
with Mary you live as a family with God the Father". "We came with my
husband to visit my brother who is now working in Poitiers, France", Maria
Cristina said.
We can do more
Every 18th all the intentions and petitions are brought to
the Blessed Mother in the Original Shrine, we bring all the petitions
on the web page "Nothing without you". We also prayed for the victims
in Guinsaugon, a neighborhood on the Isla de Leyte, Philippines, who are
buried under tons of mud where it is feared that thousands have died.
It is known that many who reside in this region receive the visit of the
Pilgrim MTA in their homes…
During the afternoon Covenant celebration, Father Lothar Penners invited
everyone to include the two German hostages in Iraq in the renewal of
the Covenant, not only as a petition, rather to incorporate them into
the Covenant. We could contribute more, he said, we can do more because
of the Covenant, we can offer the Blessed Mother our conquering of "interior
terrorism" so that she will conquer the terrorists who are holding these
two young engineers in their hands.. In this way we can make the words
of the youth of World Youth Day in the Covenant for the youth of the world:
You and I for them. On this night we want to offer the Blessed Mother
– you and I for them, for the two hostages, for the abused children in
Germany, for the people in Leyte. We also prayed for the General Chapter
of the Secular Institute of the Brothers of Mary.
Some of the texts for the Covenant celebration were read in English and
Spanish, in the presence of the Schoenstatters from India, Argentina,
Chile, Mexico, Philippines, Hungry, Romania, Ecuador, United States; from
Germany and the participation of leaders of the Mothers’ Branch who were
participating in their annual journey in Schoenstatt.
Attracted by the Blessed Mother’s affection
"We only came for the day, said a couple from Cauquenes, Chile, "and
we could not choose the date, so we are very happy that we were able to
be here on the 18th. They explained that there is no Shrine
in their city, but there is a Wayside Shrine. "People come to learn about
the Movement, they feel attracted by the Blessed Mother’s affection",
they commented joyfully. "She gives us what they are searching for so
much, for what they really need".
To exemplify these words we can say that on this day the Mothers’ Branch
from Burundi went on pilgrimage from Gikungu to Mutmba, the first Shrine
of Burundi, in seven busses, this was a "Covenant Pilgrimage".
"We also prayed for the Philippines and the two German engineers in Iraq",
Gabriela Kyling from Osorno, Chile, related. "Yesterday, February 18th,
we went to Mass in a very small little town close to the countryside,
where we met three Schoenstatt couples. Later I went to buy bread at a
small store; they had the picture of the Blessed Mother hanging on the
wall and when they saw my cross they asked me if I was a Schoenstatter.
We became great friends just as if I had met relatives. It is incredible
to meet Schoenstatters in Cancura, as this village is called".
"The Blessed Mother is really waiting for me in this place!"
On the morning of February 19th, the pilgrims from Chile and
Argentina shared their experiences in Schoenstatt with enthusiasm. The
first thing they did was to visit Father’s tomb, afterwards the couples
from Argentina and the youth from Chile went to the Original Shrine, where
they repeated Father Kentenich’s words: "Dear Mother and Queen, I come
to your Shrine. I would like to stay here spiritually forever...Mother,
write my name in your heart and never erase it…Upon gazing at her picture,
I see that you look at me as if you had been waiting for me…" With their
eyes full of tears, the young geologist from Comodoro, Rivadavia: said,:
"I can’t believe it. .I accompanied my sister –in-law without thinking
too much about it. But this is so powerful. The Blessed Mother was really
waiting for me in this place!!!" Although they had to leave, they decided
to also visit Father’s room on Mount Schoenstatt. "This is the room of
a saint", commented Maria Cristina. "You can feel his presence".
Fernanda and Javier were able to go on pilgrimage to seven of the Shrines
in Schoenstatt as they proudly said that afternoon. But the best part
was awaiting them, at a little after 6:00 p.m. they arrived at Father’s
tomb too late, everything was already closed. They were overcome with
sadness, when suddenly a door opened, the Sister in charge allowed them
to enter .so that they could share a half an hour in private with Father!
"We were so very happy !" said sixteen year old Fernanda. Javier of eighteen
added: "At Brighton we cried many times on the bus because we missed our
families and friends. Since we arrived in Schoenstatt, everything is pure
joy!’
Translation: Celina M Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA
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