Austria, the courage of faith, arise!

The sixth course of the Family Federation began as did the first course of the Academy for family pedagogy in Tirol

El Santuario de Kahlenberg, Viena The Shrine at Kahlenberg, Vienna Das Heiligtum am Kahlenberg, Wien
El matrimonio Baur, Tirol The Baur family, Tirol Ehepaar Baur, Tirol
Curso de la Academia para Pedagogia Familiar, Tirol Course of the Academy for Family Pedagogy, Tirol Kurs der Akademie für Familienpädagogik, Tirol
Los más jovenes de la Federación de Familias The youngest ones of the Federation of Families Die Jüngsten des Familienbundes
El matrimonio Schröer, el Padre Werner Kuller The Schröer family, with Fr. Werner Kuller Ehepaar Schröer mit Pater Werner Kuller Fotos: imk © 2006

AUSTRIA, imk. This week, the annual motto of the Austrian Schoenstatt Family became a reality: "Arise, the courage of faith, Heavenwards!" On the 25^th and 26^th of February of 2006, in Vienna, nine families began their journey "Heavenwards," towards the highest. Nine young families began their candidacy for the sixth course of the Family Federation. They felt the call to strive in common toward sanctity. Should one be in awe at the joy shown in the faces of Fr. Werner M. Kuller, assistant to the Family Federation in Austria, and in the faces of Helga and Helmut Schroer, the leading couple?

The 29 families which comprise the Federation in Austria now have a total of 24 candidates. Sign of vigorous growth!

Expectations upon arrival: How will this first meeting go? What will the others be like? And the joyful affirmation: "So many charming families!" Sylvia and Anton Ettl will accompany the new course during the introductory phase. They have overcome the earlier worry about the first encounter. They have felt the power of so many people praying for them and they can whole heartedly say: "We are happy with the task of accompanying this course."

Also in Tirol

"We have had a magnificent weekend," reads an email from Eva and Erich Berger, the family that directs the Austrian academy for family pedagogy. "The first course has started in the province of Tirol and everyone is very happy for having decided to participate in this. They are six young families with 16 children in all. The oldest is 10 years old. The accompanying family, María and Anton Baur, with excellence and capability, and as if they had done nothing else in their lives, also had the fascinating task of taking care of the many small children. It was a success!..... Thank you to all who have collaborated so that this beginning could be possible! The next meeting will be on the 25^th and 26^th of March. It would be wonderful if two more families could come. They could still collaborate.

Heaven hastens, do you know when this notice will be published? The desire has recently become a reality and on time. It was a moment of grace: the families get in line and receive formation – in a course which lasts for two years – as "trainers of families" to strengthen other families…..to accompany them…..and to take them with them Heavenward, towards the highest.

Where is the mystery?

"Fill the earthen jars with water!" reads the notice to support the development of the next course of the Academy of families. It is course number 36. It is a clear indication of the source, to the mystery: the small and invisible Schoenstatt Shrine in Kahlenberg. For almost 25 years there is an earthenware jar as a visible sign of the vital process which Father Kentenich has described with the words "Bring me contributions to the Treasury of Grace." The original jar, so to speak, is a model for innumerable jars which today are in many Shrines throughout the world and link the vital process of the Shrine with the biblical scene of the wedding at Cana. "Nothing without you, Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt," we are told, "we trust that also today you ask the Lord for a miracle." But we are also constantly reminded: "Nothing without us!" since the Lord asks for the "water" of our prayers, of our confidence, of our love, of our striving in daily life and of our patience to withstand pain.

What can be deducted from this? Life for many: reach for the highest.

Translation Carlos Cantú Family Federation La Feria, Texas USA