Schoenstatt – Ninety Years in Berlin.

The first group meeting outside Schoenstatt took place in Berlin – an exchange about personal experiences with the Blessed Mother

Más allá: Hace 90 años, en plena guerra mundial: encuentro de grupo fuera de Schoenstatt, in Berlin 90 years ago, during WW I: group meeting outside Schoenstatt, in Berlin Darüber hinaus: Vor neunzig Jahren, mitten im ersten Weltkrieg: Gruppentreffen außerhalb Schönstatts, in Berlin Foto: MTA 1916, Nr.1 © 2006

GERMANY, Sr. M. Irmtruad/mfk. "Schoenstatt – ninety years in Berlin" – that is the title of an event which the Schoenstatt Movement is organizing on 23 April this year in their centre at Berlin-Fronau, Schoenfliesser Street 9.11. Already two years after Schoenstatt’s foundation on 18 October 1914, four Schoenstatters – Albert Eise, Peter Roemer, Wilhelm Waldbroel, and Leo Prellwitz found themselves in the barracks at Berlin-Tempelhof. In all probability the four were present on 18 October in the shrine, because they were candidates of the Marian Sodality at the time. All four were taken into the Sodality on 8 December 1914, and all four met again as soldiers early in 1916 in Berlin.

The report on their first "Sodality meeting" was printed in the MTA magazine: "Who would have thought it! Four sodalists, whom the World War had gruesomely and violently thrust out of the quiet cloister into noisy barracks, met in Berlin for a Sodality gathering. How could it be different? Just as good children gather at the first opportunity around their mother, so we also felt motivated, and indeed obliged because of the favourable opportunity, to allow Mary to again take centre stage in all that we do. Through exchanging our experiences we wanted to re-enkindle our enthusiasm for Mary’s cause. Above all we again wanted to promise eternal loyalty to our heavenly Mother…."

Model for Schoenstatt’s group-work

They met regularly at St Boniface’s parish "to renew their consecration to Mary" and for group discussions, which even on occasion took place in a "pub". "Through exchanging our experiences" they wanted to strengthen their Marian and apostolic spirit. It is interesting to note that Fr Kentenich did not publish the short talks they also sent him, but the report on their meeting, which was written immediately afterwards and was bubbling over with enthusiasm and life, appeared in the MTA magazine. In itself it was an invitation to the others to meet in order to exchange experiences and to prepare them for the time ahead. It contained the goals (to allow Mary to again take centre stage in all that we do – through exchanging experiences to re-enkindle enthusiasm for Mary’s cause – to again promise eternal loyalty to our heavenly Mother), and elements of a successful and encouraging group meeting: (1) Looking back on the way Mary had led them; (2) Entering into competition in proving that Mary had really helped them, and "proved that she is wonderful"; (3) Sharing about how they could be apostolic in the situations they had experienced in everyday life; (4) Encouraging: "Inscribing Mary’s name with new letters into our hearts. The goal was clear. The way we have already travelled is the right one." (5) Deciding: How are we to awaken enthusiasm for Mary in others? In addition they gave the practical suggestion that they could also meet in a pub if another meeting place could not be found …

Schoenstatt in Berlin

Those first seeds that were planted germinated. In the 1920s a priest from the diocese of Muenster went to Berlin, in the 1930s he was followed by Sisters of Mary, and after the Second World War many displaced persons from the East joined the Schoenstatt Movement. Fr Kentenich, Schoenstatt’s founder, visited Berlin on a number of occasions and conducted a retreat for priests in Alt-Buchhorst.

After the Second World War the Movement concentrated particularly in the parish of St Ludgerus in the Potsdamer Street, central Berlin, where Fr Rhode was parish priest. It is there that the first Schoenstatt chapel in Berlin was blessed in 1950. Until the building of the wall about a thousand people from the city and the surrounding areas went on pilgrimage there every month. After the wall divided the city, the people of East Berlin met on the 18^th of each month to celebrate the covenant in the Church of the Sacred Heart, Prenzlauer Berg, with Msgr. Kaczmarek. In the western sector an exact replica of the original shrine was blessed in 1970 in Fronau.

Thanksgiving Celebration on Low Sunday in Frohnau

The Schoenstatt Movement wants to thank for 90 years of richly blessed work by the Mother Thrice Admirable from her shrines.

On Low Sunday there will be a Mass of Thanksgiving at 10 a.m. at the Schoenstatt Centre, Schoenfliesser Street 9/11 in Fronau. The sermon will be preached by Fr Arkadiusz Sosna from Warsaw. Afterwards Msgr. Kaczmarek and Fr Krenz will give an historical survey of the 90 years Schoenstatt has existed in Berlin.

The Maltese will see to lunch. In the afternoon contemporaries will relate their experiences. The day will end happily with a thanksgiving devotion, camp fire and various activities. Guests and all who are interested are very welcome.

Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England