They fell in love with Schoenstatt

First pilgrimage from the Dominican Republic and Haiti

Entrevista con participantes Interview with participants Interview mit Teilnehmern
En el comedor In the dining room In Speisesaal Fotos: Garmendia © 2006

SCHOENSTATT, Juliana Garmendia. "I have experienced a Schoenstatt that is alive, abundantly alive, it is complete happiness everywhere", expressed one of the persons who was a part of the group from the Dominican Republic. The pilgrims from this Central American country arrived in Schoenstatt for the first time, it was an enormously exciting and unique experience for everyone, it was an experience that left profound marks on the hearts that were open to the warm love of Mary and the Father and Founder.

During five days they experienced Schoenstatt with all the senses. They arrived the night of June 25^th, and the next day they began to experience the deep meaning of each place

they encountered. They not only visited the Shrines and the places in the valley and the mountains: part of the itinerary was to visit some places close to Schoenstatt, like the house where Father Kentenich was born and lived during the first years of his youth and the parish where he was baptized (in Gymnich close to Cologne). They also visited the tomb of Sister Mary Emilie in Koblenz –Metternich and the Schoenstatt Shrines in Cologne and in Trier. They are still on pilgrimage, because they departed toward the south, to the concentration camp of Dachau, where Father Kentenich was prisoner between 1942 to1945. Then they will continue to Munich where there is also a Schoenstatt Shrine, and then to Rome.

Within the group of 43 there were three ladies from Haiti where the Movement is being founded by a Schoenstatt Diocesan Priest and three Sisters of Mary. The five days they were in Schoenstatt were days of grace, the Blessed Mother filled them with gifts and she conquered the hearts of those who are still not so in love and committed with the Movement.

Gifts that transform!

Every night, after returning to the house where they were staying, they did not tire of expressing how wonderful it was to be in Schoenstatt, to intensely experience the gift of the Blessed Mother in each one of the Shrines and of the emotion that they felt by the strong presence of the Founding Father. One of the pilgrims commented, "Father Joseph Kentenich is alive and he his personally attentive!"

One of the interior miracles that the Blessed Mother gave them was to be able to experience the love and the closeness of Father. If some already knew the Founding Father, for many, it was totally new to experience his presence and his charisma. It can be said that almost no one left Schoenstatt without falling in love with Father Kentenich and without wanting to commit themselves even more with his Work.

To live as a Family

It was an enormous gift that the Blessed Mother gave them to truly experience these days in this land, each place that they visited and each person they encountered made them feel how beautiful and important it is to be part of this Family of the Father. This sensation of feeling "at home" wakened the desire in many of them to belong to it and to commit themselves more with the Blessed Mother.

In each one of the testimonies, the joy and the gratitude of having the opportunity of coming to the Original Shrine and to the heart of the Movement could be perceived. A profound emotion gave them the impetus to become allies with Mary and Father, which gives them the strength to return to "infect" their loved ones with the love that they received in Schoenstatt. One of the ladies said, "I take all the marvels with me, although I do not deserve them! And I ask Father and the Blessed Mother for more love, joy and peace to share with my family".

Everyone felt the necessity and the responsibility to return home to work for the Movement. No one leaves Schoenstatt without gifts, the Blessed Mother was in charge of filling their hearts with graces and experiences that profoundly marked each life, and that will urge them to go for more! This feeling was expressed in their eyes.

Farewell

Perhaps the most profound expression of what they experienced during those days was on Friday night, while "everyone" was sitting in front of the televisions watching the match between Italy and Ukraine. It was the last day before leaving Schoenstatt. Three ladies, with tears in their eyes, prayed the rosary in the "farewell corner", in front of the stone that marks the place where Father Kentenich, bid farewell to Joseph English after his last visit to Schoenstatt on July 30, 1918. Father always accompanied the sodalists (who returned to war) to that place, where the city of Vallendar begins…The ladies of the Dominican Republic prayed: Come with us Father…We go with you, after they had finished the consecration of the "farewell liturgy".

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA