Chile, Spain, England, Brazil, Poland...international presence in Schoenstatt

Encounters in the Original Shrine – July 2006

Amy Peebles y Olenka Hand, de Austin, Texas, Estados Unidos, con el simbolo del Padre buscado via schoenstatt.de Amy Puebles and Olenka Hand from Austin, Texas, USA, with the Father Symbol searched (and found) via Schoenstatt.de Amy Peebles und Olenka Hand aus Austin, USA, mit dem Vatersymbol, das über schoenstatt.de gesucht (und gefunden) wurde
Misa internacional de la Juventud International Youth Mass Internationale Jugendmesse
Peregrinos de Polonia Pilgrims from Poland Pilger aus Pólen Fotos: Signorini © 2006
Fogón: Peregrinación de Inglaterra Closing night of the England pilgrimage Abschlussabend der Wallfahrt aus England
Peregrinos de Brasil Pilgrims from Brazil Pilger aus Brasilien
Misa del grupo de España Mass of the group from Spain Messe der Gruppe aus Spanien Foto: Garmendia © 2006 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Month of July, a month of exceptional heat in Germany – as in almost all of Europe – a month of vacations. Since the Blessed Mother never takes a vacation nor does she close her "business" for vacation, the stream of pilgrims from every corner of the world that flowed to the Original Shrine never stopped.

A group from England and Scotland visited from July 11^th -17^th, fortifying and renewing themselves in Schoenstatt. Each day the Blessed Mother and the Father surprised them with some gift. Some of them relate that staying here during this time was a very intense experience, and it gave them the strength and the enthusiasm that they need to return to their countries to continue "infecting" others with the love and the joy that they received at each of the places that they visited. During the week they did not miss the opportunity to enjoy themselves and to share their personal experiences. Each night they gathered to celebrate with songs, guitars and violins, jokes, poems and toasts, leaving aside the tiredness that is natural and they demonstrated the importance of always maintaining a youthful and restless spirit, at every moment of life! One of the nights they sang and bought "Covenant wines", since a little "shopping" had to be part of the itinerary.

It was truly a week full of spiritual gifts, with much joy, of living as a family and of sharing all the enthusiasm of what they experienced at the Blessed Mother’s house with the people they met on this pilgrimage.

From Chile…

On July 12^th a couple of the Family Federation from southern Chile arrived at Schoenstatt. Susana Bucarey and Pedro Goycochea, Isabel Villouta and Gonzalo Toledo, who belong to the Cor mundi course, did not miss the opportunity to travel to Germany to visit the Blessed Mother in the Original Shrine. From Chile they traveled to Valencia, Spain, to participate in the V World Encounter of Families with Pope Benedict XVI. They related that they just finished participating in the Theological Pastoral Congress. From here they will continue their pilgrimage to Rome, and then to the Shrine of Montahue in Concepción, Chile, where they live. They shared their experiences in Chile and of their pilgrimage through Europe with several volunteers of the house where they are staying.

A quick visit

Each year several groups from Brazil arrive to Schoenstatt, they form part of a pilgrimage that is made twice a year. This pilgrimage is organized by Father Sales and Mrs. Lucinha, and it includes a visit to the Blessed Mother, among other Marian shrines of Europe. This time 43 people arrived, all of them had a very special attachment to the Blessed Mother in some way; some of the pilgrims were even wearing t-shirts with a stamped picture of the Blessed Mother. For the most part, each one received a visit from the Pilgrim MTA, and others are missionaries. Although their stay at Schoenstatt was very quick, it was very intense. During their free time they participated in one of the morning Masses in the Original Shrine, and as a group they asked to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Adoration Church, the Sisters of Mary from Brazil and from Portugal also attended. They also went to the Father Joseph Kentenich House to see the biography of the Founding Father, and of course they posed close to father with the flag from Brazil in their hands.

The people from the Parish of Our Lady enjoyed their visit to Schoenstatt as they always do.

A surprise for the Polish pilgrims

On July 20^th a pilgrimage through the German shrines led a group of Poles from the parish of Knigshutte and the surrounding area to Schoenstatt. The pilgrims spent the morning around the Original Shrine. In the afternoon they visited the Father Kentenich House, the Adoration Church and the tomb of the Founder.

For them it was their first encounter with Schoenstatt and with Father Kentenich. During the visit they had a small surprise: A Polish priest, Father Konrad Szweda, from their Diocese of Kattowitz, was a prisoner along with Father Kentenich in the concentration camp in Dachau.

Thirst for Schoenstatt

"There are words that speak of love, there are words that tell the story, they are the words that are said with life", this is the spirit that attracted and accompanied the coordinators of the Campaign from Spain in Schoenstatt. Like everyone, they came thirsty for the graces that Mary gives in her Shrine, to renew their spirituality and to give themselves a little push to continue working. Within this small pilgrimage there were four couples and two women, who are coordinators of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign in Asturias and Madrid. They were accompanied by two pastors, Father José Antonio Jiménez and Father Borja Hernando, who are working with the Pilgrim MTA in their parishes in Sevilla and Madrid. They came to "soak themselves" in the fountain of grace of Schoenstatt spirituality, and it was touching to share the Holy Mass that they celebrated in the Original Shrine, above all because of the respect and admiration of Mary and the Founding Father that resounded during the homily. It was very noticeable that knowing and following Father Kentenich’s footsteps had made them grow in the love and the commitment with the Movement. Sister Rocio, who is in charge of the Campaign in Spain, accompanied and guided the group during the 5 days in Schoenstatt, and she gave a personal touch to each moment of pilgrimage with her guitar and her incredible sense of humor. These days close to the Blessed Mother and to Father were so meaningful for the group that it was impossible not to sense an enormous gratitude to the Blessed Mother, "thank you Mother for your love and for entrusting us with the mission from the Shrine for the Church".

Fruit of the heat

Every year a group of retirees arrive to Schoenstatt from the Diocese of Munster to learn more about it and also to enjoy a brief vacation with excursions to other places. The group stayed in Schoenstatt from Monday, July 17^th until Friday, July 21^st. The last day they explored the valley and in the afternoon, they went to Mount Schoenstatt, with a very high temperature. Because of the intense heat, some of the visitors did not stay to see the film "God’s action in our world" in the Father Kentenich House. The majority of them also skipped the guided tour through the house and the Adoration Church.

A Polish course of Family Federation sealed their perpetual consecration in Schoenstatt

On July 18, 2006, the third course of the Family Federation from Poland sealed their perpetual consecration in the Original Shrine. Nine of the eleven families of the "Petra caritatis" course traveled on Sunday in a large bus to the Joseph Kentenich Farm where they were welcomed by the families of the 15^th German course. There has been a close relationship between both courses since 1997, that grew through the regular visits that families exchanged during the journeys, as well as through correspondence and personal contact.

The German-Polish attachment is made concrete by the bonds between the Shrine of Koszalin, in Gora Chelmsk and Schoenstatt. The Journey began in Schoenstatt with the perpetual consecration of those who live here and then the closing was in Poland. The Shrine on Mount Chelmska was consecrated by Pope John Paul II, and also with the express petition for a blessing for the German-Polish relationship. The course made intensely good use of the time there to follow in the footsteps of the Father. Both courses reciprocally exchanged gifts with songs and prayers, during the time of sharing and during the encounters.

International Holy Mass of the youth

As on all Fridays, the Schoenstatt youth gathered on July 21^st at 7:30 p.m. in the Original Shrine to pray together and to prepare themselves for the Holy Mass that was celebrated in the very beautiful Marienau garden.

Many youth were present, among them, some had recently arrived from Portugal and the Czech Republic, as well as others from Poland, Mexico, United States, India, Germany, Italy and several other countries. Father Lothar Herter celebrated the Holy Mass in English, Spanish, and German.

The songs were very animated, sung by the different groups in their native language, with a great participation of the others.

The organization of the International Mass on Fridays is presently in a phase of improvement. The youth were a little disappointed for not being able to celebrate the Holy Mass in the Original Shrine since the shrine is closed at 8:00 p.m. For this reason they prepared a poster, that Father Rummel helped them place close to the Original Shrine, announcing to those who arrived a little late to go to Marienau. In fact, at the beginning it had been planned to have the Holy Mass in the Shrine of Marienau, but it was already reserved for another celebration. Finally, the youth were offered the garden of Marienau, especially the place that is close to the "fountain of life". The place turned out to be perfect. The youth sat in a semicircle in front of a very simple but very beautiful altar, under the apple trees, that was improvised in just a few minutes.

The Gospel narrated the episode in which the disciples of Jesus, feeling hungry, gathered some sprigs of wheat on a Saturday, and they are reprimanded by the Pharisees for breaking the day of rest. The Lord responded in a very clear manner: "I do not want sacrifices rather mercy" In his homily Father Lothar invited the youth to allow themselves to be taken in more by the first commandment that Jesus left us...that of love – than from rigid rules that many times curbs the law of love.

Amy Peebles, from Austin, Texas, placed a statue of the Father Symbol carved from wood close to the altar, that she especially brought to Schoenstatt at the request of the Family from Mendoza (Argentina) who had donated it 25 years ago to be placed on the door of the Original Shrine and which had been lost.

After the celebration, the youth gathered in the House of Schoenstatt Summer where they shared some delicious watermelons and ice cream, and especially, they had time to get to know each better and to exchange experiences of the Schoenstatt youth in the different countries.

The Holy Mass is also celebrated in summer

In spite of the summer pause in Schoenstatt the Holy Mass is celebrated regularly. In the red "Services" of schoenstatt.de there is a schedule of all the Masses that are celebrated weekly in Schoenstatt. During the summer, it is possible to participate in the Eucharist from Monday to Sunday. Every afternoon there is an international evening Mass for the youth. And every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. the Sunday Eucharist is celebrated in the Shrine of House Marienau.

With contributions from: Juliana Garmendia, Francesca Signorini, Beate Seidl, Stefanie Frank, and www.familienbund.de

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA