The history of Schoenstatt is the history of the Shrine

Pilgrimage to Schoenstatt by the "Friends of Father Kentenich from Argentina

15 de septiembre: en la tumba del Padre Kentenich September 15: at the tomb of Father Kentenich 15. September am Grab von Pater Kentenich
18 de septiembre: muestran su cariño a la Mater... September 18: they show their love for the MTA... 18. September: sie zeigen ihre Liebe zur Gottesmutter von Schönstatt...
... y al Padre Kentenich... ... and to Father Kentenich … und zu Pater Kentenich
P. Angel Strada, prédica en la Misa en el Santuario Original Fr. Angel Strada, sermon in the Mass in the Original Shrine P. Angel Strada, Predigt in der Messe im Urheiligtum
Momentos de oración en el Santuario Original Moments of prayer in the Original Shrine Ein Moment des stillen Betens im Urheiligtum Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "There are places we dream of visiting and these places are difficult to leave behind –difficult to bid farewell to. Surely many of you dreamt many times about coming to this place. The days went by and now we must say good-bye", said Father Ángel Strada in the homily of the Mass celebrated in the Original Shrine on September 19^th – a splendid autumn day after several days of rain. However, in spite of the bright sunshine, some "clouded" faces can be seen. It was a long time of dreaming of someday coming to Schoenstatt, and the days here passed too quickly.

At the introduction of holy Mass, it was said that "you would be leaving a part of your heart here", afterwards they departed to Dachau and then to Rome. "It would be better that you leave your whole heart here. Ask Blessed Mother for the grace to return, but especially ask her for the grace to take the Shrine with you", Father Ángel suggested.

On pilgrimage from afar…

This last Mass once more united the 49 pilgrims in the Original Shrine, along with Father Adolfo Losada and Sister M. Patricia, where they expressed gratitude for what they experienced since they arrived to Schoenstatt on September 14^th. They were able to participate in two very special events that took place in Schoenstatt during their stay: still tired by the trip, the Mass in commemoration of the anniversary of death of Father Kentenich, and in the Covenant Mass on the 18^th, culminating with the procession to the Original Shrine and the sealing of the Covenant of Love by four of the pilgrims.

During those days they visited the main places of Schoenstatt, they traveled to Metternich, to the tomb of Sister Emilie, and to Gymnich, Father Kentenich’s birthplace, and they did not miss the tourist attractions, a boat ride to Boppard and shopping in Cologne.

Because it was a pilgrimage organized by the Secretariat of Father Kentenich, they consciously went on pilgrimage as "friends of Father Kentenich" and by his hand. Father Ángel Strada presented a talk about the process of canonization to them, and Sunday night they met with the Sisters of Mary who work in the Secretariat of Father Kentenich in Schoenstatt.

They always returned to the Original Shrine anew, with which they had dreamed about so much. On September 16^th, during the first Mass that they celebrated here, Maria Sara Tressens, from Corrientes, the youngest member of the pilgrimage, sealed her Covenant of Love. "She emotionally sealed her Covenant in the Shrine on Saturday, September 16^th", commented her mother, Blanca, who followed her daughter’s footsteps via schoenstatt.de. "She accompanied the delegation and shared the enthusiasm spiritually and with Capital of Grace through the Press Office that spreads and irradiates the Schoenstatt news, bringing making distance closer with faith, hope and love". She also commented that in the Ñu Porá Wayside Shrine in Corrientes many people prayed for the success of the trip and for its fruits.

"Today I have had a great joy since one of the four persons who sealed the Covenant with the Blessed Mother in the Original Shrine is my friend, María Laura Torres", Claudia Echenique shares via email. "I am very happy that she was able to make her dream concrete of sealing the Covenant in Schoenstatt and I have already sent her the photos of her children and grandchildren".

"This is the place where everything began. Schoenstatt is synonymous with the Shrine. In many movements, the beginning of that movement is the beginning of an initiative, of an idea, of an event which took place. In our case, Schoenstatt begins, develops, and is summed up with the Shrine", said Father Ángel in his homily.

Like Maria Sara, each pilgrim brought they own story to Schoenstatt, to the Original Shrine, to the tomb of the Father. Is the person who is lovingly embracing Father at the tomb, in the article of September 15^th, Mirta Chemes, from Argentina? She is carrying a warm embrace from me for Father and I felt that I was in that embrace…"wrote Inés Petiti, from Goya, when she saw the photos of the pilgrimage. She accompanied this pilgrimage with all the love that she has for Father Kentenich – and it is a great love. She also sent some photos of the wayside shrine in Goya "so that it would be present in Schoenstatt, in the Original Shrine, and at Father’s tomb".

The mystery of Father Kentenich’s life

Mirtha de Guido brought a whole album of photos of the wayside shrine and of the new "little house of the Father" in Villaguay. Many of the pilgrims constantly carried their Pilgrim MTA’s in their arms, crowned with rosaries and adorned with flowers, in this way they made the Rosary Campaign present in a strong manner.

During his homily in the Mass that closed the "Schoenstatt" stage of their pilgrimage, Father Ángel united the strong affection that they feel for the Blessed Mother and for Father Kentenich, in the Shrine, that is the mystery of the story of Schoenstatt and also of Father’s life.

"One must consider: that was Father’s life. If we were to ask him: What was your secret, what was your source of strength, what gave you life? He would answer us: the Shrine. He did not sanctify himself by any means which was not through faith in the Shrine. We admire the holy life of the Father and Founder. One must think: the strength which led to holiness was the confidence and faith that Mary was present in the Shrine and that she was present in a particular way, in a special way…Thus the greatest apostolate we can have is to bring people to the Shrine, to take the Shrine to the Homeshrines, to take the Pilgrim MTA – there is the genius of Don Joao Pozzobon, the fact that he took the Shrine, he took Mary to the families and the families return to visit the Shrine to encounter Mary. May the Shrine –that is our wish and our Father Founder dreamt with that reality –become a great source of renewal for the Church, a great source of life for all Christians, for all men of good will."

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA