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Misa conmemorativa en la Iglesia de la Adoración:
Procesión de entrada de los sacerdotes
Commemorative Mass in the Adoration Church: Entrance
procession of the priests
Heilige Messe in der Anbetungskirche zur Todesstunde:
Einzug der Priester |
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Durante la Misa: P. Joachim Schmiedl, P. Angel Strada,
Mons. Hermann Zimmerer (de izq.)
During Mass: Fr. Joachim Schmiedl, Fr. Angel Strada,
Mons. Hermann Zimmerer (from left.)
Bei der Messe: P. Joachim Schmiedl, P. Angel Strada,
Mons. Hermann Zimmerer (von links)
Fotos: Bagnières © 2006 |
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La carpeta de claveles y azucenas, „simbolo“ del 15
de septiembre
The carpet of lilies and carnations, “symbol” of September
15
Der Teppich aus Lilien und weißen Nelken, eine Art Symbol
des 15. September |
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Peregrinos de Argentina
Pilgrims from Argentina
Pilger aus Argentinien |
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Sacerdotes en la tumba del Padre
Priests at the tomb of Father Kentenich
Priester am Grab von Pater Kentenich
Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006
Album
de fotos – photo album - Fotoalbum
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SCHOENSTATT, MKF. At this place and at the same time, the Founding
Father died 38 years ago. It is 7:07 a.m. on this September 15, 2006.
A long line of priests enters the Adoration Church, through the central
nave that Father Kentenich also walked on that morning, going toward the
same altar on which he celebrated his first Mass in this church, and his
last Mass on earth. In the adjoining room, that was formerly the sacristy,
the place were Father fell and died is marked, as every year, with a carpet
of white carnations and lilies. This Mass at dawn has a special magic,
since it attracts and convokes people from the entire world – like the
50 pilgrims from Argentina, who arrived the night before and who are still
victims of the time difference, a couple from Spain with their children,
a couple from Paraguay, who arrived only to participate in this Mass;
They are present along with the hundreds of Schoenstatters from this place
and the surrounding areas at this place and at this time of Father Kentenich’s
return to the House of the Father, his Father, that is at the same time
a return to his family to be present and make himself close, to everyone
and for always.
"The Pope in his homeland", read the News Agencias, the ACI press, in
its special section about the visit of Benedict XVI to Bavaria, to Germany.
Throughout almost all week the Holy Father and his visit to his homeland
occupied a central place in the hearts and the conversations of the people
and in the German media and afar. For Father Kentenich, his restlessness
was always to hear the voice of God through the voices of the times, it
was surely an immense joy that this event, the visit of the Pope and its
resonance, would be taken up in this commemorative Mass, where the relationship
that exists between the fundamental expression of his message and our
life, and also with the inheritance of our Father was meditated, Father
Joachim Schmiedl expressed in his homily that was printed and distributed
in Spanish and in English as a part of this "organism of attachments that
works" that we all need, and once again the visit of the Holy Father was
stressed.
The Church only exists where the life of faith is communicated and shared
In his homily Father Joachim Schmiedl intertwined and shared key passages
of the homilies and discourses of the Holy Father "from Munich to Regensburg,
that is to say since his arrival on September until the large liturgies
and discourses of the September 12th, tying them with the central
themes of Father Kentenich. To place God in the center, that is what it
is about, and for that reason we also try to learn anew how to make this
concrete. To place God in the center, says the Holy Father –and that is
what Father Kentenich also stressed – it has nothing to do with memorizing
and reciting the Creed. It is about belief, with this process in which
one is important to God, one commits himself with God, he trusts in God
in everyday life, experiencing him close, real, present, in one’s own
heart, in others, in things, in events. "It was clearly seen in the last
great events such the World Youth Day and the papal visit to his homeland:
The Church only exists where the life of faith is communicated and shared",
said Father Schmiedl. Schoenstatt only exists where life in the Covenant
of Love is communicated and shared. For this reason and only for this
Father Kentenich since the beginnings of the founding of Schoenstatt inspired
and even urged the first sodalists to communicate and to share their experiences
with Schoenstatt with others, as a mutual inspiration, to share their
experiences with the Blessed Mother in the Shrine at Schoenstatt and on
the battle fields of the First World War. "Benedict XVI made the people
participate in his own experience of faith, like no other Pope until now
– not even John Paul II –", said Father Schmiedl. Is this the secret of
the immense force of attraction that he has?
It was a visit to his roots, the homeland, Father Schmiedl continued
to say. The homeland is a symbol of this organism of natural and supernatural
attachments that the present day men of constant movement need so much.
"God, faith, homeland: for the Pope, these essential points of his homilies
and discourses during his trip to Bavaria are tied to the person of Mary".
What he said about Mary, Father Schmiedl commented, have been the symbolic
culminating points of this trip. "We could ask that we grow more deeply
in the thinking and the attitude of faith of the Pope, in an attitude
open to God and dependent on him, that we also hope will be included in
the constitution of Europe, with an attitude that lives from a personal
and communitarian experience of faith, an attitude that sees in the organism
of attachments an opportunity for an encounter with God, a Marian attitude,
with an attitude of openness that is full of respect for the will of God
and of the willingness to accompany Jesus in his apostolic ways. With
our Father and Founder, we are on the best road".
Your power is service
Instead of the prayer of the faithful, the personal prayer of the Holy
Father in front of the Column of Mary in Munich was prayed: . At
Cana, you silently and discreetly interceded for the spouses, and so you
continue to do. You take upon yourself people's needs and concerns, and
you bring them before the Lord, before your Son. Your power is goodness. Your
power is service. . In your arms you hold Jesus, the Child who blesses,
the Child who is also the Lord of the world. By holding the Child who
blesses, you have yourself become a blessing. Bless us, this city and
this country!
Then everyone renewed their Covenant of Love attaching themselves will
all the people throughout the entire world who celebrated this day united
to the Father and the Schoenstatt Family.
After the Mass, everyone immediately went to the tomb of the Father.
First, the priests, in procession, who remained there for a short while,
in prayer. Some of them placed their hands on the tomb, giving Father
Kentenich the people who have been personally entrusted to them. There
were Schoenstatt Fathers and Diocesan Priests from Germany, Switzerland,
Argentina, and Chile. Some older ladies and many Sisters of Mary were
the first ones to come close to the Father’s tomb, after the priests.
Then the pilgrims from Argentina came running, for almost all of them
it is their first visit to Schoenstatt, the place that they have heard
about so much…They are the "Friends of Father Kentenich" who are participating
in a pilgrimage organized by the Secretariat of Father Kentenich in Argentina,
among which there are also some missionaries of the Rosary Campaign, Mothers,
Girls’ Youth...from all the country. "Now it is your turn...they take
turns so that each one could be closer to the place where Father Kentenich
died; they place letters, medals, rosaries, photos of people who in this
way are visibly attached with this place, with Father Kentenich, and through
him with heaven, that is open on this day and in this place, from where
the Founding Father continues to teach his family to place God in the
center.
Translation: Celina Garza, USA
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