You should grow in amplitude! There is a world to conquer!

A true Cenacle: The encounter of the Mothers’ Federation of Mothers from Chile and Germany in Schoenstatt

Madres de Alemania dan la bienvenida a sus hermanas chilenas Mothers from Germany welcoming their sisters from Chile Mütter aus Deutschland heißen ihre chilenischen Schwestern willkommen
El Padre Rudolf Mosbach después de su conferencia fue rodeado por señoras chilenas After his talk, Fr. Rudolf Mosbach was surrounded by excited mothers from Chile Nach seinem Vortrag war Pater Rudolf Mosbach von begeisterten chilenischen Müttern „belagert“
Presentación de ideales de curso: un arco iris para el Santuario Presentation of course ideals: a rainbow for the Shrine Vorstellung von Kursidealen: ein Regenbogen für das Heiligtum
Rosas de agradecimiento y compromiso Roses of gratitude and commitment Rosen des Dankes und der Bereitschaft
Despedida emotiva en la tumba del Padre Emotional farewell at the tomb of Father Kentenich Bewegender Abschied am Grab von Pater Kentenich Fotos: POS Fischer © 2006 Albúm de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. At the end of the encounter tears were shed…The farewell came extremely quickly or said another way: the bonds had become extremely close during these few but intense hours which made the farewell come too soon. The encounter of the 29 mothers of the Federation from Chile – representing almost all the courses from the newest ones to the oldest ones – with the mothers of the Federation in Germany was marked by cordiality, fraternal spirit and the feeling of having a common mission and vocation. This encounter – a continuation of the first great international encounter which took place in Chile in 1999 –took place in the context of the Mothers Federation from Chile being on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt to celebrate the 25^th Anniversary of their founding.

"We are grateful to you from the depths of our hearts", said the spokeswoman of the mothers from Chile. "What we have experienced here has surpassed all our expectations: from the greeting at the airport, to the cards of welcome in each room, and now, this day of encounter…is simply wonderful". While the worldwide conference for peace in Assisi spoke of "Globalization with a human face", in the meeting room of House Marienland almost 80 people contemplated this face: the face of the MTA, and after mutually looking at each other in the eyes they discovered there this "human face of globalization".

Welcome home!

The morning of September 5^th the German mothers were at the entrance of House Marienland with a large poster. The choir was already "positioned", while they all looked toward the horizon: Are they coming? Yes, here they are! The first mothers from Chile left the autos with a little bit of timidity along with the hostesses who had gone to get them. They looked around; they warmly waved their hands in a greeting, and then -with the first chords of the welcome song offered by the German mothers – like an act of magic all timidity disappeared, and it was like a reunion of siblings of a large family that lived in different places.

But it is more than a beautiful experience of mutually getting to know each other: It is about together contemplating the history of the Federation of Mothers in both countries to discover a common history.

The mothers felt the desire to jointly express gratitude that Father Kentenich had opened the doors of the Federation of Schoenstatt to the Mothers, being this also the call to carry the Work into the future and live a profound and sincere co-responsibility. "You must grow in amplitude", affirmed Father Kentenich in the founding of the Federation of Mothers. "There is a world to conquer!"

The consciousness to only together be able to accomplish the universal mission of the Federation Mothers is the moving force and at the same time the aim of this encounter.

Sister Luciane Machens – the Leader chosen by the Federation of Mothers in Germany -conquered the hearts of the Chilean mothers with a brief greeting in Spanish and even more when she lighted a candle that had been lit in the Shrine of Bellavista, Chile on 31^st of May 1999 during the Golden Jubilee.

If the Federation is established here, it should also be established in other countries

Father Rudolf Mosbach, who as spiritual assistant accompanied the Federation of Mothers for years, spoke to them about the history of this community. His conference, enthusiastically and lively presented in Spanish, caught the interest of everyone (even the German mothers that did not understand a single word!). It was a first hand report of history, authentic, captivating and current. Father Kentenich’s desire for the Federation of Mothers was made very clear. The ideals emerge from life and from experiences. A trip to Rome, the attack of Michaelangelo’s Pieta, the picture of the MTA, "Transparency of the MTA"…Pilar Sáenz picks up the subject and speaks about the constitution of the Federation of Mothers in Chile in the year of 1981 and of the previous consecration of some mothers, ten years before, who offered their life for the existence of the Federation of Mothers in Chile.

These mothers attached themselves with the German Federation, uniting themselves to a German course in their consecration. It is from this that the German Federation of Mothers has contributed – perhaps without concretely knowing it – to the existence of the Federation in Chile. "We would like to know if today there is someone present who was in that course of 1971". Some minutes elapsed that seemed an eternity…One mother arose three, four more...and then the Germans and Chileans, very movingly, melted into a strong embrace. At the beginning they had had some contact with each other, but because of the language barrier and difficulties with mail the contact faded out some time in the course of these 35 years. Now, without knowing their respective languages, they mutually understand each other. It is a small Pentecost. "If the Federation is established here, it should also be established in other countries" – are the words of Father Kentenich pronounced during the spiritual exercises of the founding that today have come life. The morning full of content ended with the presentation of gifts from the Chilean mothers, which were affectionately made and beautifully wrapped.

A phrase, a symbol, an ideal: "this is something between us…"

"You would have had to see the video about the course ideals in Germany! It was something beautiful, wonderfully beautiful!. Two young Chilean mothers were standing in front of the table with cakes. The lunch break had already passed which was not really a break: there were informative panels about the German regions, a short video about the course ideals – all translated into Spanish – a visit to the Shrine, exchanges with and without translation, signs of affection in the symbols, photos...a joy that grew in the others.

At 3:00 p.m. it was the turn for the Chilean mothers. At the present time there are thirteen courses in Chile, the newest one still does not have a name. There are representatives from all of the courses, with the exception of the next to the last one. After a short time it was not even noticed that everything had to be translated: life is transmitted "live"!

The presentations were original, and , one way or another always matching in style with the respective course ideal.

The course with the ideal of the Rainbow, joyful and touching at the same time, placed a wreath with the colors of the rainbow in front of the Shrine, which was built on the stage; a young course shines almost more than their glass lamp, a symbol of sending forth; others had brought replicas of their symbols for everyone, and murmuring could be heard among the rows: this is like ours, we also have this…phrases, symbols, ideals, the contents meet. No one is present from the 12^th course, "but we must tell about the great gift of this course who has discovered its ideal a month ago". This young course, whose members come mostly from the Girls’ Youth, has assumed in their ideal the contents and even the wording of the ideal of the first course: a gift for the 25^th Anniversary of the Federation from Chile. And at the same this lively, dynamic and joyful course, sees itself as "the first course of the next 25 years".

It also gives its all: The husband of one these young mothers suffers from an incurable illness. The course prays asking for a miracle to be worked through the intercession of Father Kentenich. It prays so that through this miracle Father Kentenich will be beatified by the Federation of Mothers from Chile. And they have the strong desire that this miracle will be realized on September 15^th if everyone unites in prayer with them, everyone…

The youngest course was also presented. "This about course 12 is unsurpassable already", said the representative, and then she gave her testimony in perfect German: "we are the first course in southern Chile", she says, and she continues saying: "I wrote down all the course ideals, also the German ones, and for sure we will find the most beautiful ideal of all of them!"

Roses in the Father’s hands

What did the Archbishop from Cambrai think when he arrived at the Father Kentenich house close to 5:00 p.m? Precisely at the moment in which a group of 80 women posed for a group picture (along with some husbands, Fathers, Sisters), and in their midst, Father Kentenich with a large bouquet of red roses in his hands. Minutes before the women had formed a large circle around the statue of the Father. They all held a bilingual text book, with texts in Spanish and German that contained words that Father said in the exercises at the moment of founding; words that speak about the worldwide mission of the Federation of mothers. Gratitude strongly resounds for the founding of the Apostolic Federation in Horde, for the spiritual exercises during the time of the founding of the Federation of Mothers, for the development of ideals. Gratitude was expressed for the 18 German courses and the 13 courses in Chile, gratitude for the courses which exist in Argentina, Brazil, Portugal, Paraguay, United States (Texas), and South Africa. Gratitude was also expressed for the constitution in Germany (1970), Chile (2003) and in Argentina (2003) and for much more. For each expression of gratitude, two or three German and Chileans mothers gave Father Kentenich the gift of a rose…until his hands were seen overflowing with a unique and magnificent bouquet of roses.

We are giving ourselves with the offerings

Angélica Callegari, María Lohaus and Birgit Nikolayczik, three musicians, sisters and members of the Federation of Mothers – played with great precision and solemnity in the Adoration Church, just as they had done previously in the musical accompaniment. The choir of Federation of Mothers from the western region, with the accompaniment of Ulrich Callegari, provided the musical framework in the Holy Mass that crowned the closing of the day that was so blessed. The Mass was concelebrated by Father Theo Breitinger and Father Claudio Martinez, who accompanied the Chilean mothers during those days. "With these gifts we bring ourselves and place them on your altar, Lord" the choir sang during the offertory, summarizing everything that touched everyone at this time.

Your mission is our mission

After the blessing all of them went to the tomb of Father Kentenich so that he could send them forth again to carry out the worldwide mission of the Federation of Mothers. The Chilean mothers took small gifts offered by the German mothers from the top of the tomb: holy water and candles from the Original Shrine. As a sign of the mission each one received a photo of Father Kentenich. Then they all renewed their Covenant of Love along with the covenant with him: Father our heart in your heart…your mission is our mission. This was also the beginning of the farewell. The dinner in community which would have been highlighted with fireworks at 10:00 p.m. in front of the Shrine, had to be cancelled because the Chilean pilgrimage schedule had not been planned very strategically, and they had to return to House Sonnenau for supper and from there depart for their private hour at the tomb of Father Kentenich.

So the farewell only took place at Father’s tomb. But it did not end there...Throughout this day so many attachements had been created or deepened, tha tit was impossible only to say "see you and bye". In the end they mutually gave each other paper handkerchiefs…"Tenderly uniting us with a family bond – from heart to heart and from land to land. (Heavenwards, p.147).

Some German mothers had traveled fro several hours to be here. The experience of the encounter last year with the Federation of Mothers in Texas was decisive for the preparation for this encounter: "I could not imagine it, but what happened today was truly…the Cenacle".

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA