Full of light!

The Shrine of Meppen will celebrate ist Golden Anniversary on September 10^th

GERMANY, mkf. On September 10^th, Pope Benedict XVI will celebrate a solemn Holy Mass in Munich (and there are still some 400 entrance tickets available at the Schoenstatt Center of Munich for the area closest to the Holy Father. There are city elections in Lower Saxony. In Belmonte, in Rome, there will be a large encounter of the Italian Schoenstatt Family, in which one hundred missionaries of the Pilgrim MTA will seal their Covenant of Love on the anniversary of the Founding of the Campaign. The Schoenstatt Center in Aulendorf will have day of open house with a great celebration in the Shrine of Memholz. And there is still something more on this September 10, 2006: the Shrine of Meppen "full of light" will celebrate its Golden Anniversary. The local Bishop, Monsignor Franz Josef Bode will celebrate the Holy Mass with the Schoenstatt Family of the Diocese of Osnabrueck and their friends.

Who hasn’t seen a cloudy and rainy day? Suddenly the sun appears: and the dark atmosphere is filled with light. This could be the image of what the sun of love does when it illuminates the darkness of the heart. For fifty years many people have had this experience in relation to the Schoenstatt Shrine in Meppen. Since Mary, is completely full of the light of Christ, She gives men hope and confidence, the joy of faith and of strength to be a light for others. This light shines in our world and in our episcopate. This is the basis of the celebration. The invitation for the Golden Anniversary which will be celebrated on September 10th was sent some time ago expressing these words. Darkness is brightened where there is light. If something is very full it overflows. The Schoenstatt Movement does not want to keep the charisma it received only to itself. With Mary, all of them strive to strengthen Christian life in the diocese.

The name and the ideal of the Shrine is "Lumen Patris", Light of the Father. The program: they want to work within the world like men full of light, full of the light of God, so as not to leave the world like and where it is, rather, they want to collaborate so the great biblical promise will be accomplished: the people who lived in darkness saw a bright light, the light shone for those who were in darkness. With this aim: the Golden Anniversary of the Shrine of Meppen coincides with this September that is full of symbolism. Pope Benedict is coming to Germany to announce the light of God. And he says: he who believes is never alone. Take the light to the homes and to the families: that is what Joao Pozzzobon did since September 10, 1950 when be began to carry the Pilgrim MTA…and like he more than 100,000 people are doing it in all the world.

A glance at history

The history of Schoenstatt in the Diocese of Osnabruck began soon after the time of founding. Some students of theology had contacts with Schoenstatt since 1922.

The first group was formed in 1925 in the Parish of the Heart of Jesus, in Osnabruck. Trips to Schoenstatt were made at the beginning of the ‘30’s. The first group of Boys’ Youth was formed in Meppen in 1938. After the Second World War there were several Schoenstatt groups in the Diocese of Osnaruck. Wayside shrines in honor of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt were erected in Osnabruck, Osterkappeln, Georgsmarienhutte and Meppen. In 1954, a universal Marian Year, a pilgrimage from Meppen arrived to Schoenstatt. While she was there, Maria Bruggeman received the inspiration to build a Schoenstatt Shrine on her land. The Schoenstatt Shrine was built with the support of the Schoenstatt youth from Meppen and Osnabruck of that time. On August 11, 1954, Father Freker blessed the cornerstone and the building site. He expressed the desire that through this shrine, the city of Meppen and its parishes would receive abundant blessings. On July 29, 1956 the Shrine was blessed by Father Grothaus, Vicar of the Parish of Saint Vito from Meppen, representing Father Frerker. The different Schoenstatt groups were in charge of the interior decoration of the Shrine. In 1985 a house was built contiguous to the Shrine with halls for formation and 1989 the name of the Shrine was discovered: "Lumen Patris", light of the Father.

Program for the celebration

The program will begin at 2:00 p.m. in the Church of Our Lady of Peace. The Holy Mass will be presided by Monsignor Bode at 2:30 p.m. Afterwards there will be pilgrimage from the church to the Shrine where the Golden Anniversary will be celebrated by looking at the Family album concluding with a fraternal gathering with coffee and cake. Almost 700 people have already said they will participate!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA