An Emotional Farewell

Father Ivanhoe goes to Nigeria after eight years at the service of the Schoenstatt Movement in Australia

Bendición en el Santuario Benediction in the Shrine Segensandacht im Heiligtum
Vinculos que nunca se rompen: En Cristo Jesus nos ata un estrecho vinculo... Bind us together in Jesus Christ... In Jesus Christus bleibt man immer verbunden
La familia reunida en el Santuario The Schoenstatt family united at the Shrine Die Schönstattfamilie am Heiligtum
P. Ivanhoe Allies: agradecimiento Fr. Ivanhoe Allies: thanksgiving P. Ivanhoe Allies: Dank
Tantos recuerdos… So many memories… So viele gemeinsame Erlebnisse... Fotos: Aravena ©2006

AUSTRALIA, Father Marcelo Aravena. On Sunday, July 30^th, the Schoenstatt family of New South Wales in Australia gave Father Ivanhoe Allies (Schoenstatt Father) an emotional farewell after his eight years of priestly service to the movement.

A great number of people gathered to bid Father Ivanhoe "farewell" at the Shrine of Mount Schoenstatt in Mulgoa. After a solemn prayer and a Eucharistic blessing those who attended gathered to pay Father Ivanhoe a well deserved tribute. Speeches, gifts coffee and different culinary treats provided a warm and emotional feeling within the framework of the farewell party. Undoubtedly, there was certainly an affective cost, since eight years do not pass in vain.

He has been a priest and a friend to us

The prayer directed to our Blessed Mother in gratitude for Father Ivanhoes’s service concluded with the following words:

"Dear Blessed Mother and Queen today we give thanks for the love and service of Father Ivanhoe, who is a loyal son of our Father and Founder. He has been priest and friend for us, advisor and spiritual educator. He has been understanding and compassionate, a calming presence among us, wise and adaptable, showing us ways to be open for the many cultures and nationalities in our country. For example he has been living in Covenant union with you, we give you thanks and we now wish to renew our covenant with and for him…"

"My love for the Schoenstatt Movement has grown enormously"

In a conversation afterwards with Father Ivanhoe, he acknowledged that during the eight years of pastoral service for the Schoenstatt Movement in Toowoomba, Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Perth his love for the Schoenstatt Movement has grown enormously. In serving the local Movement, Father Ivanhoe had to cover thousands of kilometers every year. In every place he was awaited with a heavy and tight pastoral schedule; Eucharistic celebrations, the Sacrament of Reconciliation, conferences, journeys, retreats, many meetings with different groups and spiritual accompaniment were his most important activities.

His next priestly service will be in Nigeria

Next October he will become the Rector of the Seminary of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers in Ibadan, Nigeria. Undoubtedly this new destination will be a new and great challenge for Father Ivanhoe. His years of experience in Australia will serve him well in his new task. For our information Father Ivanhoe Allies (51) is from South Africa, he completed his priestly formation in Germany and he is a Doctor in Dogmatic Theology. Father Ivanhoe’s successor in Australia, Father Marcelo Aravena, previous Rector of the Central House in Sion, (Vaterhaus) of the Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers, will fulfill similar tasks for the next two years.

Translation: Celina M. Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA