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 published: 2007-01-26

Those who visit Milwaukee do not return home unchanged.

Second round of Pilgrim retreats in Milwaukee – a very fruitful experience

 

Una oferta especial: Retiro-Peregrinación en Milwaukee

A special invitation: Pilgrim Retreat in Milwaukee

Eine besondere Einladung: Pilger-Exerzitien in Milwaukee

Foto: Knoch © 2007

 

Mons. Heinz Dresbach con el Padre Kentenich

Fr. Heinz Dresbach with Fr. Kentenich

Rektor Dresbach mit P Kentenich

Fotos: Archiv© 2007

 
 

Testigos: el matrimonio Gmeinder

Witnesses: the Gmeinder family

Zeitzeugen: Familie Gmeinder

 
 

Santuario Hogar de los Horn

Home Shrine of the Horn family

Hausheiligtum der Familie Horn

 
 

Cuadro de la MTA en la cocina de los Horn, con firma del Padre Kentenich

MTA picture in the kitchen of the Horn’s, with signature of Fr. Kentenich

Mta-Bild in der Küche von Frau Horn,  von P. Kentenich signiert

 
 

Folleto

Brochure

Einladung

Fotos: Wieland © 2007

 

 

 

GERMANY Dr. Rainer Birkenmaier. Schoenstatt, Dachau, Rome, Gymnich, Milwaukee, Bellavista, Nuevo Schoenstatt, Nueva Helvecia, Santa María... places and schools of the spirit of Schoenstatt following in the footsteps of Fr. Kentenich. All of these places have an objective importance because of all that has happened in them throughout the history of Schoenstatt, but they also hold a subjective importance because of the life that they generate in all those people that visit them in a spirit of faith, for the sacramental importance that they hold. Milwaukee: Is it not purely the fascination of the distance of the land of exile from all the other countries? Many who have visited Milwaukee have experienced something more: Those who visit Milwaukee do not return home unchanged.

At the same time, one needs to find new concepts, new models in order to hold visits to places of pilgrimage. Such a vital process cannot be found at the entrance to a shopping mall or in the paraphenalia of tourism or photography, nor through a marathon-like anxiety to visit as many places as possible. This is not so much a visit as an encounter. These two intentions will come together in the retreats for pilgrims to be held for the second time in April. Who knows...this may become an experiential model for pilgrimages to Schoenstatt, Dachau, Rome...

The effects of a sleepless night

Sometimes a sleepless night can have good consequences. One night, Mons. Heinz Dresbach, who had spent time with Fr. Kentenich in the concentration camp at Dachau, woke up with a start and he was perturbed by the thought: "And if Fr. Kentenich should die: have we done everything possible to make contact with him?"

It was 1960; Fr. Kentenich was living in Milwaukee in total exile from his Family. The priests felt that any contact with him was impossible. It seemed to Fr. Dresbach that his nightmare was a providential sign; with little thought, he booked a seat on the next flight and left for Milwaukee for a period of three weeks. Nobody knew about this except his sister.

During his first meeting with Fr. Kentenich, who found himself in under eclesial restricions, the latter made sure to ask: "Are we allowed to speak personally?" This showed how seriously Fr. Kentenich took the question of obediance to the Church. Fr. Dresbach answered in accordance with his conscience, but also la frescura de un buen renano: "Since you have been my spiritual director since the time of Dachau, I can ask for your advice on all kinds of questions." This answer opened the doors to a very personal encounter that brought many blessings, especially upon the young priests with whom Mons. Dresbach had a great deal of contact. Fr. Dresbach’s visit to Milwaukee made him a human bridge with Fr. Kentenich.

What if...?

Perhaps today, someone could also wake up in the middle of the night disturbed by the thought: "If the last of the witnesses that knew Fr. Kentenich were to die right now, would we have done everything possible to the treasure of this special time in the life of our founder alive? Would we have made the most of time to know Fr. Kentenich in Milwaukee through those experienced him in a special way?

The time that Fr. Kentenich lived in Milwaukee was marked by very strict conditions. He kept frequent and deep contact with a reasonable number of normal people, who through these encounters opened their hearts and experienced a deep transformation and received new impulses. Some of these people are still alive and they open their homes and hearts to all those who want to know him. We hope that they all live a hundred years. But we should pray for their health and that they may live a long time and thereby vividly transmit the testimonies of their experiences with Fr. Kentenich.

The big surprise

For many of the pilgrims to Milwaukee, their arrival is a big surprise. They know and love Fr. Kentenich and look to him as father and founder, prophet and master. Many see him as a helper and intercessor...and upon arriving in Milwaukee, everything seems so normal and simple, but at the same time so "admirable" and pleasant: one experiences Fr. Kentenich as a father in a completely new way. The fruit of exile – as Fr. Kentenich himself interpreted it. El fruto del exilio es –según él mismo lo interpretó – is "a new image of the Father, the son and the community." There aren’t any lofty ideal in Milwaukee, but rather, words filled with life experiences. This life can be transformed into a personal experience if we open ourselves to this when we come to Milwaukee: "Fr. Kentenich is (my) father". The silent meeting that takes place between the pilgrim and Fr. Kentenich, through his statue remains a secret between father and son. This life-filled statue can be found right next to the shrine and the international centre in Waukesha, where the pilgrims are accomodated and welcomed by the customary hospitality of the Sisters of Mary.

This was our father

For example, the Horn family, of hungo-germanic orgins, who lived in Milwaukee, settling there after the War, got to know and love Fr. Kentenich. To them, he was simply "father". They didn’t know that they were in the presence of the founder of large religious family or that he was in exile. Their relationship with him became deeper and deeper; and they brought all their worries and joys to him and began to be a part of his life. In one of his visits to the Horn household, Fr. Kentenich blessed all the rooms. He wrote a message to Mrs. Horn on an MTA picture: "To serve is to rule. Love conquers all. JK." When asked in surprise why he had written this, not on the back of the picture, as was customary, but on the front, he answered that a family mother, with all the work that she has, does not have time to turn the picture over each time she wants to see the message. This was our father.

An experiment

An experiment was conducted two years ago with the strange title: "Exercises for pilgrmis to Milwaukee." These will be repeated this year. These days of "exercise" are, on the one hand, a religious pilgrimage, visiting the most important places where Fr. Kentenich lived and worked. We also meet with those people who experienced father in person. (There are "touristic" elements to the pilgrimage, visiting the cities of Milwaukee, Madison and its surroundings, as well as the opportunity to go to Chicago for the day). On the other hand, these days consist of proper spiritual exercises, with time for silence and reflection that enable the soul to meet itself, by finding the interior processes that touch each pilgrim personally, and in this way drawing closer to the father, not only with their understanding and will, but also to experience in the depths of their hearts in the same way as many experienced him: as one who knows the heart of people, one who is able to inspire life. A meeting with him transforms, cures, gives birth to new energy and grows. In this way, a pilgrimage has particular depth, as one pilgrim in Milwaukee expressed it: "He who comes to Milwaukee, returns transformed."

Thirst for Fr. Kentenich

Many members of the Schoenstatt Family talk about a hunger for Fr. Kentenich. This initially catches our attention because we read and hear so much about him. But if we examine this carefully, it is not so suprising that this happens, because in reality, many people had the opportunity to know Fr. Kentenich for only a short time (1965-1968); many more came to know Schoenstatt after he had already died. It seems that the soul seeks a much deeper encounter with someone that we hear and read so much about, a personal encounter where we can experience in person the entire message that he left us. We are physical beings who need to see and to touch...in Milwaukee we can do this, we can in some way "touch" father in the places and people that were a part of his life during this time and thus, satisfy our thirst for Fr. Kentenich.

Could it be that in the future part of the education of new members to the Schoenstatt communities include a time of retreat in Milwaukee? Perhaps this is only a dream

Descovering a place of grace

Milwaukee is a place of grace because it is there that we meet Fr. Kentenich, not as an idea, but as a person. In this encounter with him and through his intercession, God has given special graces to many people. Without a doubt, Milwaukee as a place of grace is merely "sleeping". In truth, very few people go there on pilgrimage. The distance is great and the cost is high. Could it be that the dream above the will of providence? Will Milwaukee be discovered by many as a place of grace? Father will show us.

This year, in April, the "Retreat for pilgrims to Milwaukee" will take place again under the theme: "VICTORIA PATRIS (Father’s Victory) – The growth and transformation of our vocation in an encounter with Fr. Kentenich". The retreat will be conducted by Mons. Dr. Rainer Birkenmaier from St. Peter’s parish in the Black Forest region and in part by Sr. Carol Winkler from Waukesha/Milwaukee. There are still some spaces available.

Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, Johannesburg, South Africa

 

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