News, visits, journeys, returns…a little bit of everything

Encounters at the Original Shrine –February 2007

Miembros de diferentes Movimientos en Schoenstatt Members of different Movements in Schoenstatt Mitglieder verschiedener Bewegungen in Schönstatt
Un encuentro con el Padre Kentenich An encounter with Father Kentenich Eine Begegnung mit Pater Kentenich
Padre Claudio Jeria Father Claudio Jeria Pater Claudio Jeria
Afiche: Recital Poster for the concert Einladung zum lateinamerikanischen Konzert Foto: Garzón © 2007

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Although there has not been much snow in Schoenstatt this year, the calm that surrounds the Original Shrine demonstrates that we are in the middle of winter, a time without pilgrims or journeys. But the arrival of 14 youth from Chile during the first week of February has caused a strong impact!

These 14 members of the Boys’ Youth from Chile are the ones that have been in Portugal for several years, by groups of two or three, to help found the Boys’ Youth in Portugal. After they all met for the last time in Portugal, they traveled to Schoenstatt to deepen their bonds with the Movements source of origin. Two of them Rodrigo Juglar and Andrés Berg, along with Tomás Garzón, of the Boys’ Youth from Argentina, offered a recital in Sonnenau on Sunday, February 11^th – everyone was invited!(Report to follow)

Since the middle of January there have been some priests from the Institute from Argentina, along with Father Reinaldo Nann, from Germany who resides in Peru at Mount Moriah. They visited Cambrai and Dachau, following the footsteps of the Founding Father and his spiritual son, Joseph Engling. When they visited the Press Office they were informed of an initiative that has already awakened much life: In the context of the closing of the process of beatification of Father Kentenich at the diocesan level – which is expected at the end of the year- the idea is to show "facets of Father’s broad personality" just as it is experienced in his family. All of them enthusiastically assumed the task of searching for "their" image of Father, the one that is most enthusiastically awakened in their soul. Father Diario Gatti, from Rosario, had already turned in his "facet" a few days later: "It is that of the formal and informal man at the same time, he knows about protocols, but he likes timely jokes, he is firm and tender…upright like a soldier and delicate like a flower…He knows about the world of adults, but he speaks the language of children…"

Incredibly enviable numbers!

The Institute of Families, received good news that caused a great joy: after several years of waiting for a new course to form, on February 2^nd, eight German families began their novitiate. (report to follow)

The same weekend members from different movements held an encounter in Schoenstatt to prepare their contribution for the great event: "Together for Europe".

Meanwhile Sonnenau was the meeting place chosen for several children, who are preparing for their First Communion.

Father Claudio Jeria, a Schoenstatt Father from Chile, who celebrated his Silver Anniversary of Ordination on December 12^th and who works in Burundi, was in Schoenstatt participating in a journey for the Fathers. Joyfully he told about the volunteerism of Joaquin, young man from Spain in Burundi, and how greatly the pilgrimages to the Shrine have grown. The Schoenstatt Youth has numbers that would seem like only a dream for many people in other countries: 11,000 members in the Boys’ Youth, 7,000 in the Girls’ Youth – and this in a country that is smaller than Switzerland.

Father Ángel Strada, Monsignor Peter Wolf and Dr. Inge Birk returned from Rome, where they participated in the congress for Secular Institutes along with Sister Thomasine and Dr. Hans Czarkowski. Father Ángel told about the beautiful encounter that they had with Jesús Colina and Miriam Diez, from Zenit, the news agency. The fruit of this encounter has already awakened much joy in Schoenstatt: it is the interview that Zenit conducted with Father Ángel Strada that has been available in Italian and English since February 8^th, meanwhile the German version in being prepared.

Some come, others leave; suitcases cross paths like the hellos and good-byes full of their respective smiles or tears, at the same rhythm that news and conversation is exchanged: it is the two faces of the same coin…Do you know the land imbued with joy because the sun never sets there?...This wonderland is known to me—It is my home, my Schoenstatt Land!" (Heavenwards, pp.160-61).

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA / Christi Jentz, Milwaukee, USA