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Seminario para novios, Pascua 2007, Monte Moriah Marriage preparation course, Easter 2007, Mount Moriah Ehevorbereitungsseminar Ostern 2007, Berg Moriah |
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Fuego Pascual Easter Fire Osterfeuer |
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El Padre Felicien admirando a una vela recién decorada Father Felicien admiring a handmade wedding candle Pater Felicien bestaunt eine soeben fertiggestellte Hochzeitskerze |
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Motivación musical Musical introduction Musikalische Einstimmung |
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Vigilia Pascual Easter Vigil Osternachtfeier |
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Bendición de los novios Blessing of the young people Segnung der Paare Fotos: Denkinger © 2007 |
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SCHOENSTATT, Ramona Wilden. During Holy Week and Easter, April 5th -9th, 2007, sixteen, young, engaged couples participated in a marriage preparation seminar in Schoenstatt. The variety of conferences were prepared by a competent team composed of Father Bernhard Schneider, Sister M. Louise Schulz, a couple, Sonia and Bernhard Denkinger, and Wilma and Joachim Lerchen, the guest speakers, offered suggestions for achieving a successful marriage, based on Christian principles.
At the conclusion of each subject, the couple dialogued intensively between themselves about the teachings they had received. This part of the seminar was a very enriching experience for many of the couples, according to the testimonies that were gathered at the end of the seminar: "The intensive exchange was very good for us". "We want to do this again in the future: we want to go for a weekend, to escape the routine in order to talk to each other and to be completely available for one another".
Practical and concrete
- Man and woman: a marriage team
- To understand each other: talk or converse as a couple
- Our life in common, with God
- The Sacrament of Matrimony: sign of God’s love
- Sexuality: we give ourselves completely to one another
- "Love, yes, of course". Natural family planning
- Conflicts: an opportunity to grow
- We develop our own life style
- We prepare our wedding.
This list of subjects demonstrates how the conferences informed the couples in a variety of ways as to what is practical and vital in a marriage.
The couples stayed in the Retreat House of the Schoenstatt Diocesan Priests on Mount Moriah, this gave them a warm atmosphere of a home as well as providing a peaceful place in the midst of the natural flourishing of spring. It was an ideal framework in which to dedicate themselves completely to the seminar.
The engaged couples could also develop their creative sides, in the music they shared, as well as in the preparation for the Holy Mass, with the decoration of the Easter candle and preparing their own candle for their wedding.
Within the framework of the liturgies of Holy Week and Easter
The seminar developed within the liturgical context of Holy Week and Easter, this gave it a very special touch. On Holy Thursday, after the Holy Mass, they had the opportunity to consciously pray for their fiancée during the Eucharistic Adoration.
On Good Friday, during the Veneration of the Cross, they could clearly think about the meaning of being together during the difficult times, knowing that Jesus suffered with them and that he will give them the strength to carry any cross.
During the Easter Vigil, the couples were invited to mutually bless each other with this promise: "I want to transform myself into a blessing for you".
During the Holy Mass on Easter Monday, the covenants, the rosaries and the candles for the wedding were blessed, ending with a short "Road to Emmaus" to the Shrine, as a sign that the young couples will go on their way close to Christ, because He will clarify every situation of their lives. And they were able to recognize, to understand, and to say: "Were not our hearts burning [within us]?" (Lk, 24, 32)
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA