|
|
Bendición de madres y padres en Waghäusel Blessing of parents and mothers in Waghäusel Mutter-/Elternsegen in Waghäusel |
 |
 |
Padres y madres rezando por sus niños a nacer Parents praying for their babies to be born Mütter und Eltern beten für ihr ungeborenes Kind |
|
 |
|
Regalos – recuerdos Gifts – souvenirs Geschenke zur Erinnerung |
|
 |
|
Coro Choir Chor |
|
 |
|
Bendición personal Personal blessing Einzelsegen |
|
 |
|
Una vela para cada bebe A candle for each baby Eine Kerze für jedes Kind Fotos: Schuppel © 2007 |
|
|
GERMANY, Doris Schuppel. On Sunday, July 8, 2007, ten ladies responded to the invitation from the Mothers’ Branch of the Schoenstatt Movement at the Pilgrim’s Church of Waghausel to receive a blessing for themselves and for the babies they are expecting.
Father Robert Maria greeted the future mothers and their families at the beginning of the special liturgy by assuring them that: "God is with us everyday of our lives. He accompanies us from the first instant in which He called us into existence. He is with our children, even when their faces are still hidden from us. God knows His son, His daughter, He knows everything that concerns them, He blesses them."
God himself comes to us in each child
During the homily he expressed gratitude to the parents who gave their YES to children
by giving their YES to the new child who is on the way. They can be glad for this gift of life. "Each child is God’s idea, an idea that God has only once," said Father Robert Maria citing Saint Augustine. He continued: "In each child, God himself comes to us. Through children we learn how we can encounter God. Just as the children find us, we can also find our Heavenly Father; full of confidence, full of expectations, full of happiness and hope."
Next, Father Robert Maria invited the mothers and their families to approach the altar. He prayed the prayer of blessing by blessing each mother and father individually, and he also blessed the siblings of the soon to be born baby.
The Schoenstatt Mothers had prepared a special liturgy in which they gave each future mother a candle lit from the Pascal candle. They also gave them a pair of booties for the baby that they knitted along with a printed prayer.
The group, Sign of Hope, from Bruschasal, accompanied the ceremony with lively music.
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /amj