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The day before the Night of the Shrine
Nachrichten - News - Noticias
published: 2007-09-04

To show your face for the faith

A varied daytime program for the youth before Night at the Shrine

 

Ein vielfältiges Programm erwartete die Jugendlichen am “Tag davor”, am Tag vor der „Nacht des Heiligtums“

Hubo un variado programa en el día previo a la ”Noche del Santuario”

A multifaceted program was offered the day before the “Night of the Shrine”

Ein vielfältiges Programm erwartete die Jugendlichen am “Tag davor”, am Tag vor der „Nacht des Heiligtums“

Foto: Martin Schneider © 2007

 

Forum: “4 faces for (y)our faith”, vier Zeugnisse von Jugendlichen über ihr Engagement im Glauben

Foro “4 faces for (y)our faith”, cuatro testimonios de jóvenes sobre su compromiso con Jesús

Forum “4 faces for (y)our faith”, for testimonies of youth about their commitment with Christ

Forum: “4 faces for (y)our faith”, vier Zeugnisse von Jugendlichen über ihr Engagement im Glauben

 
Glückliche Standesleiter: Schw. Annette Hartl (Mädchenjugend/Junge Frauen), P. Lothar Herter (SMJ)

 

Felices asesores nacionales: La Hna Annette Hartl, Asesora Nacional de la JF, y el P. Lothar Herter, asesor nacional de la JM

Happy National advisers: Sister Annette Hartl, Girls’ Youth, and Fr. Lothar Herter, Boys’ Youth

Glückliche Standesleiter: Schw. Annette Hartl (Mädchenjugend/Junge Frauen), P. Lothar Herter (SMJ)

 
Mitglieder des Logistik-Teams: Daniel und Benedikt bei einer Lagebesprechung

Miembros del equipo de logística: Daniel y Benedikt en acción

Members of the Team “Logistics”: Daniel, and Benedikt

Mitglieder des Logistik-Teams: Daniel und Benedikt bei einer Lagebesprechung

 
Workshop mit P. Bodo Erhard

Taller con el P. Bodo Erhard

Workshop with Fr. Bodo Erhard

Workshop mit P. Bodo Erhard

 
Essenszeit in der Marienschule

Comida en el Colegio Mariano

Mealtime at St. Mary’s School

Essenszeit in der Marienschule

Fotos: Achim Schadt © 2007

 
Sendungsgottesdienst am Sonntag

Misa final

Final Mass

Sendungsgottesdienst am Sonntag

Foto: Manuela Mañanes © 2007

Àlbum de fotos – photo album - Fotoalbum

 
   

SCHOENSTATT, Birgit Meyer. Last weekend around three hundred youth from Germany, Hungary, Switzerland, Poland, and other countries came to the Shrine to celebrate a Night at the Shrine, the highlight of the Schoenstatt Summer. This project has now been carried out for the second time since the Youth Festival of the World Youth Day of 2005.

Since the registration of the participants at House Sonnenau, the motto for this event, Your face for (y)our faith, was put into action. Photos were taken of each participant and then placed on the walls of the Marian School, where the main events of the conference took place.

"We have sown without pausing. Now we shall see what we will reap"

The majority of the pilgrims slept in their sleeping bags in the meeting hall at House Sonnenau, where the furniture had been removed. Upon arriving, they didn’t have time to unpack or get settled, because they had to go immediately to the opening event, Holy Mass, held in the House Sonnenau’s chapel, which was completely full and first thing on the program. Father Lothar Herter, the advisor of the Schoenstatt Boys’ Youth in Germany, celebrated the Mass. Some serious words were heard along with the songs that the volunteers accompanied on their guitars. Father Lothar reflected on the Gospel account about the grain of wheat, and he mentioned the race of torches that some of the boys made to Schoenstatt over a distance of 350 km. He pointed out that he would have liked a larger number of participants, and continued with a slight criticism about the European Union not having funds available for these events. He praised the organizers and concluded by saying: "We have sown without pause. Now we shall see what we will reap. "

After Holy Mass the participants were offered grapes cultivated especially for this occasion by the Federation Priests, owners of the house where the Eucharist was celebrated.

Since grapes alone weren’t enough to satisfy the appetites of the youth, they went to supper, where a welcoming atmosphere of good humor developed among the 150 to 200 participants from Germany, Hungary, Poland along with other nationalities who continued to arrive for the event along with the potato salad and sausages.

Norbert Becker greeted the youth and recounted the numerous activities that would be held the next day.

Night prayers were held in the Marian School meeting hall, where Father Lother Herter blessed the youth. After the prayers, they left the hall and those who did not have to return to other lodging had the opportunity of spending the rest of the night in a House Marienau’s prepared little room, a place with a restful atmosphere and space after a heavy day of work. Some religious, who were participating in a Saint Vincent de Paul forum, also spent the night at House Marienau. " Surely tonight will not be a long celebration," Father Zellekens, the house rector told some spending Friday night "without wanting to participate in the atmosphere of the little room," that is to say, in their dormitory. They heard the laughter of the youth, the typical, regional songs, and the slamming of doors being opened and closed. One of the religious sighed profoundly and with a radiant face said, "As for sleep, we can sleep when we return home; however, it is a joy to share this time here with youth who are so committed to their ideals!"

Love is what makes us great

Since the heavy afternoon rain on Friday, prayers for good weather were evident by Friday night, and Saturday was dry.

After breakfast at their lodging places, the youth walked to the Marian School for the opening session. Everything revolved around the question: "How can we guarantee the giving of our face for our faith?"

The session began with a movie in which passers by were asked what they would stand up for or give their face to. They responded: for family, for peace, for friends, and even for a good meal!

After this there were talks given by the presenters who gave their face for their faith. Among them was David Holenstein, a former member of the Swiss Guard, Maciel Sroda, whose faith helped him greatly in his medical studies, and even a representative of the DemoChristian Youth Union, who exhorted the youth with their Christian principles to participate in politics, since this is the only way democracy will remain alive.

Franzi Tsehuschke, of the Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth, also took a risk for her faith. She is a composer who writes songs to enthuse others in the same way that Christ touches her. She shared how she composes her songs. "I give what I can, God does the rest." She has had the feeling that she didn’t write the songs by herself; rather, she feels as if God had dictated it to her. After her testimony, she placed her face for faith by sharing one of the last songs she had written with the audience, on her guitar: With you in view. Love is what makes us grow.

At the conclusion of this event, all the speakers stayed to answer questions from the public.

Good advice… without an accusatory finger

After the opening session, the Youth had many opportunities through the numerous workshop activities offered ranging from dance or creating works through arts and crafts. There were also opportunities to consider other profound reflections and where practical advice was given in regards to one’s life, for example: How to develop my personality? with Father Stefan Strecker. In this workshop the participants received a text from Father Kentenich that would be discussed later. Or there was a workshop, Choose love? , in which they received practical and vital advice on how to choose a partner. In another workshop, the Christian idea of sexuality and natural family planning was presented. None of these sessions had prescriptions, prohibitions, or an accusatory finger, but there was information and suggestions. Finally the idea was stressed that each person had to make decisions based on their own values and principles. Furthermore, they should be guided by the ideal that is presented by faith, which is the source of profound happiness.

Other workshops included were: Time Management, How do I Manage My Time?, A Decision is Needed, or A Walk through Schoenstatt History.

At the end of the workshops the participants gathered in the Marian School meeting hall where a variety program awaited them. They divided into groups for a contest about Schoenstatt; they had to know, for example, when Barbara Kast was born, or where Father Kentenich was ordained. Representatives from other countries and regions of Germany also presented their songs.

While the participants were at workshops, other activities, or eating meals, behind the scenes was the logistics team led by Georg Schick and Daniel Brober, from Ulm. They took care of all the details for the day in an almost invisible way in order to facilitate the progress of this major event without difficulties leading to the culminating moment of the gathering around the Original Shrine. There was the stage, the lighting, and the electricity, which many of these angels for the event spent several days working on with little sleep and eating hurriedly, but they always put on a happy face on the event. The different sessions and the final meal shortened the wait for Night at the Shrine: the vigil and the renewal of the Covenant of Love. (extra article)

During these sessions the correlation of this year’s Schoenstatt Summer to the Youth Festival of 2005 could be clearly seen. On that occasion, in preparation for the World Youth Day, three thousand youth sealed their Covenants of Love in Schoenstatt on behalf of the youth from all over the world, and this year, that’s what they wanted to renew. Of course not all the youth were able to be at Schoenstatt for the weekend, but they could meet in their Shrines throughout the world, and take part in the renewal of the Covenant of Love. The idea of transmitting the event in real time by Internet awakened much enthusiasm, although in the end the technology failed.

On Saturday night, while thousands of Shrines throughout the world united to renew this Youth commitment of 2005, there was also a prayer vigil in Italy at the Marian Shrine of Loreto where the Pope was visiting to pray to the Blessed Mother. A large number of Schoenstatt Youth from Spain and Italy were also in Loreto, where the Pope prayed with youth from all over Italy and from the world, at the largest event before the next World Youth Day in Australia. It was broadcast live, and more than 400,000 youth attended. The highlight was the prayer to Mary that the Pope had written. On Sunday he celebrated the Eucharist near to this Marian Shrine. In his talk, Pope Benedict referred to Mary’s "yes" to God’s request. It’s an idea that’s also a main point in Schoenstatt.

There are also high expectations for the future

The weekend had a spectacular closing, with a Holy Mass of sending forth celebrated on Sunday morning by Father Lothar. In his homily he stressed that: "this is only the beginning of something very big. Schoenstatt should continue to open itself to the world. These points carry all the community and each and everyone forward and they motivate us to always take one more step. " This also coincided with the aim of Schoenstatt Summer: Prolong the time of the spirit of the Festival and World Youth Day and to be a place of meeting so that the Catholic youth can live their faith together.

This weekend was a complete success: it not only demonstrated an atmosphere of youthful joy throughout to the closing Mass of sending forth; it also strongly recalled World Youth Day of 2005 by some of the dances and songs.

During the farewell, each participant took the photo taken at the beginning of the weekend. They also received the Schoenstatt Founding Documents and a small mirror, in total accord with the motto: Your face for (y)our faith.

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /amj

 


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