You set us free in the open

Still 100 days until Catholic Day in Osnabrück – Schoenstatt Movement to have eight offerings and two stands at the event – Accommodation "from Schoenstatt members for Schoenstatt members"

Mons. Franz-Josef Bode, obispo de Osnabrück, presentó la oración de preparación en Schoenstatt, en el contexto de la peregrinación diocesana, mayo de 2007 Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabrück presented the preparation prayer during the diocesan pilgrimage to Schoenstatt Bischof Franz-Josef Bode von Osnabrück präsentierte das Vorbereitungsgebet des Bistums bei der Diözesanwallfahrt nach Schönstatt im Mai 2007
Hans y Hildegard Muhle coordinan las actividades de Schoenstatt Hans and Hildegard Muhle coordinate the Schoenstatt activities Hans und Hildegard Muhle koordinieren vor Ort
La familia de Schoenstatt de Osnabrück gira ya desde el año pasado en torno del evento The Schoenstatt family of Osnabrück already since last year concentrates on the event Die Osnabrücker Schönstattfamilie kreist bereits seit letztem Jahr um den Katholikentag
Mons. Bode en Schoenstatt, mayo de 2007 Bishop Bode in Schoenstatt, May 2007 Bischof Bode bei der Wallfahrt im Mai 2007
Bendición en el Santuario Blessing from the Shrine Segen im Heiligtum – für den Katholikentag Fotos: POS Fischer © 2008

GERMANY, mkf. There are still 100 days until the next Catholic Day. The event is to take place from May 21^st – 25^th in Osnabrück and will emphasize the same motto that the German Schoenstatt Movement has written over the coming years: You set us free in the open. (Ps 18,20) Forty years after the Catholic Day in Essen, Germany, for which Father Kentenich had especially written an extensive greeting, the Catholic Day motto and the Schoenstatt message have finally come together – which is a good enough reason to set out for Osnabrück and join in the great meeting of the German Church bringing along the grace flowing from the Shrine outward: in the immensity of faith, of engagements with others, in the openness of the heart, and above all in the greatness of God.

You set us free in the open! "Give us the courage to venture out of our comfort zones, out of our inner circles, out to the people who are in need of inspiration and encouragement.

Whoever lets himself be set free by you finds the open, freedom, life. He finds the vastness and depth of your love and the openness of his own heart," wrote Bishop Franz-Josef Bode last year. He then introduced the prayer publicly at the Diocesan Pilgrimage to Schoenstatt on the way to Catholic Day. It was a joy for Bishop Franz-Josef Bode to accompany the Osnabrück pilgrims to Schoenstatt, all of whom took this year’s Catholic Day motto to heart. He personally inquired after the pilgrimage about what the Schoenstatt Movement wished to contribute to the Catholic Day and whether Schoenstatt was ready to implement the movement’s topics into the events happenings.

Seeking Signs, Mother-/Parent Blessing, Illuminated Rosary, God in our everyday lives

Everyday life bound with God and God bound with everyday life, living in faith and believing in life – that is certainly a mantra of Schoenstatt, and this belief will surely be emphasized at this year’s Catholic Day – as stated in the lectures of Professor Dr. Hubertus Brantzen ("Discovering God’s tracks in everyday life"), by the Illuminated Rosary ("Bringing every day life before the Lord in the Illuminated Rosary with Mary"), or by "Seeking Signs" (the search for God’s presence) in Morning Prayer occurring in the "Little Church" in Osnabrück – the church in the Spiritual Center – as well as in the two Mid-day Prayers on Friday in the mountain church and on Saturday in the cathedral. The Mid-day Prayer on Friday will be prepared by Professor Dr. Hans-Gert Pöttering, President of the European Parliament, and the Mid-day Prayer on Saturday will be prepared by Cardinal Karl Lehmann from Mainz.

A blessing for those who are entrusted with children from God is also scheduled. Women and mothers from the Schoenstatt Movement together with the Family Movement of the Diocese of Osnabrück will receive the Mother/Parent Blessing.

Annemarie Lanzke from Gifhorm, in the Diocese of Hildesheim, will be speaking on the topic highlighted in the paragraph above – God is with us in everyday life –, sharing about voluntary work at a women’s shelter.

The Schoenstatt Movement and the Academy for Marriage and Family from Mainz will have a stand at the "Church Mile" – or better referred to as the "Church-Islands" in the inner-city area.

Out in the open onto short paths

Out in the open – yes – however, not on the paths that lead to the respective events, but rather, everything lies inside the city wall, as they say, in the area of Osnabrück’s inner-city. That means: short distances, and thus maybe more time to visit all the interesting events and to look at everything at each stand. In the past, the Schoenstatt stands always turned into a meeting place for Schoenstatt members attending Catholic Day, where they shared with each other what happened at various events they had each participated in, and where spontaneous or urgently needed mutual support was organized.

First and foremost, the Schoenstatt stand, however, is a place where many people – curious, seeking, interested people – converse and look for answers regarding what Schoenstatt is and what the movement offers. If anyone would like to help out in the stand, he can simply sign up with the Muhle family. Hans Muhle, representative of the Schoenstatt Movement in the Diocese of Osnabrück, who has overseen the coordination of the Schoenstatt program, has even more good news: Schoenstatt members, who participate in the Catholic Day, can reserve accommodations with Schoenstatt families. And similar to the use of the training center at the Catholic Day in Hamburg, the Regional Sport School in Melle (comparable to a branch office) could also be used by Schoenstatt participants – thanks to the negotiations of the Muhle couple.

Catholic Day Events Center

The central Eucharistic celebration on the Feast Day of Corpus Christi will take place on Thursday, May 22^nd, 2008 at 10:00 a.m. in the palace garden. The main celebrant will be Bishop Dr. Franz-Josef Bode. Bishop Anders Arborelius from Stockholm as well as Auxiliary Bishop Theodor Kettmann from Osnabrück are the concelebrants. The Mass will be broadcast live through ARD. As part of the Mass, a Corpus Christi procession through St. Johann’s Church will also take place.

The central ecumenical Mass will occur on Friday, May 23^rd, 2008 at 6:00 p.m. The participants will gather together in the cathedral to pray and to listen to God’s word. The Mass will be conducted under the theme: "Called by name – set out in the open." Throughout the Mass, the following topic, rather a complex topic of the ecumenical Church, will be addressed – the commemoration of the Sacrament of Baptism, that is renewed with every confession. At the close of the Mass, the participants will move to the plaza of the Westphalia Peace rendition at the City Government Office to sing the Osnabrück Peace Song. The liturgy for the central ecumenical Mass will be overseen by Archbishop Dr. Werner Thissen from Hamburg, Protestant Bishop Dr. Margot Käßmann from the Evangelical State Church of Hannover, Metropolitan Bishop Augoustinos from the Greek-Orthodox Metropolis of Germany, Church President Jann Schmidt from the Evangelical-Reformed Church, and the renowned Theologian Father Dr. Fernando Enns from Hamburg.

The main event of the 97^th German Catholic Day will take place on Saturday, May 24^th, 2008 at 11:00 a.m. in the Osnabrück City Hall. The topic of the event is: "The future of the Democracy." State President Horst Köhler, along with other prominent colleagues, will be present.

The main Mass for the closing of Catholic Day will take place on Sunday, May 25^th, 2008 in the Illoshöhe Stadium. Karl Cardinal Lehmann, Bishop Dr. Franz-Josef Bode of the hosting Diocese of Osnabrück, Apostolate Nuntius Archbishop Dr. Jean-Claude Perisset, Archbishop Dr. Reinhard Marx (to be the host of the 2^nd Ecumenical Church Days in Munich in the year 2010), Bishop Dr. Gebhard Fürst of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Adrianus J. Cardinal Simonis from Utrecht/The Netherlands, and Archbishop Dr. Werner Thissen from Hamburg will be the celebrants. The Mass will be broadcast live by TV.

The complete program will be available at the website, www.katholikentag.de, in the beginning of March. The printed version will be available in the beginning of April (in German only).

The Schoenstatt Family in Osnabrück spiritually prepares for Catholic Day

As it is important in any organization that is preparing for a major event, the Schoenstatt Family in the Diocese of Osnabrück is preparing spiritually for Catholic Day as well. With a large group of delegates, Schoenstatt had participated in the opening event of the Osnabrück Diocese; the Diocesan Pilgrimage 2007 greatly emphasized the theme sentence for the upcoming Catholic Day. On September 8^th, 2007, there was a day-long event to intensify the attitude for Catholic Day. The event took place in Meppen. "80 people came to the event," recalled Hans Muhle. "Of the group, half were not part of the Schoenstatt Movement." He added, "The time we had for ourselves and in which we are able to progress has passed by. The commitment to Catholic Day sends us out in the open, sets our power free… and carries us further!"

On March 31^st, 2008, the Monday after Palm Sunday (the Feast of Mary’s Annunciation is celebrated this day, as the actual date, March 25, falls into Holy Week), a prayer service for the success of Catholic Day will be held in the Gymnasial-Church in the Cathedral in Osnabrück at 6:00 p.m. The service will be facilitated by the Schoenstatt Movement. The Movements and Ecclesial Communities of the Dioceses are invited to attend. The Eucharistic celebration in the Cathedral will immediately follow the prayer service.

Still 100 Days until Catholic Day!

• More information regarding accommodations "from Schoenstatt members to Schoenstatt members" from the Muhle couple, Telefon 05422/1540, Mail: h.muhle@web.de
• Information and Registration for Catholic Day: www.katholikentag.de

Translation: Melissa Ann Schmid, USA