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Covenant Day during Holy Week
Nachrichten - News - Noticias
 published: 2008-03-26

Notable excitement with the international presence experienced in the "German hinterlands"

Covenant Day during Holy Week – Remembering Chiara Lubich

 
18. März: die Studenten der Schönstatt-Patres aus Argentinien, Paraguay, Chile und Mexiko übernahmen die musikalische Gestaltung

18 de marzo: coro de los seminaristas de los Padres de Schoenstatt de Argentina, Paraguay, Chile y Mexico

March 18: choir of the seminarians of the Schoenstatt Fathers from Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, and Mexico

18. März: die Studenten der Schönstatt-Patres  aus Argentinien, Paraguay, Chile und Mexiko übernahmen die musikalische Gestaltung

 

Mehrere junge Frauen aus der Mädchenjugend schlossen an diesem Tag ihr Liebesbündnis

Alianza de Amor de varias jovenes de la Juventud Femenina

Several young women of the Schoenstatt Youth sealed their Covenant of Love

Mehrere junge Frauen aus der Mädchenjugend schlossen an diesem Tag ihr Liebesbündnis

 
Héctor und Lourdes Balmaceda aus Paraguay  

Héctor y Lourdes Balmaceda de Paraguay

Héctor and Lourdes Balmaceda from Paraguay

Héctor und Lourdes Balmaceda aus Paraguay

 
Erinnerung an Chiara Lubich  

Recuerdo de Chiara Lubich

Remembering Chiara Lubich

Erinnerung an Chiara Lubich

 
Liebesbündniserneuerung beim Urheiligtum  

Alianza de Amor em el Santuario Original

Covenant of Love at the Original Shrine

Liebesbündniserneuerung beim Urheiligtum

 
Im Urheiligtum

En el Santuario Original

In the Original Shrine

Im Urheiligtum

Fotos: POS Fischer © 2008

Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

 
   

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. March 18th, Covenant Day in Schoenstatt during Holy Week, was sunny and spring-like after several days of rain, snow, and cloudiness. The first trees already had pink and white blossoms, forsythias, and the first narcissus could be seen in spite of very low temperatures.

On this day we in Schoenstatt truly were very connected to the Focolare Movement since it also was the funeral day of their founder, Chiara Lubich. In several Shrines, the Covenant Mass was celebrated for her and her foundation. A press release from the Focolares stated that more than 20,000 people had passed to greet Chiara Lubich during the days between her death and funeral reminding many of the unforgettable days almost forty years ago when Father Kentenich died and everyone wanted to be with him for the last time… by expressing their gratitude to him and to say farewell by committing oneself to his inheritance and mission.

Hands at work!

Pilgrims from throughout the world have come to Schoenstatt during these days to spend Holy Week here. From Paraguay, Héctor and Lourdes Almaceda, from Asunción, came for two days glad to be able to be in the Original Shrine for quite a while. They were travelling through Europe and of course could not miss a visit to Schoenstatt with prayers in the Original Shrine, at the tomb of Father Kentenich, and a quick tour of Mount Schoenstatt, Mount Sion and Moriah, and a capuchino in the Press Office to share their Schoenstatt experiences from Paraguay. Among them, was the famous lottery of which they were in charge over several years and the new Kentenich Foundation involving all that has to do with the administration and juridical issues of the archdiocesan Schoenstatt Movement. "There are people who want to save the world by praying," commented Hector. "I also pray, but I want to do something. I want to put my hands to work! Therefore I am so glad with all the tasks that Schoenstatt offers me, and which I assume with so much joy such as this work for the economical support of Schoenstatt." In House Sonnenau, a large group of Girls’ Youth leaders held a workshop; at 2:00 PM, several girls sealed their Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine. On the same afternoon, a course of the Institute of Families sealed their Perpetual Consecration in Schoenstatt.

Regional TV channel activity

At the same time, this sunny day was also ideal for a regional TV channel initiative: its Easter Sunday cultural program in which they taped an interview with Father Ángel Strada concerning subjects of faith in the midst of troubles. It can be seen (in German only…) throughout this month at (search for the date: 23.03) And they have already planned some other topics! The personnel of the regional TV were totally enthusiastic about "this demonstration of internationality in ‘the hinterland of Germany’," so when they heard of the Spanish Easter Vigil to take place in the Chapel of the Pilgrims’ House they decided to come and film it! It was broadcast on Easter.

How to prepare for a Blessed Holy Week

In the afternoon, as always, the Schoenstatt Family gathered in the Pilgrims’ Church for the Covenant Mass –as an international family, where everybody makes an effort to understand and help everyone understand, where what is celebrated unites as family: the Original Shrine and the Covenant of Love, a great gift of inheritance and mission from the Father and Prophet. The seminarians of the Schoenstatt Fathers from Latin America were in charge of the songs, which they sang in Spanish, English, and even in German with a contagious fire! Federation Families from Germany, Girls’ Youth, and many pilgrims from Ecuador, Argentina, Spain, Chile were present. At the beginning of the Mass, Father Penners remembered Chiara Lubich and he invited everyone to pray for the Focolare Movement during this time of mourning.

Father Pataricio Moore, the main celebrant, preached in German and Spanish. He spoke about how we could prepare for a blessed Holy Week. If truth be told and for our consolation, the apostles were not very well prepared. Judas betrayed the Master, those whom he asked to accompany him fell asleep, and Peter denied Him three times. What can we do? 1) Do not leave the Lord alone – find time for prayer, of an encounter with Him. 2) Show joy in the faith and in this way give testimony of the Good News. There is enough sadness and hate in the world; may our gift to the Lord be laughter, joy, the fire of love 3) Be less of a Judas and more of a John, betray Jesus less, and love Him more with deeds, with our company, with the giving of our heart.

After this Mass, Father Franz Widmaier said many more people will accompany the seminarians with prayers on their road to the priesthood!

Encouraged a little more with Easter joy, we went to pray in the Original Shrine, where once again united with all the family of the world we renewed the Covenant of Love. While many went inside the Original Shrine to pray for a while, others went to the bonfire where the little papers with the contributions to the Capital of Grace were burned.

A lady went silently to the Original Shrine. "Look who was here tonight," she said, showing a photo of Chiara Lubich that she took to the Original Shrine. "In gratitude for all she did for the Church and also for Schoenstatt."

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

 

 

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Last Update: 26.03.2008