A Culture of Covenant
Covenant Day in Schoenstatt
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Renovación de la Alianza de Amor en el Santuario Original, 18 de abril Covenant Renewal at the Original Shrine, April 18 Bündniserneuerung am Urheiligtum, 18. April |
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Indicando el camino… This is the way… Hier geht es zum Urheiligtum… |
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Misa de Alianza Covenant Mass Bündnismesse |
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El fuego de la Alianza ya prendido The Covenant Fire is already lit Das Feuer brennt schon ... |
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La familia de Schoenstatt en torno del Santuario Original The Schoenstatt family around the Original Shrine Die Schönstattfamilie umsteht das Urheiligtum |
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Miles y miles de personas peregrinaron espiritualmente al Santuario Original Thousands of people came on a spiritual pilgrimage to the Original Shrine Tausende kamen wie an jedem 18. geistig zum Urheiligtum Fotos: POS Fischer © 2008 |
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SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Once again, on April 18, the Schoenstatt family gathered around (or better, in) the Original Shrine and renewed the Covenant of Love spiritually united to the entire Schoenstatt family. Since the day before, Schoenstatt had been experiencing spring-like weather with pleasant temperatures around the Original Shrine after many days of rain and cold. It was the first 18th of the year that the Schoenstatt family after the Covenant Mass gathered in broad daylight instead of in the midst of the darkness of night.
The earliest covenant mass in Germany probably had been celebrated at 7.00 AM in the morning in Berlin, the capital. After participating in the 50th anniversary celebration of the Focolare Movement the night before, and before setting out to an encounter with the Apostolic Nuncio, Fr. Lothar Penners celebrated the Covenant Mass in the Shrine in Berlin.
"Snowdrops" of Schoenstatt 2014 International
Couples from ten European countries - gathered in Schoenstatt to reflect and to coordinate the results of the Continental Family Work - gave the Covenant Mass in Schoenstatt a strong international touch with their petitions in languages often heard in and around Schoenstatt, such as Polish, Spanish, English, and Portuguese, although this time there were also languages such as Hungarian, Croatian, and Czech…During his homily Father Peter Noethen, the main celebrant, invited the participants to recall everything they have experienced during the past month with gratitude in light of the Covenant of Love, and to consciously take all the people who they encountered during this past month with them in the procession to the Original Shrine regardless of the kind of relationship they had with them. All of this is a gift to the MTA in the renewal of the Covenant of Love. During the procession, the Hail Mary was prayed in different languages, and then during the walk something on a poster in English and Spanish indicating the way to the Original Shrine was observed that immediately brought to mind a famous phrase of Father Vermeegen, "the first snowdrops" for Schoenstatt 2014 International.
The procession arrived at the Original Shrine and after a moment of silent reflection, all renewed the Covenant of Love united to everyone who on this day spiritually comes on pilgrimage to the source of origin. A comment made by a TV reporter last Monday was very beautiful; she was here with a team filming a TV program about Schoenstatt, which will be transmitted on May 9th. After speaking with several people she summarized her conclusion in this way: ”For many people, for the Pallotines, it is only a chapel; for the Schoenstatters it is their beloved Original Shrine, cradle, source, center of all its movement, its life and its love.”
To imprint the seal of the Covenant of Love in daily life
There was something else that the TV reporter shared, when she saw that there was not much activity in Schoenstatt on Monday (not only because of the torrential rain). She thought she would find all the Schoenstatt Family gathered in prayer in the Shrine or staying in the many houses that exist in this place. But it wasn't like this, although on Sunday Schoenstatt was full of people. Then she understood: The Shrine, Schoenstatt, is not a place to stay; rather it is a place for renewal and going out with new strength to imprint the seal of the Covenant of Love in daily life. And it is truly like that!
As Father Javier Arteaga, Argentina, wrote in his Covenant Letter of April 18th referring to the crisis that Argentina is presently undergoing: "They say that crisis includes ruptures, changes, and opportunities, and we know that the powerful voice of God resounds in them impelling us to respond according to the gifts and charisms that we have received. Today we are called to be men and women of the Covenant; couples with an attitude of Covenant dialogue; youth who will face their lives from the dynamic of a Covenant encounter, taking care that they seek to associate with others in Covenant. It would be very sad if we reduced the Covenant of Love with Mary to a personal attachment: one that is intimate and does not give fruit in our daily life, that our attitudes of life do not extend to the members of our family, to other people, and in the way we face our private and public responsibilities. On the contrary, the Covenant of Love with Mary takes us to a profound and transforming encounter with Christ, who reminds us and encourages us to: "love one another as I have loved you."
As disciples of Christ, we are called to be factors of unity everywhere. As disciples and missionaries of the Covenant, let us not waver in hope. I invite you to responsibly and creatively reflect on fostering dialogues and encounters not only to overcome this difficult time; but rather to develop a new attitude of life, a culture of Covenant, as children of God and citizens of this earth."
These words do not apply only to Argentina…
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj