An encounter of nations at the Original Shrine

Covenant Day in Schoenstatt – in the midst of the Olympic Games

Misa de Alianza: Coro de la Juventud de Schoenstatt The Schoenstatt Youth provided songs and music during the Covenant Mass Die zur Helferwoche angereisten Jugendlichen gestalteten die Bündnismesse musikalisch
Procesión rumbo al Santuario Original Procession to the Original Shrine Prozession zum Urheiligtum
Peregrinos de Suszec, diocesis de Katuwice, Polonia, acompañan el cuadro de la MTA para su parroquia Pilgrims from Suszec, diocese of Katuwice, Poland, carrying the MTA picture for their parish church Pilger aus Suszec, Erzdiözese Katuwice, Polen, bringen das MTA-Bild für ihre Pfarrkirche
Peregrinos de Croacia Pilgrims from Croatia Pilger aus Kroatien
Seminaristas de Nigeria Seminarians from Nigeria Studenten aus Nigeria
Peregrinos de Polonia Pilgrims from Poland Pilger aus Polen Fotos: POS Fischer © 2008 Álbum de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. The Schoenstatt Family celebrates the 18^th of every month as Covenant Day, as a day of remembrance and renewal. Every 18^th of the month we celebrate Covenant Day, however, every 18^th has its individual touch. This was also the case this August 18^th at the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt, which was celebrated in union with all those who were united by the Shrines and Wayside Shrines all over the world.

Father Esteban Uriburu –it will be ten years since his death in October - wrote: "This day, the 18^th, we try to go on pilgrimage to the Shrine to which we are connected. But if we cannot do it physically, at least we want to do it spiritually. In this way, we want to advance through the roads of our earthly pilgrimage, month after month, year after year. The Covenant of Love that we sealed with the Blessed Mother should always become more the fundamental axis of our life. For us nothing happens by pure coincidence. Nothing exists without some meaning. We offer it all –especially that which is most difficult, that which costs us the most – to the Capital of Grace" of the Shrine. We also know that Mary Most Holy is loyal to the covenant that she has sealed with us. This makes us experience a profound sheltering in her Immaculate Heart, in the heart of God. I firmly believe that no one who remains loyal to his/ her Covenant of Love will ever perish."

Our life is much like that of the Olympic Games

In this month of August, the 18^th was celebrated in the midst of the Olympic Games, where youth from all the nations compete for the medals, for moments of triumph that are worth the effort of months, of years.

"Our life is much like that of the Olympic Games: dreams, efforts, conquests, victories and defeats. Be it on the personal level or within the family, in a small group, or as a nation, we are always in the race, we have leaps (sometimes they are very high or very long), we lift weights, we hurl javelins, making goals or missing them, arriving first, second or last. In the Olympic Games, as well as in the game of life, the important thing is to have a clear goal: What do I want to obtain? We must have adequate training: how will I prepare and accomplish it? And lastly, the ultimate goal, transcendentally: why do I do all this?" writes Father Javier Arteaga, Director of the Movement in Argentina, in his covenant letterfor the month of August.

This 18^th Schoenstatt definitely had something like the "Olympic Games": at the end, around the bonfire, the youth (and the young at heart) from many nations seemed to compete with their best songs – ending with the seminarians from Nigeria; youth, seminarians, and Sisters from Hungary playing drums and singing together! First the seminarians from Nigeria sang one of their beautiful songs, as a new invitation to participate in their ordination as deacons on August 31^st, and to be set on fire with their vitality and joy. Just like they vibrate for the mission of Nigeria for all Schoenstatt, many German and Swiss youth – several of them present at this moment – vibrate for the missions! After several years, some German and Swiss youth have participated abroad in missions in Argentina, Chile, Mexico, Spain, and Paraguay. They have now made a decision: we should take the missions to our countries; we want to learn from the youth who have been doing this for some time, and we will begin in 2009! Congratulations to everyone who with their articles and testimonies about the missions helped to create and awaken so much interest!

Pilgrims from Poland and Croatia

The two large groups of pilgrims present from Croatia and Poland were also offering their songs, with no less enthusiasm. The pilgrims from Poland – about fifty from one parish- just arrived that day, during the Covenant Mass. During the procession to the Original Shrine, they proudly carried a large picture of the MTA for their parish. They came on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt to bring this picture to the place of origin, and to deepen in the Schoenstatt spirituality. There are six Pilgrim MTAs in their parish, and everyone wants to know the place of origin of this Blessed Mother who works so many miracles within the families.

The pilgrims from Croatia, who were to stay the entire week in Schoenstatt, wanted to celebrate "their day", the Queen of Croatia Day, August 22^nd, in Schoenstatt – exactly one year before the blessing of the very first Schoenstatt Shrine in Croatia! The climax of their stay is the festive Mass on August 22^nd in the Family’s Shrine.

"With the hand on the pulse of times…"

The youth, who are in Schoenstatt to prepare The Night at the Shrine, also prepared the Covenant Mass with beautiful songs and petitions "with the hand on the pulse of time:" asking for peace in Georgia, for an atmosphere atmosphere, which is conducive to exchange and dialogue in the Olympic Games, for everyone, who is in the Shrines and waysides shrines today, for the pilgrims from Croatia and Poland, and of course for The Night at the Shrine, which will take place next weekend. Fr. Lothar Herter, the main celebrant, showed Mary in the Covenant, who not only primarily expects great deeds and success but who wants also to show us the abundance of her love without pre-conditions.

It was an 18^th full of love, ardor, of life, and an encounter for the nations represented around the Original Shrine – at 2,129 days until October 18, 2014!

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