This weekend at Schoenstatt...
Religious rock festival with Esperamor Band and Ludger Edelkötter. Pilgrimage from India. Covenant Day...
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Un giorno di ricordo e di rinnovamento dell’Alleanza d’Amore suggellata il 18 ottobre 1914 da P. Kentenich con la Madonna nell’antica cappella di San Michele nella valle di Schoenstatt Recordar y renovar la Alianza de Amor sellada el 18 de octubre de 1914 por el Padre Kentenich con la Sma. Virgen María en la antigua capillita de San Miguel, en el valle de Schoenstatt. A
day to recall and to renew the Covenant of Love that was sealed on
Ein Tag der Erinnerung und der Erneuerung des Liebesbündnisses, das Pater Kentenich am 18. Oktober 1914 im alten Michaelskapellchen im Tal von Schönstatt geschlossen hat. Foto: Gonzalo Crespo © 2008 |
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Asunción Assumption Aufnahme Marias in den Himmel |
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Ermita en Goya Wayside shrine in Goya Bildstock in Goya Foto: Petiti © 2008 |
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Ludger Edelkötter Ludger Edelkötter Ludger Edelkötter |
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Ermita en Villa Elisa Wayside shrine in Villa Elisa Bildstock in Villa Elisa |
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Peregrinación con el P. Winkler, hace dos años Pilgrimage with Fr. Winkler, two years ago Wallfahrt mit Pfr. Winkler vor 2 Jahren Foto: Czogala © 2008 |
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SCHOENSTATT, mkf. Today, August 15th, the Church celebrates the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary to heaven. … Just as you accompanied Our Lord in this life and lived and loved and suffered with him, so, at the completion of your life, he takes you body and soul into heaven. (Heavenwards, p.99). That is how Father Kentenich prayed in the concentration camp of Dachau, where the body and soul of men were – and are – trampled, he invites us to contemplate on the Assumption of the Mother of Jesus with body and soul and on the dignity that God gave to the body and soul of each person.
The Auxiliary Bishop of Trier, Monsignor Ackermann, will preside the Eucharist for the pilgrims in the Schoenstatt Pilgrims’ Church.
Pilgrimage of the Indian Community to Schoenstatt
The Pilgrim MTA has woven a worldwide net of attachments in faith. This Sunday, for the fourth time, the Indian community will come on pilgrimage to Schoenstatt. The meeting place will be at 10:00 a.m. at the large parking lot of Mount Schoenstatt. The main impetus for this is the Indian community from Cologne, where the majority of its members from this community have lived many years, and they consider it their home. The Pilgrim MTA visits some of the people of the Indian community.
Religious rock festival
Completely within the framework of the new religious music, the Esperamor Band from Vallendar invites everyone to the religious rock festival that will be held on August 16th and 17th at the Pilgrims’ Church of the Pallotine Fathers in Vallendar. Two renown representatives of modern Christian music, Gregor Linßen and Ludger Edelkötter will participate. They will be judges and musicians at this festival. Ludger Edelkötter is known for old favorites such as Alle Knospen springen auf or Lord, give us your peace. He, along with Wilhelm Willms, composed the biographical musical, Risk and love, for Father Kentenich’s centennial; this composition was presented in many German cities.
Gregor Linßen composed Wagt euch zu den Ufern, (Dare to set out to the new shores, Ein Funke, aus Stein geschlagen (A spark from the stone), and We have come to adore You, the official hymn of World Youth Day 2005, all are truly hit songs. The festival begins on Saturday, August 16th, at 2:00 p.m., with the final Esperamor band contest; the four bands that are in the finals will play before a jury of experts presided over by Gregor Linßen. The band that wins will receive three prizes: the production of a CD, a photo session, and a place in the 2009 pilgrimage journey for the Holy Cloth in Trier. On Sunday August 17th, at 2:30 p.m. the concert with Ludger Edelkötter will start, and Esperamor’s 15th Anniversary concert will be at 6:00 p.m.
- Information about this Religous rock festival: www.kirchenrockfestival.de
Pedagogical Workshop at New Schoenstatt, Argentina
To educate to do good things. A common goal to which we should all contribute will be the motto of the Pedagogical Workshop that will be held on August 16th and 17th at New Schoenstatt (Missions 2501, Florencio Varela, province of Buenos Aires), which is organized by the Joseph Kentenich Pedagogical Center. The program will include the main conferences and work sessions for sharing. Some of the subjects, which will be developed are: How to respond to the educational emergency, and The risky behaviors of teenagers and sexuality as a personal good.
- Information: Riobamba 1050, Buenos Aires, (011) 4815-2878 and at: info@centropedagogico.org.ar.
An 18th with many celebrations
During the month of July in 1947, the refugees from the eastern area of the country gathered in Schoenstatt, Germany, for the first time, to participate in spiritual exercises. It was only a small portion of the millions of men and women, who as a consequence of the Postdam and Yalta Treaties signed by the victors of the Second World War, were unjustly expelled from their land thereby losing everything they had, and they were thrown into West Germany, which was suffering the consequences of losing the war and was struggling to survive and rise again. The subject for the Exercises was: Through a strong love in sacrifice, be heroes, saints and apostles in daily life.
At the end of the exercises, during a conversation, someone suggested: "Wouldn’t be good if we would recall the Covenant of Love which we have sealed, we could meet spiritually on the 18th of every month in the Schoenstatt Shrine, to renew our covenant? Wouldn’t it be meaningful to write our names in a book, as a symbolic expression of an eternal covenant of love? Wouldn’t it be valuable to celebrate the 18th of every month with a Holy Mass in the Shrine for those who have sealed the Covenant of Love with the Mother Thrice Admirable?" These suggestions caught on quickly. Since then the Schoenstatt Family celebrates the18th of each month as Covenant of Love Day. It is a day to recall and to renew the Covenant of Love that was sealed on October 18, 1914, by Father Kentenich with the Blessed Mother in the former little Chapel of Saint Michael in the Schoenstatt Valley. (It is something similar to the devotees of Saint Cayetano celebrating the 7th of every month, or those who are connected to Fatima who celebrate the 13th of each month). Every 18th we want to renew the Covenant of Love that we sealed with Our Mother Thrice Admirable Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt. We offer her everything that we did during the month for her Capital of Grace, and we place the coming month in her hands and heart. When we do this, Mary also renews the Covenant that she has sealed with us, since, as we have seen, it has a mutual, reciprocal character. On this day, the 18th, we try to go on pilgrimage to the Shrine to which we are connected. But if we cannot do it physcially, at least we want to do it spiritually. (from: Father Esteban Uriburu, Schoenstatt Introduction )
It is for this reason that frequently many blessings of Wayside Shrines and Shrines, as well as Covenants of Love are sealed and renewed on this day.
Joy in Goya, Villa Elisa, Catovice ...
The Rosary Campaign of Goya, Corrientes, Argentina will celebrate its 10th Anniversary on this day. On August 18, 1998, the Bishop of Goya, at that time, Monsignor Luis T. Stocker along with Father Rodolfo Barboza, commissioned the first five Pilgrim MTAs at the Wayside Shrine…That is how the Rosary Campaign began in Goya. Presently forty-seven Pilgrim MTAs are sustained by hundreds of Rosaries that are prayed and lived daily in the Covenant of Love with Mary in her Wayside Shrine. This August 18th, the Blessed Mother’s family will celebrate this beautiful event united to Her and her Son.
The twenty Rosaries, the One Thousand Hail Marys, will begin at 10:30 a.m., along with the Mother and her beloved Son. The tenth Rosary said will be illuminated, to express gratitude to God for the blessed ten years of walking with Her on pilgrimage, taking her Son to the homes of Goya, Santa Lucia, Lavalle, and Colonia Carolina. At 5:00 p.m. Father Flavio from Our Lady of Iratí Parish will celebrate Holy Mass. Those who wish to particpate may do so by bringing food, clothing, or shoes for the offering; these items will be donated to the parish.
On the same day, the Schoenstatt Family of Villa Elisa, Entre Rios, invites everyone to share the joy of celebrating the 2nd Anniverary of the enthronement of the Mother Thrice Admirable in her Wayside Shrine of Urquiza and Curruarín.
This beautiful and long awaited event will take place on August 18, 2008.
The procession will depart from the church at 4:00 p.m. walking to the Wayside Shrine where the Holy Mass will be celebrated; after the homily the Blessed Mother will be crowned as Queen of the Nation’s Family.
In Schoenstatt, the youth, who are preparing for a Night at the Shrine, which will take place on August 22nd, 23rd, and 24th, will be in charge of the Covenant Mass. A pilgrimage group from Poland will arrive just in time to participate in the Covenant Mass. They are from a parish near Catovice, and come to get to know more about Schoenstatt, since the Schoenstatt Pilgrim MTA Campaign started in their parish some time ago - and they already dream of a Shrine that they want to build in gratitude! The Nigerian seminarians of the Schoenstatt Father will again enliven all of us with their songs on this their last 18th before their ordination.
Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA/amj