... and return to its source ...

A Pentecostal event: representatives from more than thirty countries will gather in Schoenstatt in February of 2009 for the "2014 Conference"

Equipo de preparación (de izq.), en su reunión el 30 de noviembre : Erich Berger, Hna. Luciane Machens, Eva Berger, Georg Schick, P. Jos é María García, Hna. Gertrud-Maria Erhard (faltan en la foto: Birgitt Winter, P. Werner Kuller, Herr Volmert, Hna Kornelia) Preparation Team (from left) during their last meeting: Erich Berger, Sr.  Luciane Machens, Eva Berger, Georg Schick, Fr. José María García, Sr. Gertrud-Maria Erhard (missing on the photo: Birgitt Winter, Fr. Werner Kuller, Herr Volmert, Sr Kornelia) Vorbereitungsteam beim letzten Treffen (von links): Erich Berger, Sr.  Luciane Machens, Eva Berger, Georg Schick, P. José María García, Sr. Gertrud-Maria Erhard (auf dem Foto fehlen: Birgitt Winter, P. Werner Kuller, Herr Volmert, Sr.  Kornelia)
P. José María García Fr. José María García P. José María García
Hna. M. Luciano Machens Sr. M. Luciane Machens Schw. M. Luciane Machens
Responsable para la infraestructura: Georg Schick In charge of the infrastructure: Georg Schick Für die Logistik zuständig: Georg Schick Fotos: M.K. Fischer © 2008

SCHOENSTATT, MKF. Who will voluntarily travel to Germany, in February, in full winter weather? Many! As well as in the USA, Brazil, Peru, Portugal, Uruguay, and Costa Rica, they are at this time buying plane tickets to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt, by car, it is still another hour heading north….. More than 80 delegates and more than 30 workers – from interpreters to those in charge of logistics – will travel to Schoenstatt to participate in the "2014 Conference" which will begin on February 1, 2009.

From the 1^st to the 7^th of February 2009, various representatives from the international Schoenstatt Family will meet in Schoenstatt – from one to five from each country – for the planning conference summoned by the General Presidium in order to celebrate the 100^th birthday of Schoenstatt in 2014. A Pentecostal event: persons speaking various languages and from many cultures, connected by the little Shrine in the Schoenstatt Valley whose centennial will be celebrated within five years, will be meeting together. The participants will evaluate the proposals from the different countries and will reflect on how the international Schoenstatt Family will prepare spiritually for the grace-filled year, 2014. They will also reflect on how and where the centennial of the Covenant of Love will be celebrated.

The design for the planning conference has taken into consideration the broad international breadth and the multiple federative formation of the international Schoenstatt Family and its attachment to the place of origin and its spirituality. The fundamental process for the current of life and graces which flow from the Original Shrine to the daughter Shrines and back from them to their source indicates the working process for the conference.

Current of graces…..

There is something very concrete in this topic: each country is invited to bring a symbol which expresses the original grace it received from the source, October 18, 1914. As it took place at the blessing of the Shrine in Belmonte with the jars from the many countries, in like manner, on the first day, these symbols – which will be carried in procession from the Original Shrine to the tomb of Father Kentenich and later to the conference room in the Father Kentenich House – the current of graces and life which returns to the Original Shrine from the Shrines throughout the world, must be visible. The international Auxiliary Shrine of the Rosary Campaign which is presently in Burundi, will return to Schoenstatt to preside at this Conference.

The preparatory team with Sr. M. Luciane Machens (area leader for the Mothers’ Federation in Germany and member of the General Presidium) and Fr. José María García (member of the general council of the Schoenstatt Fathers) at the helm, are preparing this Conference since June: liturgical celebrations, translation and elaboration of the petitions from each country, planning for the development of the Conference, technical installations, communication….. Some thirty workers – from about as many countries as the participants, among them Sisters of Mary, Schoenstatt Fathers, Coordinators from the Rosary Campaign and pilgrims – will be in the simultaneous translation booths, they will take care of protocol, edit texts and working documents, they will coordinate the preparation for the liturgical celebrations, busses and cars will always be available when necessary and they will make it possible for all of the participants to have within reach WiFi (wireless Internet connection) and sufficient computers.

Prayer accompaniment

An idea from MISIONES has greatly enthused the preparatory team: not everyone will be able to participate in the Conference nor will everyone be able to serve as workers, but everyone, really everyone, can accompany this Conference with prayer and contributions to the Treasury of Grace. All will be able to collaborate so that this Conference may be a new Pentecost, a Cenacle for Schoenstatt. Would it not be possible for the countries or the communities to share the days between the 1^st and the 7^th of February?.....the day of arrival?.....the day for reaping the fruits of the Covenant of Love?.....the day in common where we will reflect on what we are celebrating, how we are celebrating, where we are celebrating, how we will prepare ourselves and finally, the day we are sent forth?

This would truly be a small Cenacle for the entire Schoenstatt!

• For prayers or if you want to sponsor something, write to: pressoffice@schoenstatt.de

English Translation: Carlos Cantú, Schoenstatt Family Federation, La Feria, TX USA, 121208