Number Games – and a peek into the future

One month after the 2014 Conference: Why am I already so excited about 18 October 2014? Anna Rutzmoser, a German participant at the 2014 Conference, explains

Votación: la gran mayoria quiere una peregrinación masiva al Santuario Original el 18 de octubre de 2014 Voting: the vast majority is in favor of a massive pilgrimage on October 18, 2014 , to the Original Shrine Abstimmung: die überwältigende Mehrheit will eine Großveranstaltung, eine Großwallfahrt am 18. 10. 2014 – am Urheiligtum
La delegación de Alemania; Anna Rutzmoser a la derecha The German delegation: Anna Rutzmoser on the right side Die deutsche Delegation bei der Konferenz 2014; Anna Rutzmoser auf der rechten Seite
El 18 de octubre en Tuparenda, Paraguay – más de 40.000 peregrinos, año por año October 18 in Tuparenda, Paraguay – more than 40,000 pilgrims, each year 18. Oktober in Tuparenda, Paraguay – mehr als 40.000 Pilger, jedes Jahr
Por qué no podria suceder también lo mismo con nosotros? (P.K., 18.10.1914) Why could that not also hold true in our case? (Fr. K., 18.10.1914) Warum sollte das bei uns nicht auch der Fall sein können (P.K, 19.10.1914) Fotos:  K2014 – Schick, Santos, Leal © 2009

CONFERENCE 2014, Anna Rutzmoser. Twenty thousand...Some become a little nervous just thinking about this number. Others say, "Finally! The change we so greatly desired can be seen on the horizon!"

Twenty thousand...maybe less, maybe more: Many people have planned to fill the valley in Schoenstatt and the neighbouring hillside on 18 October 2014. This is almost a small town, the only difference is that these people come from Italy, Paraguay, the Philippines, Poland, Australia, Costa Rica and many other countries on five continents.

For years, they have saved part of their income, sold their cars and made many other sacrifices to live out their life’s dream: to be in the little shrine in the Schoenstatt valley on 18 October 2014 where everything started.

Those twenty or so people who were there on 18 October 1914 to seal the Covenant of Love with the MTA have become – 100 years later –20,000 people who will arrive at this holy place. And, in addition to this, there are some ten million people who, in various ways such as the Rosary Campaign, are in contact with this shrine all around the world and, on that day, will be united.

A new era in Schoenstatt

These twenty thousand pilgrims will announce a new era in Schoenstatt, not only because our existence as the Schoenstatt Movement is entering its second century but more importantly, because of the way we are entering this new era.

Hopefully we will do this as a Movement that aims to mobilise many people (and not only those belonging to the movement). To do this, we radically need to change the way we think and we must shift our mentality by 180º. What do I mean by this? Up until now, our thinking and acting, at least in Germany, has referred almost exclusively to the "organized movement" (ie, the Institutes, Unions, Leagues). We organize meetings for those who have always participated, we work on our self-education and deepen our relationship with the MTA. I’m not denying that all this is important and that it should be done to the best of our ability but I believe that was our task in the first century of our existence. But in the next century, we should continue to grow and take the next step – alongside the Movement’s "elite," we must also become a visible Movement for the people, and consequently, a Movement that holds weight and has an influence on the world. But I must make myself clear, we’re talking about "also" not "in place of."

The MTA’s move

I believe that the 2014 celebration, bringing tens of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world, is the MTA’s move. Since it is often difficult for us to understand and carry out what she wants – that the greatest possible number of people come to her in the Shrine so that they can return home blessed and transformed – she has taken some extensive measures. She has simply invited 20,000 pilgrims to her jubilee on 18 October 2014 and by doing that, she is forcing us to make sure that our thinking and local circumstances are adequate to meet these demands. Fr. Felipe Rios, the director for the Movement in Mexico, expressed this clearly during the 2014 Conference: Schoenstatt people automatically think in the quality of the retreats. When a pilgrimage arrives in Schoenstatt, we treat it as if it were a conference where we worry about accommodation and food, we prepare the programme down the smallest detail and even organize the travel aspects perfectly.

This is all very useful and good because it makes things easier, but in a place of pilgrimage, it is important that we focus on the spiritual aspects. As for the rest, the pilgrims can worry about that themselves (as in other well-known places of pilgrimage where people organise their own accommodation). In order to avoid misunderstandings, Schoenstatt will never be a "normal" place of pilgrimage. It would be beautiful if people in the surrounding areas were to make a family visit on a Sunday afternoon and to visit the Shrine. People are looking for this as we have seen from the ten thousand people who participate in the ten minutes by the Crib. But then, the infrastructure needs facilitate this. Among other things, there should be attractive possibilities for those pilgrims who come unannounced: they should be able to, for example, stop for refreshments in Schoenstatt.

My wish for myself and for others is that we become a Movement where the doors of the Shrine and our heart are open. Then we will be in a good position to enter the second century of our existence!

Translation: Sarah-Leah Pimentel, Johannesburg, South Africa