What an exciting time to be in Schoenstatt! I wish I could be there…

Around the Original Shrine at the end of April 2009

Jornada de la Central del Movimiento de Schoenstatt en Alemania: Oración en el Santuario Original Meeting of the Central of the Schoenstatt Movement in Germany : Prayer in the Original Shrine Das Treffen der Zentrale der deutschen Schönstatt-Bewegung schloss mit Gebet im Urheiligtum
Miembros de la Central intercambiando Members of the Central sharing Treffen der Zentrale: Austausch am Urheiligtum nach der Gebetszeit
Rosario Iluminado Illuminated Rosary Lichter-Rosenkranz
La nueva Auxiliar para Burundi The new Auxiliary for Burundi Die neue Auxiliar für Burundi
Se reza por todo lo que es parte de la vida, por todo lo que conmueve They pray for all that is part of their life, for all, that moves … Es wird für alles gebetet, was Teil des Lebens ist, für alles, das bewegt Fotos: K. Fischer © 2009

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "What an exciting time to be in Schoenstatt! I wish I could be there…" commented Celina Garza from San Antonio, Texas after translating an article about the events at Schoenstatt. Yes, it is an exciting time; it is spring when thousands of flowers and colors can be seen, birdsongs can be heard, and sunlight illuminates the mountains and the valley until late in the afternoon. Moreover it is especially attractive because pilgrims have returned to fill this holy place.

On Friday, the 24^th, headquarters’ members of the Schoenstatt Movement of Germany – about forty people - among them Priests, Sisters, couples from the Institute, and ladies from Women’s Federation –gathered for a day of reflection and of work concluding with an hour of pray in the Original Shrine.

Within this context, they also congratulated the former and simultaneously new Director of the Movement, Father Dr. Lothar Penners, who was re-elected to this position for a second term of six years to serve the Movement in the country of Schoenstatt’s origin.

The coming and going of volunteers

This weekend Fernando bid farewell; he is a Mexican volunteer who helped in the Pilgrims’ Center for several months. As he returned to Mexico, two new volunteers arrived. One is from Chile, and the other one is also from Mexico. They are in addition to Cassio Leal from Brazil; now there are three boys who live at the Franz Reinisch House close to the Pilgrims’ Church. They work with Father Franz Widmaier.

There was also a farewell at the Press Office: Kathrin Frentzen, a member of the Girls’ Youth from Borken, Germany, completed her professional practicum on May 2^nd, after four weeks of intense work. Thank you, Kathrin!

Theological-pastoral Symposium of the Polish Catholic Mission in Germany

A theological pastoral symposium of the Polish Catholic Mission in Germany was held at House Marienland on Mount Schoenstatt; primarily it was for the priests who work in Germany in the pastoral of their compatriots, then it was for the lay leaders of several tasks in the communities of families of Polish origin. Since the Pilgrim MTA visits so many Polish families in Germany, Schoenstatt is very well known, and many of the priests and lay people who attended showed much interest in learning more about the place of grace and about the Movement that was born here.

Illuminated Rosary

On Saturday, April 25^th, there was a large celebration at House Sonnenau: a couple, who joyfully and frequently participates in the Masses at the Pilgrims’ Church, celebrated their Silver Anniversary in Schoenstatt.

During the afternoon, the Illuminated Rosary was prayed once more at the Adoration Church. The new Auxiliary MTA from Burundi and the countries of the African Great Lakes presided. Among the participants there were two couples, which had seen a poster at House Schoenfels, and they spontaneously decided to participate. "It was very touching," they commented. "We had never prayed so personally and at the same time completely within a true community…" We prayed for the victims of the earthquake in Italy, for peace in Burundi, for children receiving their First Communion, for the soldiers in Afghanistan, for Facundo Benabei and Federico Piedrabuena who were ordained as priests on May 1^st, in Cordoba, Argentina, for the sick, the unemployed, but we also gave thanks for the many gifts we have received: healings, conversions, births of children and grandchildren…in a word, for everything that is a part of life and for everything that touches us…" It is so good to know that from all these joys and sorrows a living crown of roses is born…"

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, TX, USA/amj