Visit to the Schoenstatt Original Shrine

A testimony of Marco Antonio González, Paraguay, a Doctor of pre-natal, Obstetric Gynecology, a candidate of the Federation of Families, knowing Schoenstatt since 2005

	Bendición del Santuario Hogar Home Shrine Blessing Bei der Weihe des Hausheiligtums
	El rosal indica el camino The white rose showing the way Der weiße Rosenstrauch als Wegweiser der anderen Art
	En el Santuario de las Familias In the Shrine of the Families Im Heiligtum der Familien
	Frente del Santuario de las Familias In front of the Shrine of the Families Vor dem Heiligtum der Familien
	Encuentro con el Padre Kentenich Meeting Father Kentenich Begegnung mit Pater Kentenich
	Con Anneliese Nuño With Anneliese Nuño Mit Anneliese Nuño Fotos: González © 2009

In June 2006, we had the opportunity to visit Germany for the World Soccer Games and we planned to visit the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt. One Sunday morning we decided to go, we were staying in the small city of Weslar not too far from the place.

We asked at the hotel and to our surprise they did not know the place. But we had decided to visit the Original Shrine and we decided to travel to Koblenz by train which is about 15 kms. from Vallendar, a place on the edge of the Rhine. We bought the ticket for Frankfurt to make the connection and before boarding our train we saw that there was direct train from Weslar to Koblenz which we had not noticed since we did not know the language.

In search of the Shrine

In spite of the change of trains we arrived to Koblenz, by asking around we were given directions of where to take a bus to Vallendar. In our eagerness to arrive we got off a bit far…on the side of the river Rhine and from there we began to walk in search of the Shrine. We arrived on a Sunday, at nap time, no one was on the street and for a moment we felt lost. Marta, my wife began to pray so that the Blessed Mother would send us a sign, which appeared quickly; in the form of white rose bushes with a beautiful scent!!! Coincidentally, the white rose is the symbol of our original group, by the name of LIGHT OF MARY; it was so touching for us and that moment Marta said all we need now is for a sister to appear and take us to the Shrine by the hand.

Two blocks afterwards, we met a Polish Sister leaving a school and she understood our basic English. She placed herself between the two of us and took us by our arms taking us to a Sister, who spoke Portuguese and with whom we could converse more fluently.

The visit to the Shrine filled us with emotion and joy, so much so, since it is a place for Perpetual Adoration, we had to step aside to manifest our happiness! There we had a distinguished guide, Mrs. Nuño, from the Institute of Families, who took us to the different shrines and their houses.

That day of June 2006 was truly blessed and it will be unforgettable in our lives

We visited the Adoration Church and the sacristy, where Father Kentenich, the founder of the movement is buried. We placed our Capital of Grace and the letters from our group members on the little carpet that is beside the tomb and we signed the visitor’s book. We prayed there and there was another gift: a group of Sisters were finishing Adoration and we could hear a choir of truly wonderful voices that was like being transported to heaven.

That day of June 2006 was truly blessed and it will be unforgettable in our lives. We continued to travel to the different mountains and we obtained some brochures and souvenirs from the place. At a given time, our guide did not seem to trust the strangers, dressed in sports clothes…but when we prayed the I Trust Your Might together, everything became clear, that was our countersign!

The experience of our trip was truly extraordinary, so much so that we left the place close to 9:00 p.m. with the sun of a German spring time still shining.

That day of June 2006 was truly blessed and it will be unforgettable in our lives; we visited the place where the Movement was born, which under the protection Mary wants to give the entire world the transformation of life and of families in Christ, to truly be New Men, Women and Families committed through the apostolate to serve our communities for a better world.