The Father Symbol, a mission of all his children

A worldwide pilgrimage begins…which will reach its goal on October 18, 2014

La Juventud Femenina de Treveris, Alemania, antes del envío lo llevó a Dachau The Girls’ Youth of the diocese of Trier, Germany, brought it to Dachau before Die Mädchenjugend des Bistums Trier brachte das Vatersymbol vor der Aussendung noch nach Dachau Foto: Johanna Becker © 2009
Christin Benkner, voluntaria en la Oficina de Prensa,  esta feliz de estar presente en este momento historico Christin Benkner, volunteer at the PressOffice, is glad to be present for the historical moment Christin Benkner, Schulpraktikantin im PressOffice, freut sich, den historischen Augenblick mitzuerleben
Roma, 2004: Monina Crivelli con la Peregrina del Padre Rome, 204 – Monina Crivelli with the “Pilgrim MTA of the Father” Rom, 2004: Monina Crivelli mit der “Pilgermutter des Vaters” Fotos: M.K.Fischer © 2009

SCHOENSTATT, mkf. "The General Presidency joyfully accepts the deisre of Conference 2014, that the Father Symbol, which our Father gave to the Original Shrine, begin its worldwide pilgrimage. On July 8, 2009 (the 99th Anniversary of Father Kentenich’s priestly ordination), it will be sent to visit all the national Schoenstatt Family during a Eucharistic celebration at the Original Shrine. Through this symbol, which reminds us of the loving care and guidance of God the Father, we are all invited to the Jubilee 2014 at the Original Shrine…" With these words, at the beginning of May, Father Heinrich Walter invited all the Schoenstatt Family to join the pilgrimage that will end on October 18, 2014.

The day is about to arrive! Father’s "Father Symbol", a gift from Father Kentenich to all his family, is about to begin its worldwide pilgrimage on July 8th. Besides those who can attend pysically, everyone – that is everyone who can heroically overcome the difference of time zones – can virtually participate, live, thanks to the live transmission at www.schoenstatt-tv.de.

Christin Benkner, a 16 year old, who belongs to the Girls’ Youth in the Diocese of Fulda, Germany, and who is currently carrying her school practicum at the Press Office, relates how many days until July 8th, she is excited that she will be able to "participate in this Schoenstatt historic event" as a generation that will carry Schoenstatt into its second century.

Father Kentenich’s gift to his family

On October 15, 1967, Father Kentenich gave this Father Symbol - a symbol of the loving care and guidance of God the Father – to the Schoenstatt Family of the Diocese of Trier, so that they could keep it representing all the family. Just a year later, the Father Symbol began an unex[ected worldwide pilgrimage: after Father Kentenich’s death, the Father Symbol went on pilgrimage through the countries that had waited so long for Father Kentenich’s personal visit after the long years of separation as a resol of the exile imposed by the Church. After some years of pilgrimage, it retruned to Schoenstatt where it remained in the care of Father Heinz Kunster, a Federation priest, as a precious inheritance of the Founding Father.

Something forgotten becomes a mission

It was in the year 2004. Before traveling to the blessing of the Matri Ecclesiae Shrine in Belmonte, Monina Crivelli, a missionary from Argentina and one of the first collaborators of sch.de, asked Father Heinz Kunster for the Father’s Pilgrim MTA, which John Pozzobon had given Father Kentenich, and which was also in "Herr Pastor’s" care, this is how Father Heinz Kunster is usually called. When she returned the Pilgrim MTA, she perceived his sadness because no one had asked for Father’s, Father Symbol so it could be taken to Rome. "Several times during that time, I asked myself why the Father Symbol was not present as it should have been" Sincerely, I could not determine what the MTA wanted, although I knew there had to be a reason, it was only a question of deciphering the Blessed Mother’s message. Today I think I have figured it, or least that is how it seems to me", she wrote on July 30, 2005. "The blessing of the Shrine in Rome was held 10 years before the Schoenstatt centennial. I asked myself if this occasion deserved a very special preparation by all of us, which beyond celebrating this, it should take us to a profund and vital commitment with Father’s mission, with the spirit of the Founding Documents, brought to life within us, just as the sodalists embodied it. Otherwise, It will only remain as a beautiful commemoration, but we would not be loyal to that milestone that we are celebrating. A milestone, that today more than ever, and with Rome, calls us to action, to the Dilexit Ecclesaim of the Father, to contribute that great and rich charism that we have received from our Father to the Church. Concretely, I posed the possiblity of convoking a novena of years in preparation for the Centennial, each year would have special content, so that it would only recall;rather it should be a work of personal conquest, that will be molded in the Original Shrine on the day of the centennial. I was thinking about this when I suddenly remembered the Father Symbol – blessed and given by Father himself, and which traveled the world uniting the family once again into the heart of the Father after his death, committing us with his mission – and then another question emerged…Wouldn’t it be possible for this very important and key symbol be at the same time a concrete symbol of our commitment with the mission, during the Centennial: In this way, the children would "incorporate" ourselves in the Original Shrine along with Father, through this beloved and meaningful symbol. Therefore, this would mean that it would have to go on pilgrimage to the different countries gathering this strong commitment with Father and his mission in each National Shrine. So that a new irruption of graces like those of "October 18, 1914" will travel to all our Family, with that fire and that zeal that ran through Father’s and the Sodalists’ veins on that day, with the conviction which made them give their lives for Schoenstatt, with the fruits that we now know are present in so many countries where the MTA is rooted. Within this context, we should mold ourselves even more in the Church and society, giving a response to the challenges which confront us today as a people of God and with humanity. I had the grace of having the Symbol when it came to Argentina some years ago, but I think that now there are many more roads to travel as a Family, and that the Symbol should also accompany those roads, going on pilgrimage again, within a very concrete and very profound context. As I said, it is of no use to recall if we do not seriously assume a vital commitment with that which we are celebrating…"

This was a letter written four years ago, that did not awaken a single echo, and which today has surprising relevance!

Conference 2014 was held in February of this year and "shortly afterwards the worldwide pilgrimage of the Father Symbol given by the Founder will begin. We hope that around his person our Family will be purified and grow in unity to strengthen ourselves in our mission at the service of the Church and of society".

The pilgrimage begins…

At the beginning of May, Father José Maria García and Sister M. Luciane Machen, who are in charge of the pilgrimage of the Father Symbol, wrote to the Directors of the Movement throughout the world, inviting all the countries to request the visit of the Father Symbol. Taking into account that 33 countries were represented at Conference 2014, and there are some more countries where Schoenstatt is present, means that the Symbol can stay about two months in each country. At the moment, 12 countries have responded: Puerto Rico, Poland, Portugal, Colombia, Argentina, Austrlia, Peru, Switzerland, Costa Rica, United States, the Czech Republic, and Burundi; many of them have requested dates around important national jubilees or events. At the moment the first country that will receive the Father Symbol is the United States in October, within the context of the Golden Jubilee of the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar. The countries that still want to request the Father Symbol can write to 2014@schoenstatt.de to ask for a date or to check on the dates that are available for the Father Symbol to visit their country.

The centennial of the Covenant of Love is still five years away, that is, 62 months, 62 18ths… The countdown has definitely begun with the worldwide pilgrimage of the Father Symbol.

"May this symbol help so that divine guidance will enthuse us to enter into vital contact with each other", said Father Heinrich Walter. "and may a stream of life emerge that we can introduce into the Church during the jubilee year."

Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio, USA