3 new Shrines: Father Kentenich continues to inspire generations
Karen Bueno
56 years after his death, what would Father Joseph Kentenich say to the Schoenstatt Family on September 15, 2024? It is impossible to know with certainty. Curiously, there is an application that was recently launched (only in Spanish) that works along these lines. An Argentinean developed the project “Letters with Father”, which applies artificial intelligence to Father Kentenich’s texts. Through the application it is possible to write a message to the Father and Founder and, in seconds, receive a personal response based on his texts. It is a technology that enhances experiences already common in the Movement, such as the “Father’s telephone”, for example.
But, regardless of what Father Kentenich would tell us today, we can be sure of one thing: he must be very happy to see how his Schoenstatt Family is living in September 2024. And the fact is that, despite the five decades that have passed since his departure, his spirit is still alive and touching many hearts all over the world. This is evident in the three inaugurations of new Shrines that have taken place, as well as in those that are currently taking place.
On this September 15, members of the Schoenstatt Family where new Shrines have been inaugurated share with us how Father Kentenich encourages and inspires the new generations in their search for holiness.
DR Congo:Schoenstatters want to be new men
Father Emmanuel Kahavu, rector of the new Shrine shares this with us:
Father Kentenich’s spirit, enthusiasm and charism are still alive in the Democratic Republic of Congo. This is because, with the arrival of the Schoenstatt Movement, the people have adopted his charism, his ideas and his way of life, acting as a bridge between God and humanity. They have become more charitable than before, thanks to the motto “Nothing without you, nothing without us”. In other words, thanks to this motto, people have realized that there is strength in unity. Another thing that now characterizes everyone is the idea of forming a new man in a new society. In all the parishes we have discovered that the most exemplary people, the role models, are Schoenstatt members, especially in their manner of being, living and even speaking, all thanks to what they have acquired in the Movement.
Schoenstatt became a mission of life because they found in Father Kentenich a person with integrity and humility who always wanted to change society and who always believed in Divine Providence. Even the Shrine we have just conquered is the fruit of Divine Providence. Faith in God and patience have been the two main pillars of their faith. Since we are in a part of the world where there are endless wars, people are inspired by Kentenich’s charism. Gradually, their hearts full of hatred are being transformed into hearts of reconciliation, tolerance and support for one another.
Maringá, Brazil: We learn from Father Kentenich to overcome difficulties
Magna Dutra, from the Schoenstatt Mothers’ League, relates:
Father Kentenich is always present here in Maringá, because everything refers back to him, to the beginning of the Movement. The Covenant of Love that he sealed with the young seminarians at the beginning is present in every Covenant formation and his teachings are always current, they still speak to us nowadays.
The conquest of the Shrine of Maringá has meant many challenges, as it was during Father Kentenich’s life. He faced many difficulties, such as war and exile. Likewise, after so many years of pursuing this conquest, we also had the grace that, in a difficult moment marked by people’s withdrawal due to the pandemic, we were authorized to build the Shrine. Like many of the conquests in Schoenstatt, ours in Maringá also came at a difficult time.
From now on, people will meet Father Kentenich spiritually on every visit to the Shrine. Today we look at our Tabor and think: “How can such a small Shrine be so big and welcoming at the same time, and how can Father Kentenich’s mission be so great?”
San Juan, Argentina: Keeping the enthusiasm and the charism alive
Analia Donoso, of the Mothers’ Federation, speaks to us on this day of celebration:
Father Kentenich’s spirit, enthusiasm and charism clearly endure, especially in places like San Juan, where, after 46 years of longing, the dream of the Shrine becomes a reality on September 15. Father Kentenich’s spirituality is not only a legacy of his time, but a living experience that transcends generations and is embodied in the Covenant of Love.
The mission of our founding generation in San Juan is to make this spirituality come alive in daily life. In every encounter with the Shrine, people discover their personal mission in salvation history and, more importantly, encounter the presence of Father Kentenich not only as a leader from the past, but also as a spiritual guide who continues to influence them. His charism comes alive in every heart and in every member of the family who, through hard work, dedication, joy and love, prepared this day of blessing.
The Shrine of San Juan will be a sacred space where the pilgrims will not only come to receive the graces that Mary grants, but will also, through each ally who is part of this spiritual family, be able to encounter the spirit of Father Kentenich. This is the mission of this generation: to keep this enthusiasm and charism alive so that every visitor to the Shrine can experience this same spirituality and be part of the transformation that Fr. Kentenich envisioned for the world.
Here is a reflection by Father Balthasar Blumers on the internal closeness and external distance of Father Kentenich, illustrated by his relationship with Fritz Esser.
At the end of the previous article, Father Fleischlin described that he came into contact with Father Kentenich after his return from exile, not necessarily through personal encounters, but rather during large conferences and retreats. The following describes one such encounter he had in November 1966 during a retreat organized by his community.
