Ten young women from Argentina, Brazil, Ecuador, and Poland celebrated their clothing ceremony on November 15, 2025. During a solemn Holy Mass, they received the dress of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. This day in the Jubilee Year was a special joy for the international community, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary on October 1, 2026.
The ten young women are:
Amanda Araújo, Brazil
Amanda Rosa S. Silva, Brazil
Carina Turski, Brazil
Erika Mena Abad, Ecuador
Manoella Schwerz, Brazil
María Paulina Bianciotti, Argentina
María Paz Franco, Argentina
Mikaela Moura, Brazil
Sofía Sicardi, Argentina
Zuzanna Kobiec, Poland
Festive Mass in the Adoration Church
At 11 o’clock, the ringing of the bells resounded over Mount Schoenstatt. In the fully occupied Adoration Church, everyone watched with eager anticipation the entrance of the novices. With the solemn procession of the novices dressed in white, the Mass began. Fr. Bernd Biberger, General Director of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, was the main celebrant. He welcomed the young women, their families, and friends, some of whom had come from far away. Many had already participated in the prayer vigil the evening before.
“Magnificat” was the motto of the reception ceremony: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” Joy and jubilation shone from the faces of the ten novices. The liturgy was accompanied by multilingual music. In his homily, Fr. Biberger presented Mary as the new woman, entirely given to God, open to the concerns of others, and ready to serve God. By saying “yes” to their vocation, the novices want to be Mary in the midst of the world. The dress and the name Mary are outward signs of this.
The actual rite began when Sr. M. Joanna Buckley, Superior General, called the novices by their new names. This was followed by the presentation of the dresses, medals, and candles.
While the novices changed, the ceremony continued with songs and prayers. Sisters from their home countries brought lilies to the image of the Blessed Mother.
The suspense grew, and then the novices entered the church in their dark blue dresses—a moment of deep emotion and joy, greeted with spontaneous applause. In the petitions, they presented the concerns of the world and the Church in their native languages.
At the end of the Mass, the novices turned to the Blessed Mother with a prayer and a song, calling her the Light of Hope. Like her and with her, they want to become a light of hope for the world and bring hope and light into it.
As they left the church, they were welcomed by their families and guests with their national flags. After a time of congratulations, many joined the invitation to a festive lunch.
Congratulations in the Father Kentenich House
In the afternoon, a congratulatory celebration took place in the film room of the Father Kentenich House. Sr. M. Joanna thanked parents and relatives and told the novices: “You are the best jubilee gift we could have received, a light of hope for us and for the world.”
A presentation showed pictures from the lives of the novices. Well-wishers from different countries, families and youth groups conveyed their congratulations. The novices gave testimony to their joyful community and thanked everyone for their prayers and accompaniment.
Continuation on Sunday
The next day, Sunday Mass was celebrated in the Adoration Church, which also marked the 140th birthday of Father Kentenich. After the Mass, there was a gathering at the Mother House of the Sisters of Mary to exchange thoughts on vocation, community, and the future. The reception of ten novices in the Jubilee Year was described as a special gift.
A visible sign on the feast day was a rainbow over Schoenstatt: “Do not be afraid! I have called you by your name. I am with you!” (Is 43:5a).
