The 20th October 2024 was a day of celebration at Mount Schoenstatt, Mulgoa, Australia. Not only was it 110 years since the foundation of Schoenstatt but also exactly 50 years since the Schoenstatt Family crowned the Blessed Mother as Mother, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt in the newly completed Movement Centre close to the Shrine.
The 2024 celebration was truly a family festival. The pre-programme involved information about the founding of Schoenstatt, and testimonies about what the Covenant of Love, Schoenstatt’s particular charism, means to various members of the Schoenstatt Movement. While this took place there was the opportunity for Confession. The participants were encouraged to write their offerings of love to the Blessed Mother together with their petitions and place them in the jar which had a central place below our Mother Thrice Admirable, together with the Crown which we would offer anew during the afternoon’s programme.
Thanking God
The festive Mass began with a procession of flags representing 24 countries and the joyful entrance hymn: “My Spirit rejoiced when they told me, let’s go to the house of the Lord”. Two priests concelebrated, both of whom belong to different Orders (Dominicans and Somascans), but who have entered into Schoenstatt’s Covenant of Love.
During the homily, Fr. Pawel Barszcsewski OP led more than 400 pilgrims and Schoenstatt members into an understanding of the gift of the Covenant of Love and the importance of the Schoenstatt Shrine. He encouraged the listeners not to be afraid to offer themselves to the Blessed Mother as she is the one who can lead them quickly and surely to Jesus and the heavenly Father. He pointed to the crowning which would be renewed in the afternoon and entrusted all of us to the care of our Mother, Queen and Victress.
Following Holy Mass, we went in procession to the Shrine where we renewed the Covenant of Love and a new Pilgrim Mother Shrine and coordinator was sent out.
Fun for everyone
The lunch break saw a hive of activities for the families. Apart from various food possibilities, the children thoroughly enjoyed a jumping castle, face-painting, popcorn and the possibility to make a plant while the adults could learn more about Schoenstatt at the information stall, browse through the Pilgrims’ Centre with its piety goods stall or buy plants to help raise money for our mission in the Philippines.
The Blessed Mother receives the crown again
The climax of the day was the afternoon re-coronation of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt in the Entrance Hall of the Joseph Kentenich House. This celebration began with devotions and benediction in the Shrine, a pause at the Statue of Fr. Joseph Kentenich, where we prayed and pledged anew our loyalty to our father and founder and finally the solemn renewal of the crowning of our Mother Thrice Admirable in the Movement Centre.
As Fr. Pawel Barszcsewski OP solemnly re-crowned our MTA approximately 150 Schoenstatt members and pilgrims prayed together the crowning prayer. In grateful remembrance of the event 50 years ago, representatives of the various branches, shared about the gift they had offered to the Blessed Mother back in 1974 and prayed a prayer which was unique for each branch at that time.
It was such a delight that around ten Schoenstatt members who had been present in 1974 were able to be once again at the celebration and joyfully reminisced about the event 50 years ago.
The day’s celebrations would not have been possible without the great team of volunteers who helped with organising, setting up and running the day’s activities as well as the many benefactors who supported this event financially.
We trust that our Mother Thrice Admirable will truly prove herself victorious in all the present-day concerns and worries in the society and Church, but in particular in questions regarding the way we wish to bring Schoenstatt to our local Church and the many visitors to our Shrine.