News

May 5, 2021 By Vanessa Franke

Schoenstatt Fathers in Germany to welcome a new priest and new deacon

The Bishop of Trier, Stephan Ackermann, will ordain Johannes Oelighoff as priest and Jakob Busch as deacon in Schoenstatt

Heinrich Brehm
May 5th. 2021

Photo: Bishop Stephan Ackermann
@pfarrservice.de

Einladung Priester und Diakonweihe Schoenstatt

Monsignor Stephan Ackermann will celebrate Mass in Schoenstatt

The community of Schoenstatt Fathers is getting ready for a special celebration on May 9th. With the laying-on of hands and through the prayers of Bishop Stephan Ackermann, Johannes Oelighoff will receive the sacrament of priestly ordination and Jakob Busch the diaconate ordination.

“It is a great joy for us that at an especially difficult time of change in the Church in our country, two of our young brothers are taking this decisive step in their lives, and with all their strength, putting themselves totally at the service of Christ and the Church”, said Father Theo Breitinger, superior at the Schoenstatt Fathers in Germany’s Sion Province. “At the same time, we are also very thankful that the bishop of Trier, Stephan Ackermann, is coming to Schoenstatt during this time to ordain our brothers.”

⇐ “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” Jn 15:13; that is Sieger Köders inspiring message in the invitation to the ordination Mass. (Photo: private)

Johannes Oelighoff will receive the priestly ordination

Johannes Oelighoff is from Giessen and became involved with the Schoenstatt Movement through its Men’s Youth League. After finishing his baccalaureate qualification, he studied theology for four semesters at the Life School in Munich. He then went to Chile to complete a year of social work. At the end of 2013, he started his novitiate in Schoenstatt, Vallendar. After he finished his studies, he spent another year in Chile as an intern with the community of Schoenstatt Fathers. He was ordained deacon in 2020.

Johannes gained pastoral experience during the last year and a half in the parish of Eislingen/Fils, where he will continue working until the summer following his ordination.

“As a priest, I want to create places and moments where people can encounter and experience God. ‘Through faith, may Christ inhabit your hearts’ (Eph 3:17)”, said Johannes. “That is how I want to be the bearer of Christ for others.”

Jakob Busch will be ordained as deacon

Jakob Busch grew up in Langenberg, in the district of Gütersloh. Through the Families Movement he came into contact with Schoenstatt at an early age. After finishing high school, he went to Mexico to do some volunteer service for two years. When he returned to Germany, he transferred to Munich where he studied theology.

Together with Johannes and six other brothers he started his novitiate in Schoenstatt. In 2015 he restarted his theology studies in Munich which he finished in the summer of 2020. During this time, for about a year, Jakob also worked with the Men’s Youth in Freiburg. As preparation for his ordination as deacon, he has been working since September at a hospital chapel in Munich.

Jakob commented: “For me, being a deacon means putting myself next to Jesus and asking the person with him: ‘What do you want me to do for you?’ (Lk 18,41) By sharing, listening and understanding, I want to accompany the people.”

Celebratory Mass

This very special celebratory mass, which may be attended by invitation only due to the pandemic situation, will take place on Sunday, May 9, 2021 at 14:00 in the Pilgrim’s Church in Schoenstatt, Vallendar.

Proof and Edit by Stephen Bromley

May 3, 2021 By Maria Macias

Men conquer St. Joseph’s image in Brazil

Men conquer St. Joseph's image in Brazil

To know, get inspired by and live like St. Joseph: this is the Men's Rosary objective during 2021

José Luiz Pimentel
Mai 3rd. 2021

The National Secretariat for the Men’s Rosary “Mother and Queen” in Brazil launched a project: “Personal conquest of St. Joseph’s image for the men of the Rosary.” This unprecedented initiative is based on Pope Francis’ decree that established 2021 as the year of St. Joseph, based on the document “Patris Corde”. St. Joseph is a current and captivating figure for today’s men.

As stated by the Pope in Patris Corde, St. Joseph is the loved father, the father of tenderness, the father of obedience, the father of acceptance, the father with creative value, the hard-working father, the father in the shadow. Through this project, the members of the Men’s Rosary are motivated to get to know St. Joseph more deeply during this year dedicated to him.

How does the project work?

To achieve their goal, the men should acquire an image of St. Joseph, choose one month of the year starting on March 2021 and begin praying a novena which was prepared for this initiative. On the 19th of each month, the Schoenstatt Fathers celebrate a Mass where the images are blessed. This celebration takes place and is transmitted from the Tabor Shrine of the New Evangelization, in Olinda, cradle of the Men’s Rosary in Brazil.

For the Men of the Rosary the personal conquest of St. Joseph’s image is an opportunity to go deeper into his history, get to know him better and take for themselves his exemplary life of holiness. In addition to the novena, the National Secretariat is sending texts and audio during this year with information about Jesus’ adoptive father. These texts allow the men to search deeper into his life of holiness and obedience to God and motivate them to be better in order to follow a path of holiness.

According to numerous testimonials, those who pray the novena say they felt closer and more familiar with St. Joseph. All these opportunities to study and pray allow them to take his life as an example. They are inspired to obey the Father, to be patient and understanding with their families, and to fulfill with love the father role in the family.

More than a million members are part of the Men’s Rosary in Brazil. (see info)

As a personal testimony, I can affirm that the personal conquest of the image of St. Joseph meant a new awakening for me. I could see that I still have a lot of room for improvement in following the example of this extraordinary man. When I heard about the project, I ran to get my image, prayed the novena and participated in the celebration through social networks, since I live in the city of São Luis, in the state of Maranhão. Surely, this new awakening will lead me to take better paths and to seek the life of holiness with more intensity, since, aside from everything, my name is also Joseph.

May St. Joseph always intercede for us, making us new personalities for our time.

May 3, 2021 By Vanessa Franke

Croatia: A Schoenstatt family full of passion

Schoenstatt grows from its two shrines

Claudia Brehm
May 3rd. 2021

Fr. Christoph Horn, from Switzerland, has been working in Croatia for 23 years and has helped to build up the young Schoenstatt Movement there. In the summer of 2009, the first National Shrine in Mala Subotica was blessed, followed in 2018 by the Shrine in Ivanovci. The two shrines in Croatia are home to many committed families, men, women, youth and children.

A heart in the Father

Due to the coronavirus, Father Horn wrote the annual retreat in letter form. Since it was copied and passed on digitally among the members, many more people were able to participate than during a face-to-face event.

This year’s motto “A Heart in the Father” refers to the placement of the Father symbol in the Ivanovci Shrine, which is scheduled for September 18. Father Horn wrote seven reflections on the Father Symbol, which were sent and distributed to a large number of members of the Croatian Schoenstatt Family on seven consecutive Saturdays.

All the reflections: Providence, Suffering, Being a child before God, Mercy and love, Praying, and Walking with the Father have the common goal of getting to know the Heavenly Father better, loving and honoring Him more, and also learning to enter into a lively personal conversation with the Father of life.

The two Sisters of Mary collaborating in Croatia, Sr. M. Mariana and Sr. M. Ramona, who are especially there for the women, the mothers and the families, were able to have some formation during Advent 2020 and Lent 2021.

A new help for Croatia – Father Przemyslaw Skapski

Father Horn has been looking for helpers from the institutes involved in the Croatian Schoenstatt Movement for a long time. Now his prayer has been answered. Father Przemyslaw Skapski from Poland received permission from his superior in September 2020 to go to Croatia for one month each year to work with the Schoenstatt Masculine Youth. Father Skapski has long lost his heart in Croatia where he learned the Croatian language, did his pastoral internship, and celebrated a First Mass after his ordination in 2017. He fell in love with Croatia not only for its literature and food, but above all for its culture and the people, “who became so incredibly friendly with me,” as Father Skapski expressed.

The shrine in Ivanovci is growing

The initial structure of a pilgrims’ house next to the Ivanovci Shrine was finished in November 2020. However, there was not enough money to continue the construction.

Father Horn wrote in his newsletter: “But the Blessed Mother will take care that in 2021 we will be able to begin construction in the interior…” And he relates, “One day in mid-November, I sat down in the Mount Sion Shrine and addressed God the Father, who in his wise and loving providence cares for us. I told him: Dear and good Father, we have become quite helpless in terms of money, and for the life of me I can’t see any new source for a large donation. But you, good Father, have a very big purse…”

It is unbelievable what happened the following weeks. It became obvious how big our Father’s heart is and how He can also open other people’s hearts and purses. In a short time, many important donations were received in our shrine’s account and we could confidently continue construction. “Many thanks to all the donors.”

Fr. Horn is in Croatia again and will remain there until mid-June. He will focus on God’s and the Blessed Mother’s Shrines, bringing love to the people and inviting everyone to a personal relationship with them.

Croatia’s Schoenstatt Family webpage is www.hso.hr

April 29, 2021 By Magdalena Rosario Lira

Youth in Chaco, Argentina: For everything or nothing

On April 2, 3 and 4, in Resistencia City, 48 young people between the ages of 18 and 28 said yes to fully experiencing the spirit of the Holy Week .

Estefanía Cuneo
28 April 2021

It has been more than ten years since the University Missions Ita Pater ita Mater -Muipim- became an important part of the identity shared by the Feminine and Masculine Youth of the Schoenstatt Family in Chaco, Argentina.

The missions began thanks to the inspiration felt by some youth who took part in the Catholic University Missions in Paraguay. The experience of love, the profound call to the mission and the desire to surrender to the MTA was so great that when they returned, they wanted others to be able to experience that ardor. The name reflects the filial ideal “Yes Father, yes Mother.”

Since the very beginning, this mission has been an entryway for youth while offering them Schoenstatt’s charisma. Thanks to Father Jaime Mora who wanted to lend a hand to the Church and went along with them, more than 10 sites and towns were visited in which harsh realities were encountered in remote and forgotten communities with considerable material and spiritual needs.

The mission is characterized for its simplicity: To live each Holy Week with Christ, with oneself and with your brothers and sisters. To be able to detach oneself and become an instrument.

A strong missionary trend

So far, around 800 missionaries have lived this experience and around 1200 families have been touched by the missions.

This year the missions were held in a very particular way due to the situation we are all facing. On April 2, 3 and 4, in Resistencia, 48 young people between the ages of 18 and 28 said yes to fully experiencing the spirit of the Holy Week.

Guided by God, ignited by the love for Christ, with the yearning to leave traces of mercy and hope in society, the youth were encouraged to live the encounter in times of the pandemic in a camp-like way.

Love for everything or nothing

Throughout those days, they accompanied Jesus in his most sublime surrender to love. They meditated on the inspirational motto that pushed them to live a different Holy Week: “Guided by God, for everything or nothing“. To put oneself at stake, to give oneself generously, to love, with the certainty that God is the one who calls and the one who leads the way.

Father Kentenich used to say: “If God gave us this mission, He has to take care of things, He has to clarify things.“

The whole project was all-or-nothing, each decision implied a leap into the void, from the planning and coordination to experiencing the camp-retreat. Waiting for responses and recommendations from the authorities, adapting the mission format, visiting the picnic areas, etc. Everything up to the last minute was difficult but God took care of opening doors and gave us his paternal love up to the last second.

For Christ there are no half measures

His love is all-or-nothing and calls for the rediscovery of values and applying them to life.

Ita Pater Ita Mater

The missions have witnessed countless miracles of conversion and transformation. From the profound encounter with God, the desire to share is born.

How many hearts have generously allowed themselves to be molded by Him!

The days went by in an atmosphere of prayer, closeness and joy of sharing. It was possible to experience the graces brough about by the daily dedication of many people who through their material and spiritual collaboration were instruments in this experience.

From the Shrine, Mary gives back in graces.

The most beautiful and valuable thing about the great family, the Church, is the bonds of love that know no time, distance, age or borders. All of our offerings are the guarantee and the foundation for the conquest and future construction of our longed-for daughter Shrine.

“Guided by God, for everything or nothing”

Translated by Maribel Acarón

April 28, 2021 By Magdalena Rosario Lira

Schoenstatt in Cartago, Costa Rica: a festive celebration

April 15th marked a milestone for the Schoenstatt Family in Cartago: a new place became available for this beautiful family to continue growing under our Blessed Mother's shelter and protection.

Maricruz Coto
28 April 2021

Cartago, one of Costa Rica’s seven provinces, finally has a place for the Schoenstatt family to flourish in their formation, ideals and affiliations.

During a special evening, we had Monsignor Mario Quirós Quirós, bishop of Cartago’s diocese, Father José Luis Correa, advisor to the Schoenstatt Movement in Costa Rica and Central America, and representatives from the Feminine Youth, the Families, Women, and Men Branches; as well as representatives from the Pilgrim Mother Campaign and the “Madrugadores (meaning Early Risers, which is an international men’s prayer group)”.

Reflection and motivation

As part of the act, Father José Luis Correa shared with the audience (virtual and present) a beautiful reflection where we were able to revisit important moments in Schoenstatt’s history which has been characterized by taking its first steps with small acts that, hand in hand with the Lord, the Blessed Mother and her divine Providence, have borne fruit, making our Founding Father’s work grow.

He encouraged the youth to continue their development and formative processes and stressed the importance of the youth in the fulfillment of God’s plans.

Room’s blessing

One of the most awaited moments of the evening was carried out by Monsignor Mario Quirós Quirós who was in charge of the blessing of the premises, not without first addressing some inspirational words to the Schoenstatt Family in Cartago encouraging them to fulfill the ideals that the Lord and the Blessed Mother have for the community, especially for the youth of the diocese, emphasizing the importance of providing spaces for the youth’s development and formation.

The evening ended with our consecration to the MTA placing before her all the efforts to create this space that will serve the Schoenstatt Movement and praying that she will spill her graces on the entire Schoenstatt Family of Cartago.

Nothing without you, nothing without us.

Translation by Maribel Acarón