News

October 19, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

Paraguay Shrine – a history of the Blessed Mother with the Guarani people

Paraguay Shrine - a history of the Blessed Mother with the Guarani people

A wonderful story of love between the Blessed Virgin and her Paraguayan people marks the 40th anniversary of the National Schoenstatt Shrine in Paraguay.

Arturo Zarratea | 10.19.2021

“Tupãrenda” in the Guarani language means “God’s dwelling”.

Miracles exist in Schoenstatt, and we call them miracles of transformation. The sites of our Original Shrine and those of the daughter shrines are conquered by Schoenstatt’s family, by means of the capital of grace, the voluntary surrender of small sacrifices and the joys that stone by stone built them.

We do not believe in coincidences. Just as our Original Shrine was in the Schoenstatt Valley, which means “beautiful place”, the first shrine conquered in Paraguay exactly 40 years ago was built in a place that, before being acquired and conquered, already bore the name of “Tupãrenda”, which in the Guarani language means “God’s dwelling”. Was there a more appropriate name?

We can picture the Paraguayan pioneers together with the three priests who returned to re-found the movement, Father Antonio Cosp, the then Father Claudio Giménez – today Bishop Emeritus of Caacupé – and Father Nicolás Schwizer. We imagine those first families, conquered by the Blessed Mother’s love, visiting sites, praying, burying little medals looking for Her to be the one to decide the place of her future shrine, a shrine that did not yet exist in the country.

Santuario de Paraguay — Foto: Schoenstatt Paraguay

An incredible landscape…

These pioneers arrived in the area of Itauguá, about 34 kilometers from Asunción, and were surprised by the landscape of the place, its hills, its stream with crystalline waters and the peace it transmitted. We imagine that upon hearing the name of the property, more than one of them must have said “this must be the place”.

In 1981 the first daughter shrine was built in Paraguay; the National Shrine of Tupãrenda stood magnificently for those who had dreamt so often of asking the Blessed Mother to establish herself in Guarani lands. The national motto of the movement in Paraguay also has a certain relationship with this place: “God’s country, heart of America”.

For those who do not have the grace of knowing Tuparenda, we can only tell them that this small piece of Schoenstatt abroad, where the Blessed Mother was established 40 years ago, is extremely special for Paraguay: it was the first Shrine, it is the place of pilgrimage for thousands of people on October 18th, and it is the precise place where many of the Paraguayan Schoenstatt members carried out the most intense exchange of hearts that exists, the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother, and this makes it unforgettable.

A day of much prayer and full of life

On Monday, October 18th, Masses were celebrated at different times, as scheduled and in Covid mode. The intention of the morning mass was for Health, presided by Father Oscar Saldívar, rector of the National Shrine of Tupãrenda. Later in the afternoon there was a celebration for the Youth, presided by Fathers Antonio Cosp, Pedro Kühlcke and Cristián Rodríguez. Finally, in the evening we were able to attend the Mass for the Family, presided by Father Martín Gómez Asensio and Father Oscar Saldívar.

Although this year the attendance to the celebration could not be massive, due to the pandemic, the whole Family of Paraguay was represented in the masses. At the end of the Masses, the enthusiastic attendees went on pilgrimage from the Holy Mary of the Trinity Church to the Shrine of Tupãrenda where the capital of grace that had been deposited during the entire novena was burned. Many spiritual offerings were offered to Mary and Jesus, so that Schoenstatt in Paraguay can fulfill its mission for the Church and society.

October 19, 2021 By Vanessa Franke

Bells of peace call for unity in Europe

Long ago, the Nazis stole church bells from churches all over Germany, even from the former East German territories, in order to secure metal reserves and to serve as raw material for war equipment. One-fifth of these bells eluded destruction and were hung in West German churches after World War II. In September of this year, the initiative "Bells of Peace for Europe" was launched, to which Sister Faustina, a Schoenstatt Sister from Poland who works in Germany, belongs. The initiative has set out to return stolen bells to Poland and the Czech Republic and to organize the production of replacement bells for churches in Germany.

Claudia Brehm / Sr. Faustina Niestroj
19.10.2021

Die Verantortlichen des Projektes (von rechts): Prof. Dr. Hans Schnieders (Projektleiter), Bischof Gebhard Fürst, Frederic Kaminski, Sr. M. Faustina Niestroj, Roman Schmid (Foto: Boczek)

Bells of Peace for Europe: an initiative that inspires hope

During World War II, beginning in 1940, the German armaments industry converted some 100,000 bells into weapons and ammunition. Some of these bells survived the Second World War. They were loaned to German churches in the years after the war, according to current government documents.

Facing the past with a glance towards the future

The project focuses on the coexistence of the peoples of Europe, based on the Christian message and the Gospel. On the one hand, Bells of Peace for Europe is a kind of reconciliation with the past, but at the same time it is strongly oriented towards the future. It is about weaving a network of unity, mutual trust, and encounter between countries.

With the initiative of the diocesan bishop of Rottenburg-Stuttgart, Dr. Gebhard Fürst, some 54 church bells abandoned after the war are to be returned to their original towers in the areas of present-day Poland and the Czech Republic.

In the Maria Hilfe der Christen church in Nürtingen, Germany, there was one bell from Poland and one from the Czech Republic. The fact that the bells belonging to two countries were in the same church was something unique and led to the decision to choose this place as the starting point of the peace project.

On September 24, the handing over of the bells was celebrated at a festive mass with the corresponding bishops from Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic, as well as a delegation of nine priests from Ermland, Joseph Engling’s homeland.

The citizens of Germany and Poland celebrated a festive community service that clearly expressed that the Christian faith of the Church brings former enemies together around the Lord’s table as brothers and sisters. The day provided an opportunity to establish contacts and bonds of friendship. Appreciation for one another was awakened.

Bishop Fürst from Germany reported enthusiastically about the subsequent visit to Poland: “In Poland I experienced the great, emotionally deep meaning that this festive event has for the people. We foreigners were welcomed as German brothers and sisters in faith and as friends. I was able to experience that the painful and unjust wartime history of this bell finally turned it into a symbol of hope, international understanding and peace.”

The symbolism of the peace bells

For each bell that is returned, a replacement bell will be recast and decorated with the peace symbol. The artist Massimiliano Pironti created a motif that inspires and conveys a message. This is how he explains his work:

“The two doves, the rays, the wreath of stars and the prayer for peace are related to each other and form a union. The image shows how peace is both a task for human beings and a gift from God. The dove that comes from above and brings the olive branch – the symbol of peace – to others is a symbol of the Holy Spirit. God spreads his love through the Holy Spirit into the world and wants to establish a relationship. The rays are an expression of trust and joy in the peace that expands everywhere from the encounter and acceptance of the Holy Spirit, spreading courage through his witnesses. The wreath of twelve stars represents the European Union, but also unity, harmony, and perfection in peace. The wreath of stars also stands for Mary, the Mother of the Church. The Church, as a community of believers, is given the task to protect the peace.

The prayer in the wreath of stars is a call for reconciliation and peace in Europe through the Prince of Peace Jesus Christ, our Lord: EXORO RECONCILIATIONEM ET PACEM IN EUROPA PER DOMINUM NOSTRUM IESUM CHRISTUM PRINCIPEM PACIS”.

Source: schoenstatt.de

October 17, 2021 By Vanessa Franke

What does Servus Mariae Nunquam Peribit mean?

A phrase that today is spread in more than 200 daughter shrines around the world

Karen Bueno
10.17.2021

Whoever enters a Schoenstatt shrine, as soon as they raise their eyes, will encounter the phrase that surrounds the image of Mary: Servus Mariae Nunquam Peribit. Translated from Latin, this expression means that a servant of Mary will never perish.

But why is this phrase there? Who put it there?

Fritz Esser, a congregant of the first Schoenstatt generation, chose this phrase. Initially he carved a wooden frame with these words for the Original Shrine. His desire was to make a gift to the Virgin Mary, decorate the shrine and also declare something he had experienced on many occasions: our Blessed Mother never abandons her children.

Thus, in 1919, this frame was placed in the Schoenstatt shrine.

In the history of the Church

“The origin of the motto ‘Servus Mariae nunquam peribit’ has a long Catholic tradition going back at least to St. Anselm of Canterbury (1033-1109) and includes St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787) as a special promoter. There are records of its use in Schoenstatt in 1916 with the variant Servus Maria non peribit. The more categorical expression ‘nunquam’ (never) appears as early as April 1917 in a letter written by Max Brunner”, explained Father Jonathan Niehaus. Niehaus further states that with this phrase “Esser preferred to carve out a motto that was very dear to him.” [1]

The inscription: SERVUS MARIAE NUNQUAM PERIBIT expresses the conviction of a young life and of the entire Marian Congregation. It is likely that this frame was placed around the image of the MTA on the fifth anniversary of the Marian Congregation, Sunday, April 27, 1919.

What does Father Kentenich tell us?

In a meeting with married couples in Milwaukee/USA Father Kentenich points out:

“Look at what is written above the arch in the shrine. It is: Servus Mariae nunquam peribit. Which Mary is this referring to? To the Mother Thrice Admirable, who established herself here, educating people here and through them, placing a new world before Christ.

This phrase means, therefore, that in the ark – in Schoenstatt – we will be, above all, preserved from the destruction of our soul. This is the first meaning of the words ‘Servus Mariae nunquam peribit’. Mary, however, is not satisfied with preserving from grave sin those who consecrate themselves to her in the Shrine. It is not only a matter of preserving our soul, our character, but also of being educated in an ideal, in the ideal of holiness in the midst of the world, so that we can be fathers and mothers of a new society.” [2]

The image of the MTA with the first illuminated frame made by Esser.

The frame

The frame carved by Fritz Esser remained in the Original Shrine until 1934, but the constant heat from the lamps caused it to wear out and it had to be remade in wood. Later, in 1947, it was cast in metal and restored by the Institute of Our Lady of Schoenstatt. The words remain the same, and now adorn the MTA picture in every Schoenstatt shrine in the different countries around the world.

References

[1] NIEHAUS, Fr Jonathan. Heroes of Fire, The Founding of Schoenstatt.

[2] KENTENICH, Fr. Monday afternoons, Dialogues with families, vol. 21 – Our life in the light of faith. Mother and Queen Society, Santa Maria/RS. Conference of 22 May 1961.

BAUER, G.M. Servus Mariae nunquam peribit! – A brief history of the image of the Mother of God and her luminous frame in the Schoenstatt Shrine. Published by the Secular Institute of the Schoenstatt Brothers of Mary, Santa Maria/RS, 1978.

Translation: Andrea Belén Vargas

Source: schoenstatt.org.br

October 15, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

Father Rómulo Aquilar, Schoenstatt priest has passed away in Panama

Schoenstatt priest, Father Rómulo Aguilar, a Panamanian who was deeply committed to the Church in Panama and to the forging of a society committed to values since he joined the Schoenstatt Movement, passed away.

By Enrique Soros
October 15, 2021

On October 13, Father Rómulo Aguilar, a Schoenstatt diocesan priest, passed away in Panama. He first heard of Schoenstatt through Esteban Uriburu, who traveled to Panama in 1989 to promote the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign. There he met Fr. Rómulo, who was immediately enthusiastic about the mission, and with whom he began to visit families with the MTA in Panama City.

Father Romulo played an essential role in the founding of Schoenstatt in Panama, while he was also a priest committed to the parishes in which he exercised his priestly ministry, to the Archdiocese of Panama, and to the Universal Church, since he was the coordinator of World Youth Day in Panama, where he had several opportunities to meet with Pope Francis.

Pope Francis appointed him ‘Chaplain to His Holiness’

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Panama, José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, issued a statement regarding the death of Fr. Rómulo, in which he said that “Monsignor Rómulo has been one of the priests who has tirelessly served the Catholic Church in Panama”. In the same statement he states that “his priestly ordination was on December 12, 1983, by the hands of Monsignor José Dimas Cedeño Delgado. He studied Philosophy and Theology at the San José Major Seminary of Panama, fulfilling the academic and pastoral requirements necessary to receive the degree of Presbyter for the Archdiocese of Panama”.

He continues: “He specialized in Liturgical Theology at the Higher Institute of Liturgy in Barcelona, Spain, in 1989. In 1993 he was appointed director of the Department of Liturgy of the Archdiocese of Panama until 2019. On September 2, 2019, it was announced that Pope Francis appointed him ‘Chaplain to His Holiness’.

Fr. Romulo Aguiar — Foto: Schoenstatt Panama

He held several positions in the Metropolitan Curia of Panama, including being their spokesman and participated in the organization of major events of the Panamanian Catholic Church, such as the Eucharistic Appointment.

He was greatest source of deepening and expansion for Schoenstatt in Panamá

After exercising his priestly ministry in numerous parishes, Fr. Rómulo was appointed parish priest of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in La Caleta in 2006, where he exercised his ministry until 2018. He met on several occasions with Pope Francis, regarding WYD Panama 2019. Within that framework, he was in charge of the WYD volunteers’ encounter with the Pope, at the Rommel Fernandez Stadium on January 27, 2019.

“Father Rómulo is not only the founder of Schoenstatt in Panama, with Fr. Esteban, but he was also its greatest source of deepening and expansion. There are two wayside shrines of the Virgin of Schoenstatt in Panama, both in parishes where he was located: in Santa Marta and in San Francisco de Asis de la Caleta. He was our spiritual advisor and the national coordinator,” relates Carmen de Franco, secretary of the Schoenstatt coordination in Panama.

“His house was always open to everyone”

Carmen then offered a personal testimony about Fr. Rómulo: “We are his spiritual children. He taught us that the easiest way to reach God is through Mary. In her we feel sheltered. Father Rómulo, through his example, invited us to imitate Mary, placing ourselves at the service of others”.

And she adds: “His house was always open to everyone. All the Schoenstatt priests who visited Monsignor Rómulo felt this way. He gave us examples to imitate until the very end and, in his illness, he offered all his sufferings as capital of grace for the spiritual growth of Schoenstatt and of all the other ministries that he embraced. Everyone was welcome and the parish was always on the move. I remember his beautiful smile and his peaceful voice that encouraged us and supported us in all the initiatives”, and deeply saddened by his departure, but reflecting a deep connection of hearts, she concludes by saying: “He was a saint!”

October 13, 2021 By Vanessa Franke

“Coming Back Home” – Covenant Renewal, October 18, 2021

"Coming Back Home" -
Covenant Renewal, October 18, 2021

Come back home: that is the phrase under which this year's Covenant Day, October 18th, is being celebrated. The Schoenstatt Movement extends an invitation to all members, pilgrims and people interested in "coming back home" to renew the Covenant of Love together as one.

Claudia Brehm
13.10.2021

Coming to Schoenstatt – it’s like coming back home!

Home has taken on a special meaning during the pandemic. The home office and homeschooling has meant that more time is being spent at home. For many families, this has meant more togetherness, more time for each other. The home shrine became the place that always encouraged people to go home to God.

“Coming to Schoenstatt is like coming back home.” This is what pilgrims, who now can return to the Original Shrine, – some after a two-year break – say. For many who had not come for a long time, the webcam in the Original Shrine was a way to at least get close to the Blessed Mother online. Through this technology, the Original Shrine became the center of the Schoenstatt family in the world.

The visit to the Schoenstatt Shrine is more than just a physical contact with the place: it is a homecoming. The grace of being at home, which is given here, can help to abandon ourselves with all our insecurities and fears into the arms of God and find peace of mind with him and his Mother.

In preparation for the festivity, we are sharing here the diverse and ample program that will be offered in the Schoenstatt Valley, around the Original Shrine.

Program

Sunday, October 17, 2021

7:30 pm International Vigil at the Original Shrine

Monday, October 18, 2021

107th Anniversary of the Founding of the Schoenstatt Movement

10:30 am Celebratory Mass in the Pilgrims’ Church in German/English.

Lunch at the Pilgrims’ House

2:00-2:45 pm Alternative program

– Covenant of Love. I am interested. – Information and discussion

– Around the Original Shrine: things worth knowing. Wonders of our surroundings.

– Coming back home – impressions, meditations from Schoenstatt.

– Contribution to the Year of St. Joseph

– Confessions at the Pilgrims’ Church

– The Schoenstatt Mile – on the square behind the Pilgrims’ House

– Coffee at the Pilgrims’ House

3:15 pm Brief time at the Pilgrims’ Church and procession to the Original Shrine

4:00 pm Renewal of the Covenant of Love at the Original Shrine

5:00 pm Mass in Spanish/Portuguese in the Original Shrine.

Pilgrim MTA

Missionaries of the Schoenstatt Rosary Campaign are invited to bring their Pilgrim MTA.

Transmission

Various activities will be transmitted by www.schoenstatt-tv.de.