70th Anniversary of the Schoenstatt National Shrine in Argentina

From January 18th to the 20th, the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the National Shrine took place in New Schoenstatt. We were blessed to experience very exciting days with different activities and celebrations to share this very special date as a Schoenstatt family.

The Covenant Mass on Tuesday, January 18th – celebrated, as well as that of January 19th, by Father Esteban Casquero – was the beginning of these days that submerged us in two currents of life: the presence of the MTA in Argentina, and Father Kentenich’s decision on January 20, 1942, in Dachau, the date that inspired the blessing of this Shrine 10 years later.

That same day we were able to immerse ourselves in the mission that Father Kentenich left us, with a video – which we want to share with you – and which we were able to watch during that Covenant night on the esplanade of the Jubilee Shrine.

On Wednesday morning we had a profound experience thanks to Sister María Julia who took us through a guided meditation of the Father’ House. In the afternoon, Sister Maria made us walk in the footsteps of Father Kentenich through this blessed land of New Schoenstatt, and we were moved by Father Kentenich’s simple and yet supernatural attitude when he was on his way to exile.

Finally, to conclude the day while preparing ourselves for the great day, we had a vigil in front of the Shrine, where we not only relived the moment of Father Kentenich’s decision on January 20th, but we also relived a treasure hidden in the Shrine’s foundations: the thousands of rosaries prayed for Father Kentenich’s liberation together with the prayers of a group of pilgrims from Ballester, imploring Mary to establish herself here. That is why we prayed an illuminated rosary. Throughout the night, the pilgrims staying at Solaz de María were able to remain on Eucharistic adoration all night long. This allowed them to meditate on Father Kentenich’s attitude at the time of making his decision, and to try to make it their own. This experience was followed by the Mass that ended the vigil and was celebrated around the time where it is known that Father Kentenich himself received the clarity of his decision on January 20, 1942.

And so, the great day arrived when we commemorated the second milestone in Schoenstatt’s history. Our founder was a man of God; the Lord was his great passion. On January 20, God invited him to, in communion with Him through the cross, go to Dachau’s concentration camp where he deeply enhanced his surrender to Jesus. In an atmosphere of harmony and recollection we joined in the Way of the Cross where we focused on the connection between the Passion of the Lord and all that Father Kentenich experienced during his intense spiritual search.

And so, in the midst of rain, storms, lack of electricity and a context of pandemic, we arrived at the great ceremony. Simple, but quite emotional, it was celebrated by Father Guillermo Carmona in the shadow of the Shrine.

We were able to give thanks for the great things that Mary has done for us throughout these 70 years. We relived the moment when Father Kentenich asked Mary to descend to this place to give Argentina a Shrine that would be a sign of faith, unity, struggle, and victory. An image of the Blessed Mother arrived in procession to the Shrine, where the pilgrims present greeted our Mother with white handkerchiefs, asking her for protection and strength.

This way, we began the year of pilgrimage to the Shrine, which will allow anyone who wants to nourish themselves from her source of grace in this holy place to approach her in small groups, taking the necessary precautions due to the coronavirus.

We especially want to thank all the priests who have accompanied us during this triduum: Father Guillermo Carmona, Father Christian Löhr, Father Esteban Casquero, Father Alejandro Zelaya, Father Christian, Father Oscar, Father Rogelio, and Father Alvaro. We also thank each pilgrim who was present, both in person and virtually, showing us, once again, the beautiful and loyal Family that Father Kentenich bequeathed to us.

You can access the aforementioned video through the following link.