MTA

August 18, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

Docile instruments in the hands of Mary

The piety of the instrument is an essential feature of Schoenstatt spirituality, so we seek to experience profoundly the desire to be instruments in the hands of Mary, who wants to use us as it pleases God, entirely for the Kingdom of Schoenstatt.

By Kennedy Rocha
August 18, 2021

Docile instruments

The word instrument derives from the Latin “instrumentum”, which means tool, garment; and from instruere: to arrange, to provide what is necessary. Its definition is: “simple object or object composed of several parts, which serves to perform a task, take a measurement or make an observation”. In short, an instrument is an object that can be used to perform an activity, simple or complex, according to the will of the user.

When we pray the consecration to Our Lady, we say: “as your property and possession”. We are instruments in Our Lady’s hands, so that she can do with us as she wishes.

There are those who are afraid to put their life in Our Lady’s hands, imagining that she will send suffering and sacrifices, but they forget that “Our Lady takes perfect care of everything”, -Father Kentenich-, and that we have nothing to fear, because she is our Mother and the cause of our joy.

What does it mean to be an instrument?

In Schoenstatt we try to experience deeply the desire to be an instrument in the hands of the Blessed Mother. From the beginnings of the Movement, the Father and Founder already inscribed this charism on his children. On October 18, 1914, in the Founding Document, we already see that this is one of Our Lady’s promises.

She will establish herself in the little chapel;

From there she will distribute gifts and graces in abundance;

She will attract young hearts to her;

She will educate them;

She will transform them into useful instruments;

and with them, while abandoning themselves into her hands, she will set in motion a movement of renewal.

Our Lady promises to transform us into able instruments to the extent that we abandon ourselves into her hands, like children desiring to be educated.

We can identify some properties of the piety of the instrument:

– Total detachment: detachment from one’s own will.

– Total attachment: total surrender to God and to his will.

– High propensity to surrender: untiring drive to conquest.

– Spirit of parousia: to make Mary present and visible; to reflect, to manifest the divine.

– Interior freedom: the perfect instrument will always choose God with interior freedom and joy.

– Rich fruitfulness. The instrument in God’s hand has only one goal: to make room for God and his fruitfulness.

Schoenstatt Heroes

Schoenstatt’s heroes tried to live the meaning of instrumentality to the fullest. We share key phrases from them in this regard:

Fr. Joseph Kentenich – “We are not dead instruments, but act of our own free will.”

Joao Luiz Pozzobon – “Use me, dear Mother, for the good of the Church and for the renewal of families”.

Gertraud von Bullion – “I want to serve!”

Joseph Engling – “I want to be everything for everyone and to be Mary’s exclusive property.”

Mario Hiriart – “I am an engineer, I have been planning all my life. Now the roles are changing. I know that now I must let the Father be the one to design the plans, I must only fulfill his will”.

Blessed Charles Leisner – “Lead me to your Light, Lord, almighty God. I solemnly promise to be your instrument.”

As your entire property

Let us also seek instrumentality as a way of life. Like Jesus, may our greatest nourishment be to do the will of the Father. Like Mary, may we too proclaim:

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done unto me according to your word.”

“Mother Thrice Admirable,

let us always be your instruments,

lovingly giving ourselves in your service

today and forever.

Use us as it pleases God,

entirely for your Schoenstatt world.” [1]

Turn towards Mary, to surrender our hearts as her property.

“Take possession of our hearts and wills—

they are undividedly yours.

They will blindly follow

your every sign and word.

It is your instrument’s honor and glory

to belong entirely to you.” [2]

Source: Schoenstatt Brasil

[1] Fr. Kentenich, Heavenwards, #606

[2] Fr. Kentenich, Heavenwards, #607

* Kennedy Rocha belongs to the Schoenstatt Family League of the Diocese of Belo Horizonte, Brazil.

August 13, 2021 By Rosario Consiglio

Flood Disaster – Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary are Close to the People

Ahrweiler, the otherwise picturesque town in the Ahr Valley has been hit hard by the flood disaster. For over a week we sister have been helping some hours every day at the “Church Assistance” site – the parish relief tent

13. August 2021
Sr. M. Anrika Dold

Sister M. Anrika Dold reports what she has experienced there

As we arrived in the place of the food disaster, at about 1:30 PM, a young man on a bicycle rode toward us and showed us the way. A man guided us while backing our car and then offered us his private parking place. He had a bakery here.

We had brooms and mops with us—also buckets. We soon realized that there was a need here. The buckets were gone within an hour and by evening there were no more booms, there were only some mops.

When we arrived with our things at the tent, we were first given an orientation by R, the on-site coordinator. Donations in kind arrived already while we were being oriented: large and small deliveries, packages of food, water, canned food, fruit, shoes, clothing, hand tissues, dishes, disposable gloves–Telecom also passed through and distributed some cell phones and powerbanks for free.

R. was responsible for the things that could and could not be accepted. R. had a flower shop, but it was destroyed. [He thought] it is better to pitch in here than to sit around at home. And that he does—from early in the morning until late at night, without enjoying any real break.

The Pilgrim MTA (Mother Three times admirable) was also there

– as she was at the wedding at Cana: “… and the mother of Jesus was there.” Without many words, I simply placed her in the corner of the tent where we could put our private things. Later a woman handed out roses and gave us one. I put it before the image of the Blessed Mother thinking: This one is for you, a rose for Mary!
In general, we experienced much openness and gratitude. We entered into conversation with so many people affected by the disaster.

– For example, a young man who came into the tent with his very pregnant wife and her mother told us that he came home just five minutes before everything broke loose. He managed to help his wife escape with him to the highest floor of the house just in time—they would not have been able to get out of the house because the water came rushing in so quickly and blocked all exists. He said that now they are staying with her parents. I immediately thought of the image of shelter seeking* and we spoke shortly about that. How good it is that they now have a place to stay.

Our Lady understands every suffering

– There were a few chairs in front of the tent and an elderly couple was resting there. The husband was sitting in the shade. He said that he has experienced so very many difficult things in his life. And tears came to his eyes as he told us how he lost both of his parents at the age of seven. His wife wanted to know to which community we belong. She had not heard of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. I showed them our image of the MTA on a small card and said, “This is our picture of grace.” I told them that the Mother of God understands every suffering. I told the woman she could keep the card. The man put it in his pocket very reverently saying, “The cross is still hanging in our cellar – everything else was washed away. I’m keeping it. You know, I could never discard a cross even if I’m not really a church-goer. My pastor explained to me that there is a difference: There is God and Jesus – and then there is the Church.”
“And this God is with us now, too,” I could tell him, “through all the people who are helping. He never abandons us!”

– Another man who came into the tent hardly spoke a word. With faltering speech he told us where he is staying now after this flood: His daughter and her family took him in. He was moved by how they all took care of him. And then he told us about all he had already mastered in his life: His wife was infirm and he took care of her for 40 years although many people told him he should obtain a separation from her. She died five years ago. Again and again tears came to his eyes. He, too, received a little MTA-card and gladly accepted it.

– A woman who passed by told us that not until today did she learn that her two adult children are still alive. Until now she hadn’t had contact with them anymore—and she wiped her tears away. Devoutly she put the MTA card into her pocket and thanked us very much for it.

The time flew by. By evening I was really exhaused, but we still made a round through the city. We took with us little gifts that a kindergarten class left at out stand: Paper bags the children had decorated. Inside were little toys and sweets for children.

We had not gone 100 meters distance when we saw a few young people and a few children. We began to speak with them and gave the children some of the paper bags. The two young women said jokingly that there are also big children and they also received two bags.

And it’s like we’ve known each other for a long time….

Then they explained that they worked here in the bakery. A young man said that at the beginning of this year he had taken the business over from his father. And now everything was destroyed, the entire bakery was gone. “Do you want to look? You’re welcome to go in.”
We accepted his invitation and looked at everything. It was still a picture of devastation even though the worst mud had been removed from everything. Then the master baker entered with his wife. When he saw me he said, “We’ve met before!”
It was the friendly man who in the morning had given us his parking place. They are all going to stick together now and try not to get discouraged. They will stand by each other and together will make it. It is as if we had known each other for a long time.

They are simply there and do.

Yes, that’s my overall impression: In the midst of the disaster there is so much hopefulness — and it is visible by how much readiness to help exists in the depths of people. It is as a ZDF-documentary about the flood states at the end:

“Perhaps it is really true,
that the worst of times
bring out the best in us.”

Around 8:00 PM we returned home—the images of devastation and the fate of the people with us, but also the knowledge: It is important that we are there, that the Church is present.

Where else should it be now except near the people?

Source: Schoenstatt Sisters

July 18, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

Capital of Grace and serious aspiration for holiness

How much is your contribution
to the Capital of Grace worth?

The value of each sacrifice we offer to the Blessed Mother so that her graces may bear fruit from the Shrine

By Sister M. Nilza Silva
July 18, 2021

Our place of grace -the Shrine- supposes a collaboration between God and us, between the Virgin and us. That is why, those of us in the Movement who want to further our participation in it, must never desist. This is the permanent imperative: Cooperation!

Have you ever wondered how much a small offering to the Capital of Grace is worth? How about two offerings? How about three? Little by little we can fill a basket and help the MTA in her mission from the Shrine. What follows is Father Kentenich’s reflections on this topic.

Nothing without me

Father Kentenich’s reflection:

Nothing happens in Schoenstatt without me; in other words, the current of grace cannot grow and flow without me. When we talk about the contributions to the Capital of Grace this is exactly what we are talking about. All of us have this task.

The more religious we are, the clearer it becomes that things depend on God; and regarding my offerings, not on the actions I take, but on the degree of love I put into them. If I am sick and I have a great love for God, how much will I be able to offer to the Capital of Grace and how much will I get in return? In this way, the individual activity is oriented towards the heavens.

This is mentioned in the Founding Document: Schoenstatt ceases to be a place of pilgrimage, and ceases to carry its mission in this world, when there are no new contributions to the Capital of Grace, when the contributions made are spent and there are no new contributions being offered.

I still remember well when we said: We don’t want the Blessed Mother to act without us, we want to attract her, make her descend in virtue of intense apostolic activity. We believe that our Founding Document was signed in heaven.

When we get to Eternity, we will know who has served the Movement the most, and perhaps we will have a very different picture of reality from what we currently see. This world appreciates more those who are in the forefront. There are always leaders, some who talk constantly but they are not always the most needed. I am convinced that deep down, there is a multitude of simple individuals without whom Schoenstatt could not exist. The most needed and most important are those who constantly and in the greatest measure give offerings to the Capital of Grace, who unite the current of their heart and blood with the current of heart and blood of the Capital of Grace.

Capital of grace — Foto: Pedro Dillinger

God expects personal saintliness from us. The Blessed Mother asks of us personally, not in general, a high degree of holiness, a strong aspiration to holiness. In virtue of this aspiration of ours, we will make her descend. A precious stone is worth more than a whole mountain of ordinary stones. If the Family does not generate such persons, what do we expect from Schoenstatt? Schoenstatt depends for its existence on a serious aspiration for holiness. Other places of pilgrimage can do without it. Schoenstatt, on the other hand, depends on people who truly aspire to holiness and connect that aspiration to our Shrine.

This is how the mystery of Schoenstatt is presented to us: the Blessed Mother’s universal fruitfulness stems from the forces of divine grace, which act freely. We admire the generosity of divine grace.

Do you think that I attribute everything that was done here to personal endeavors? No! I will explain it with an example: a child wants to help his mother carry the laundry basket. The child wants to help her and puts his little hands and his whole body in the basket. He wants to have the honor of helping his mother. And the poor mother must carry not only the basket, but also the child.

A powerful current of graces flows from this place, we can collaborate with it, but without thinking that everything has been achieved by virtue of our actions alone.

Father Joseph Kentenich, Christmas Day Conference, Schoenstatt December 28, 1933

Book: His mission, our mission, Peter Wolf editor

Source: www.schoenstatt.org.br

July 13, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

Croatia – becoming a heart in the Father

Fr. Christoph Horn from Switzerland, Rector of the two Shrines in Croatia, spent 10 weeks last March, May and June with the Croatian Schoenstatt Movement. He re-established contacts that had been lost due to the pandemic. Together they prepared spiritually for the installation of the Father Symbol in the Ivanovici Shrine in September of this year.

Claudia Brehm
July 13, 2021

During his pastoral visits in Croatia, Father Horn always makes it a point to listen to the local people, to make joint decisions in meetings, to celebrate Mass with those responsible for the Movement, and to give them spiritual impulses. This also includes visiting the families of his co-workers.

When the earth shook

In Zagreb, where earthquakes killed people and destroyed many buildings in March and December 2020, the significant damage can still be seen. Churches, like the Zagreb Cathedral, cannot be used as places of worship for years to come, and some have been replaced by assembly churches. It is a good thing that the Schoenstatt Family in Zagreb is characterized by great cohesion. Through donations collected together, it was possible to help a family to rebuild their destroyed house. It is also helpful for this region that interested diocesan priests were found there who gladly support the Schoenstatt communities.

In Croatia – Landscaping at the shrine in Ivanovici

At the shrine in Ivanovici, which was inaugurated in 2018, it was possible to build connecting paths to the shrine last month. At the intersection of these paths, the architect depicted the well-known Schoenstatt symbol in a circle (see photo). The symbols of the Eucharist, chalice and host will also be added in the wider area.

A scepter for Mary

Pilgrimages of women and mothers to both Shrines took place in May with very good numbers of participants for pandemic conditions, 70 and 50 mothers respectively. They presented the Blessed Mother with a scepter (see photo) that Mary, with her maternal help, will take over the scepter in the manifold needs of this time, world and Church, will prove effective. Some mothers expressed their great confidence in her by sealing the Covenant of Love.

Preparation for the installation of the Father Symbol

On September 18th of this year, the Father Symbol will be placed in Ivanovici, an artistically designed eye that wants to point to God’s unconditional love, faithfulness and vigilant concern for all people and His earth. One year later, in August 2022, the Father Symbol will be placed in the Shrine of Mala Subotica.

Many local communities have gladly embraced and spread the “A Heart in the Father” retreat as a guide to life. Father Horn wrote seven reflections on the Father Symbol for the retreat theme, which were sent to a large number of members of the Croatian Schoenstatt Family on seven consecutive Saturdays. The addressees, in turn, copied the reflections for others or forwarded them electronically. In this way, these annual retreats had an amazingly wide distribution. Everyone received a photograph of the Father Symbol and the common preparatory prayer along with the contemplation texts.

Now new suggestions for personal conversation with God were added. Especially the group of women and mothers became involved in this preparation and now tries to find the traces of divine providence and guidance in the daily evening prayer and to become grateful for the daily gifts of Father.

Cooperation with the national pilgrimage place Marija Bistrica in Croatia

The 15th century black miraculous statue of the Virgin Mary in this shrine, which was declared a national shrine in 1971, attracts many thousands of people every year, some of whom come on pilgrimage on foot from far away.

In the forecourt there is a large field altar where masses are celebrated outdoors and confessions are heard. In the midst of this, a devotional space has now been created where adoration takes place on weekends during confession times. On a nearby hill, a large Stations of the Cross have been built with life-size sculptures. There Father Horn was invited to serve for two weeks hearing confessions and celebrating Mass. He writes: “It was an enriching experience for me, especially because in Marija Bistrica the ‘Croatian heart’ really beats and I could absorb many things. There were many contacts also with priests. I was very well received by the five who are constantly serving at the shrine.”

Wikipedia

June 5, 2021 By Sr. M. Cacilda Becker

She is the great missionary. She will work miracles

The Pilgrim Mother in Germany visits families held by the hands of thousands of missionaries

Under the motto "She is the great missionary, she will work miracles", the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate expands in Germany, reaching people from various cultures. Its web page is being published in two additional languages.

Hna. Marié
June 5, 2021

Why is a German website being translated into English and Polish?

Since the month of April, the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate’s webpage in Germany is available in two other languages besides German: Polish and English. There are about 5,650 Pilgrim Mother groups in Germany. About 700 of these include people who speak other languages like English, Croatian, Tagalog, Polish, Portuguese, Slovenian, Spanish, Czech, Vietnamese and others. The largest group comes from the parishes in the Polish Catholic Missions in Germany, where more than 500 Pilgrim Mother images travel through homes and institutions. Most of the people from the other countries who receive her speak English.

Everyone provides liveliness and fruitfulness

These two languages were initially added to enable as many people as possible to participate in the life around the Pilgrim Mother in Germany. The fact that they have been added to the German webpage holds a symbolic meaning: here in Germany, everyone belongs to the same and only Pilgrim Mother Apostolate and each person contributes to the liveliness and fruitfulness of this missionary initiative which transmits our faith.

Bonds, friendship and mission

The Blessed Mother is weaving a web of love and connections in every nation. There are approximately 180,000 pilgrim images travelling around the world in every continent. This worldwide initiative was the brainchild of Brazilian family man and deacon, João Luiz Pozzobon, in Santa Maria, Brazil.

In Germany as well, the Blessed Mother, through her visits as Pilgrim Mother, brings together people who live here but have different languages, cultures and frames of mind.

All of them, regardless of the language they speak or the country they are from, are her children. All of them have a place in her heart. She is close to all of them. She knows their worries and needs and helps to overcome them. She, our Mother, gathers her children to form part of God’s single grand family. She also wants to conquer everyone to bear witness as co-workers of Christ and of the gift of his salvation.

The pilgrim images that are sent in Germany are blessed on the 18th of every month in Schoenstatt’s Original Shrine in Vallendar. They are then sent on their mission, forming groups of 10 or 15 families or individuals.

The motto used for each send-off is translated into several languages. This phrase is originally from St. Vincent Palloti and was quoted as often by Father Kentenich, Schoenstatt’s founder, as it was by deacon Pozzobon, the founder of the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate:

“She is the great missionary. She will work miracles!”

“Ona jest wielką Misjonarką. Ona będzie działała cuda!”

“Ella es la gran misionera. Ella obrará milagros”.

The webpage mentioned in this article is available at: www.pilgerheiligtum.de.

MTA