Schoenstatt’s spirituality can be characterized as

Marian

It cultivates a deeply personal and effective relationship with Mary, the Mother of God as the “swiftest, shortest, surest way to Christ” (see encyclical Ad diem illum). Its Marian richness is anchored in the covenant of love with the MTA and the importance of her Shrine as Schoenstatt’s unique place of grace.

Modern

It works to answer the challenges posed by the modern world to living the faith and striving for sanctity. The “new man in the new community” is an attempt to integrate the Gospel with such typical features of the modern person and society as freedom, individuality and life in close contact with the world.

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Organic

Schoenstatt spirituality that is attuned to life and to the integration of all its parts; of nature and grace, of the natural and supernatural. This accent is so important to Schoenstatt’s spirituality because the modern person is so greatly affected by the breakdown of healthy relationships –both from God…

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Concrete & Practical

Schoenstatt’s spirituality does not merely clarify dogma or theory; it wishes to take the truths of the faith and live it out concretely and practically in everyday life. This shows in the important role of pedagogy in Schoenstatt, for much of what Schoenstatt reflects on is how to grow, concretely…

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Christianity is a covenant-based religion

The covenants of the Old and New Testament are the very core of God’s revelation about how he saves us and draws us to himself. This plays a central role in Schoenstatt’s spirituality.

Schoenstatt was founded through a covenant of love with Mary and this same covenant is seen as the key to Schoenstatt’s distinct identity and manifold forms of life. This Marian covenant strengthens anddeepens the covenant with God by giving an experience of personally knowing and loving a heavenly covenant partner, of being aware that this partner knows and loves me in return, of my personal salvation history, of having personal holy times and places, of growing through longings and fragility to a greater covenant faithfulness. The covenant experience even helps our attachments on the most human and natural level strengthening and/or healing these basic attachments.

Schoenstatt’s covenant spirituality is one which reaches into all areas of life, spoken of as the “four-fold infinitism” of the covenant of love. Ultimately, the covenant of love with the MTA should become more and more the “fundamental purpose, form, strength and norm” of our life (Fr. Kentenich, 1952). It helps us make the covenant with God and to live as Christians in the today’s world.

Instrumentality

See Lumen Gentium 33; CCC 913

The covenant of love with the MTA is not only about personal formation, but is also about offering oneself to God to help build up his kingdom on earth. In this sense, the covenant is apostolic. Essential to Schoenstatt’s spirituality is therefore cultivation of our attitude and life as instruments of God.

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Everyday Sanctity

See Gaudium et spes 33-34; CCC 1533, 2013 (vocation to holiness) 2427 (dignity of work)

The Cristian vocation is the call to holiness. In Schoenstatt this call is realized as everyday (or workday) sanctity, meaning the integration of one’s faith with every aspect of ordinary life. Fr. Kentenich contrasted it with “Sunday sanctity” of Christians who go to church on Sunday but do not allow their faith…

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