- Into the Deep! – 70th Anniversary of the Founder Shrine!
Into the Deep!
Queen of Apostles Seminary and Shrine
Blessings on this 70th anniversary of the Founder Shrine!
The following words are from the homily that Fr. Otto Boenki, Pallottine priest, preached on June 20, 1953—70 years ago:
After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and lower your nets for a catch.” Simon said in reply, “Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but upon your command I will lower the nets” (Lk. 5: 4-5).
One source of strength is faith—and this chapel is inspired by faith. Many similar shrines throughout Christendom were built primarily out of gratitude for special favors received. Others were erected to atone for the sins and crimes of families and nations. Still others owe their existence to a special request of the Blessed Mother herself appearing in such places. This shrine is inspired solely by faith. Here lies one source of its power. The simple faith of the founding generation overcame all obstacles by being convinced that Schoenstatt is a birthplace of a worldwide movement of renewal. The Church uses three criteria in order to judge a work of God: the insignifance of the instruments, the insurmountable difficulties, and the greatness of the success.
All great movements have a vision and orientate themselves on this vision. Our vision embraces the new person who lives in union with God. If we apply this to our circumstances, we have to say that the United States must become a Marian land…
If America becomes a real land of Mary, then it will become a holy land… If Schoenstatt’s vision is genuine and has the possibility to develop here, then America will find the way back to God and with this the United States will fulfill its mission in the world. In the center of this vision stands the shrine. This shrine wants to help America fulfill its mission for the world. Therefore, the words of the Bishop about the spiritual powerhouse are justified.
(…)
We may imagine that the graces flowing from this shrine grow into a stream to water our land.How has this stream of graces penetrated the soil of our land?
With the words “Upon your word I will cast out the net,” Father Kentenich began his report about his visit to the United States in 1948. Today, 75 years later, the same Scriptural passage inspire our Bishop and the whole diocese of Madison to firmly embrace the present challenges and renew the presence of the Church locally: “Into the deep!”
Even when Father Kentenich saw the many obstacles that Schoenstatt could encounter in the future as well as the smallness of the instruments who would be entrusted with this great mission, he firmly trusted in the transforming power of the Blessed Mother to transform the Christian soul. Through insignificant instruments we have seen history unfold. The compass that our father and founder used was his practical faith in Divine Providence: the law of the open door.
In 1953, during the period of construction, to the group of couples, Father Kentenich said:
All in all, therefore, practical faith in Divine Providence or the law of the open door and creative resultants convince us that the Blessed Mother really and truly lives and reigns in this shrine in order to educate us and our children, in the first place, and to carry out a great educational task in America from here… We can see and say clearly everywhere: The Blessed Mother has really and truly taken up her abode here. The whole of Schoenstatt is a work of God, and so we are ready to give even our lives for this work of God.
Just as in 1948 he was convinced that God was inviting him to cast his nets into the deep waters of the world that opened before him in the land of opportunities, in the USA, he also invited the couples in 1953:
This summary seemed to be the formula with which he invited his first listeners to cast the nets deep into the source of grace and let Mary intercede the miracle of transformation, of sanctification. His goal was to open a source of grace that would enable the American Christian people to conquer the ideal of holiness. Quoting Cardinal Stritch, Father Kentenich spoke of the Americans having within themselves “the timber from which saints can be carved. “But…” Father Kentenich explains how the Cardinal turned to the priests listening to him and said: “what is lacking are the masterly hands to carve the wood.” The hands that can masterfully carve saints from the Americans is the Blessed Mother in her shrine.
Draw and draw again from the source of grace! We know why the Blessed Mother wants to take up her abode here. We want to tak all our needs to the Blessed Mother. She should give us the grace of spiritual transformation. I must place myself under the influence of her education… I must do my share by making what we call contributions to the capital of grace. First, battling against serious sin… second, battling against venial sin… Third, battling against myself… fourthly, battling against all that in unnecessary my life actions.
Reflection:
Today, on its 70th anniversary, when I physically or spiritually visit the shrine, do I bring one distinct contribution to the capital of grace, as a gift to the Blessed Mother, as sign of gratitude, love, trust, and petition? What is it?
70th Anniversary Celebration | Schoenstatt Founder Shrine | Madison, WI
June 20, 2023
- Happy Covenant Anniversary!
With a warm greeting on this 106th anniversary of the Covenant of Love, we send this motivation from Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio on behalf of the National Presidium!
https://www.schoenstatt.org/en/reflection/2020/10/greeting-general-presidency/
- Tagespost article 2
Here’s the latest communication from Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio, president of the International Presidium, a commission formed by the superiors of the Schoenstatt Secular Institutes and Federations.
- Tagespost article
Dear Schoenstatt Family in the United States!
Greetings and peace to you all from Wisconsin.
It has come to our attention that an article is being published in Germany that brings back into focus questions about Father Kentenich’s exile. Please read the statement made by Schoenstatt’s General Presidium that accompanies this letter, as the International Schoenstatt Movement’s first response to these questions.
As we learn more about this situation, we will share that information with you. For now, we unite ourselves peacefully in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to guide us to discover the truth present in this challenge.
United in the Covenant and in our trust in our Mother and Queen,
Fr. Mark Niehaus and the USA regional presidium
Delegate Superior of the Schoenstatt Fathers, USA - St. Joseph: A model for our times, P.1
Rita Fusco, a 55-year-old catholic schoolteacher from New Jersey without underlying health issues and 4 other family members, died of COVID-19. An unbearable tragedy for a family who recently attended a family gathering. This invisible virus is taking lives and causing havoc around the globe.
So far it has spreads across 168 countries worldwide, has infected 287,000 and ended the lives of 12,755 people. COVID-19 has forced everyone and everywhere to a standstill. In this scary time, let us turn to St. Joseph,a serene, silent and strong man, who managed many unexpected crises.
Faced with difficult choices, Joseph was oscillating between complex emotions, especially with the question of accepting Mary as his wife.
When he discovered her pregnancy, he secretly decided to avoid her by gently walking away at night without blaming or betraying anyone, especially Mary (Gentleness). Joseph neither ignored the dream, nor did he harden his heart through self-perpetuating patterns and behaviors, but payed attention to the Angel’s voice in the dream (Openness). Gave up the instinctive desire to follow the comfortable path of evading the entire situation and decided to dig deeper to accommodate the new vision and alter his patterns and behaviors to follow and fulfill the new (Dream).
This virus is novel and spreading much faster. Therefore, it is important that we remain open and curious to learn every day and educate ourselves. Let us also pray that the world’s leading experts and institutions may share all the information needed to work together to encounter this pandemic with grit and grace.
Like St Joseph, take in our MTA and offer ourselves up for her: CoronaMater.
Model best behavior to stem the spread of covid19 (6 feet distance is the best expression of love for now).
Track and Transcend our unhygienic patterns and behaviors (touching of our own face, people and other surfaces)
Above all, Abide in God’s love to grow in deeper trust in troubled times.
United in our MTA,
Fr. Pushpa
Regional Movement Director USA