17 January 2025 · 2025-01 newsletter
As many of you will be aware we have started a new initiative this year at Mount Schoenstatt to promote the Covenant of Love. The ‘Covenant Sunday Gatherings’ are especially planned not only for our Schoenstatt members, but also for the many pilgrims (over 200) that regularly come to our 11am Sunday Mass.
For a long time, we have been celebrating the Covenant of Love on the third Sunday of the month, rather than on the 18th which usually falls on a weekday. But it has been often observed that only a small group would go to the shrine after Holy Mass to renew the Covenant of Love and even a smaller group that would stay for fellowship afterwards. This is why the idea of the ‘Covenant Sunday Gatherings’ was born.
Since July 2024, at the beginning of Holy Mass, the Schoenstatt Flag and the Australian Flag has processed in with the priest and altar servers. After Holy Communion a short explanation is given about the Covenant of Love, the Shrine or the Capital of Grace etc. Everyone is then invited in a moment of silence to write down their contributions of love and volunteers then collect these and place them in the jar at the front.
Following the Holy Mass, we go in procession to the Shrine to renew the Covenant of Love. The jar, covenant book and the two flags lead the procession as we pray a decade of the rosary. Almost everyone who attends Mass participates in the procession.
It is always such an amazing sight to see so many people in and around the shrine to renew the Covenant of Love. Everyone is then invited to a BBQ lunch and many people stay on and continue their conversations. Each Schoenstatt branch takes turns in being responsible for the “Covenant Sunday Gatherings” each month.
There are many fruits of this new initiative already. It allows a covenant culture and atmosphere to develop where we can speak openly about, provide information and invite others to seal the Covenant of Love. It also allows a space where we and other Schoenstatt members can provide a witness to our spirituality as well as a chance to invite the many pilgrims to our various events.
It is also very important for the Schoenstatt members and branches as it allows them an opportunity to be apostolic and promote what they cherish so much.
Sr. M. Rita
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