Covenant Sunday Zoom Initiative

Covenant Sunday Zoom Initiative

19 February 2021 · 2021-02 newsletter

The following are some Echoes from our first Covenant Sunday celebration of 2021 via Zoom. Participants from the Eastern States were very grateful for the initiative as the following indicate:

From Julie Daly – Sydney Mothers’ Branch, Chair of the NSW Coordinating Team.

As COVID 19 restrictions during 2020 had prevented members of the Schoenstatt Movement groups in NSW, Victoria and Queensland from renewing their Covenant each month, in person, at their Shrines, a new approach to our Schoenstatt Family Covenant Sunday Renewal was initiated via, an almost National (WA members were able to attend their Shrine in person on that day) Zoom meeting, held on 17th January 2021. This initiative hoped to enable a unified Australian Schoenstatt Family, according to our mission: One Heart in the Father for the Family of God.

The Zoom meeting began at 3pm (2pm in Queensland) when members, randomly selected from each of the States, were moved into “Chat Rooms.” Each was asked to introduce herself/himself to the others in their “Room.” This proved to be a reunion of sorts, especially as it enabled us to catch up with those, whom we had not seen in person for some time.

With introductions completed, we were all transferred from our “Chat Rooms” to one large group where we were invited to view Bernard and Jane Toutounji’s video, via the Schoenstatt Australia YouTube Channel, “The Family – Church in Miniature”, a theme connected with our motto for the year: Family, be what you are – Domestic Church.

Bernard and Jane encouraged us to deepen our understanding of the Domestic Church – an Image of Love, experienced and practised; to share Schoenstatt’s riches and to try new initiatives:

They separated their Presentation into 6 sections:

After viewing this inspiring Presentation, we were transferred into “breakout groups”, surprisingly, not the “Chat Rooms” into which we had been introduced – for those not familiar with the Zoom meeting process – where we were invited to reflect and discuss:

  1. Look at our own Domestic Church and consider what is going well? What needs to improve? What can I bring? What can I receive? Is it Forgiveness? Charity? Hope? And to take time to think small i.e. “Do ordinary things, extraordinarily well!”
  2. How does the reality of your Domestic Church position you to serve the wider Church, specifically in the context of our Schoenstatt Movement?

Following the “breakout groups” reflections, Sr Elizabeth invited us to share these with the larger group.

The Zoom meeting concluded with the National Renewal of our Covenant, just before 4pm.

We are most grateful to Bernard and Jane for their inspiring Presentation “The Family – Church in Miniature” and to Sr. Elizabeth and Bernard for their skills with Infrastructure and Technology, so that we could achieve this new initiative.

To all who met the challenge of taking part – We are the Family of Mary!

From Zenny Custodio – Sydney Mothers’ Branch and PMA Regional Coordinator

Covid-19 in the Year 2020 to the present time, has changed the way we live, learn and work into a restrictive manner. However, with modern technology like Zoom, meetings, conferences, meet and greet friends, family members, etc became possible and we remain connected. A good example was our Schoenstatt Covenant Sunday celebration last January 2021 which was opened to everyone interested to attend to learn more about Schoenstatt, for existing Schoenstatt family members to re-connect and, for those who joined in for the first time to know, or at least have a preview due to limited time, of what Schoenstatt is about.

As a result, the Covenant Sunday celebration was well attended by different levels of representatives from Schoenstatt Sisters, different Schoenstatt Branches and/or Schoenstatt Family Members and newcomers alike. The atmosphere, though just on the Screen, was very welcoming and it was exciting to see and have the opportunity to say hello to some – but not all due to time constraint – especially to the long-time Schoenstatt Family Members from intra and inter States which we don’t usually see often before Covid. The beauty of Covid – it keeps people connected!!

For me, the highlight of this Zoom Meeting apart from it being a Covenant Sunday and the opportunity to renew our Covenant with other Schoenstatt Members, was the generosity of Bernard and his wife Jane Toutounji for sharing their experiences in the preparation for the Consecration of their Home Shrine despite current difficulties, restriction wise. This to me is a fulfilment of one of the many wishes of our Father and Founder for us to live our daily lives in the shadow of our Home Shrine, in the midst of difficulties and challenges that come our way – in one way or the other we become the Domestic Church. Overall, Bernard and Jane’s presentation as a family, was very encouraging and worthy of emulation to members of other Schoenstatt Branches to do the same.

From Florida Nugara – Melbourne Mothers’ Branch, State Coordinating Team and PMA Regional Coordinator:

COVID-19 has taught us much. Like so many things in our lives, we had to find innovative (and hopefully temporary) ways to join in regular Schoenstatt events, but “in a virtual world”. As in all challenges, there are also hidden opportunities and possibilities not dreamed of before, till experienced.

The last Covenant Day Zoom meeting I thought was one such product. Covenant Days are usually celebrated by each State in various ways, most often taking on the same format for years gone by. The Zoom meeting was refreshing, in its well-planned format and also in the rich content in the reflections presented. Meeting so many Schoenstatters virtually was a great experience, some whom we had not seen for a very long time, hearing their voices and being able to converse was great. I guess the spirit of Covenant Day celebrations is coming together as a community to give praise and thanks for the month gone by, offer our contributions and pray for grace and blessings for the coming month. Well, we were able to cover that not only by State but together as a nation. Imagine an “International Covenant Day” celebration!

With time and practice, the technology can improve, hopefully more members would join and more experiences shared. It is reminiscent of the time when Father Kentenich was in Dachau Concentration Camp and was restricted in his communication with any of the Schoenstatt members – he had to dictate rather than write, so that it could honestly claim he had not written anything. An innovative, yet obedient way, to spread the mission of Schoenstatt.

I guess the zoom meetings are somewhat similar, we are restricted in visiting the Shrine – yet we meet virtually, still communicating and sharing in the Schoenstatt mission.

Father Kentenich’s words spoken at the annual conference of German Catholics in 1967 also comes to mind: "We are living in apocalyptic times… Heavenly and devilish powers clash in this earth… This confrontation is to challenge the domination of the world; today this is clearly visible." The solution is to appeal to the Virgin Mary, "favourite weapon in the hands of the living God". We should not let ‘this confrontation’ – COVID-19 – diminish our zeal and efforts to bring the Schoenstatt mission to the world, but appeal to the Blessed Mother to bless and make this initiative fruitful.

I personally think Zoom meetings are a great way forward, especially for families with young children who are unable to get to the Shrine, or the elderly who are unable to travel and yet would yearn to participate in such celebrations – such a way to meet gives all an opportunity to see, hear, share and pray together. I hope it continues.

To sum up:

Angela Benson, Mothers’ Branch Sydney and NCC Member sent a spontaneous echo at the end of the Covenant Celebration:

“Despite the technical glitches today, I just want to say for me, today was awesome! So many people gathered together to celebrate a January Covenant Day just before the 20th January Milestone. As Father Denis would have said "so many people on the train" and he always said Aussies were slow to rise to the occasion. But not today!!! They were out in force!

Well done to everyone involved.

In the Covenant, Angela

The Next Covenant Sunday Zoom Celebration

Sunday February 21 at 3pm (ADST); 2pm (AEST). If you would like to join, please contact your group leader or movtoffice@schoenstatt.org.au to get the link.

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