20 June 2023 · 2023-06 newsletter
In the Year 2000, (haven’t the years flown by) Fr. Ivanhoe Allies a Schoenstatt Father who was with us at Mt Schoenstatt at that time, wrote a paper for the October Conference called “In the Shadow of the Shrine…Vision and Hope in a time of re-orientation for us”. I’m not going to parrot his talk but rather take a passage of Fr. Kentenich’s, from that talk that seems very relevant for today. Father Kentenich states:
“Be aware, therefore, that also today, in this revolutionary time there must be powerful incentives for your task, for your task as well as (be) relevant for your time.
May the land, the way, be free for Schoenstatt…..Yes, new tasks, new life from…Is that really so?
Yes, what is the newness of the great task which the Great Triune God has given us? Well, right from the inception of Schoenstatt we wanted to renew the world. Marian, conforming into the image of Christ, how this word has become dear and familiar to us!
…… “Marian” is for us not only the means (i.e. with the help of Mary) but an organic and not a mechanical partial aim. Also our method is “Marian”. And in this sense our Blessed Mother appears before us as the incarnation and guarantor of the law of the organic harmonious development of nature and grace” (Letter to Aloise Wurm, 15th September 1933).
I find these words very pertinent to Pope Francis’ requests for all ‘Marian Shrines” around the world to pray on the 31st May, the last day of the month dedicated to Mary, for the “!6th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops”, a discussion on the “Synod on Synodality”.
His words asking for a Marian awareness, echo Fr. Kentenich’s and are pertinent for us, finishing his address with the words:
“Holy Mary, who was the first to be filled with the Holy Spirit, intercede for us. The words prior being “…Because a New Pentecost can drive away the fears that assail us and rekindle the fire of God’s love”.
Can we in this present age say with Fr. Kentenich, “I see it as my life task to intervene for a sound theologically and psychologically oriented Marian education in order to render an essential service to the conforming of the world into Christ as the divinisation of life”? (ibid)
Will your answer look at the way you contribute to the Church in a Marian Way? Recently a singer in my Vigil Mass group for Mass emailed me and said “I love the hymns you choose for us”. I can say all hymns I pick while true to the movement of the Mass reflect heavily on Christ’s love for us (formed in him by his Mother) and one hymn in this vein is my favourite: It goes:
“Love is his word, Love is his way, feasting with friends, fasting alone, living and dying, rising again. Love only love is his way. Richer than gold is the love of my Lord, better than splendour or wealth.
“Love is his name, love is his law. Hear his command, all you who are his. Love one another, I have loved you, Love only love is his law”. (Luke Connaughton, McCrimmon Publishing. U.K)
Leading a Parish music group, challenging a Parish Bible Study Group to study the Catechism, printing up booklets for the ‘Women in Faith” event at Schoenstatt in June that give ‘visitors’ a chance to learn something about Schoenstatt, Mary and the Shrine , all answer Father’s call I’m sure. We too can all pray for Mary to intercede and guide the drive toward a Synodal Church. As Father said at the start we have to have “powerful incentives for (y)our task, for (y)our task as well as it be relevant for (y)our, time.
Angela.
On the note of the ‘Catechism’ Course Lesson 2 on “Man and the purpose of His creation” is now available: email me at angandrickbenson@gmail.com if you want to receive it.
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