History031

What is Schoenstatt?

Schoenstatt is a Catholic lay Marian movement which strives to live the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the example and guidance of Mary, the Mother of God. Schoenstatt was founded on October 18, 1914 by Father Joseph Kentenich in the little Schoenstatt valley in the Rhine region of west-central Germany.

The word Schoenstatt comes from the German word for “beautiful” (schon) and “place” (statt)

The Schoenstatt Shrine provides a natural and supernatural home for all who visit. You will experience tranquility, peace and most of all Our Lady of Schoenstatt, the Mother of God. She offers the grace of a home in her Mother heart for everyone who seeks answers in the confusion and uncertainty of life.

Schoenstatt is a Movement of renewal with a great mission of renewal for Church and world. Therefore, we receive the graces of renewal and of inner transformation in the Schoenstatt Shrine. We also receive the grace of Apostolic fruitfulness to go and enkindle the world for Christ and Mary.

It is a movement of life which means it does not merely proclaim great ideas, rather it stresses the practical applications of these ideas to our everyday lives.
Schoenstatt is:

  • A Place
  • A Movement
  • A Message
  • A Way of Life

Schoenstatt’s Three Contact Points – Founder, Our Lady and Our Shrine.

Schoenstatt - A Place

Schoenstatt means “beautiful place” and it is here that people from all walks of life find moments of peace and tranquility on their journey through life. They are refreshed and renewed and find the possibility to deepen their commitment to Christ. It is a place of grace and pilgrimage where love for Christ and his Mother, Mary, are deeply rooted.

In Australia, Schoenstatt has centres at Mount Schoenstatt in Mulgoa, NSW, at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Kew, VIC and at the Schoenstatt Shrine in Armadale, WA.

The original Schoenstatt is on the Rhine River near, Coblence in Germany. 

Schoenstatt - A Movement

Schoenstatt is an Ecclesial International Movement in the Roman Catholic Church. It is a spiritual family composed of people of all ages and states of life: men and women, families, youth, priests and members of consecrated life.

It is an apostolic movement which supports it members as they try to actively live their Catholic faith on a daily basis. Through self-education, social interaction and in conscious dependence on Mary, our Mother and Educator, they seek to meet and respond to God in their everyday lives.

Schoenstatt - A Message

Schoenstatt offers a threefold message:

  1. The message of a living, practical faith in Divine Providence which teaches us that God in his wisdom and love provides the very best for us and desires our eternal salvation.
  2. The message of the Covenant of Love which has become the core of Schoenstatt spirituality. It is a rediscovery of the history of salvation.
  3. The message of a universal apostolate. Each one of us is called to become an apostle for Christ and his mission. The spirituality helps us to become conscious of this mission and fruitful in our lay apostolate.

Schoenstatt - A Way of Life

Belonging to Schoenstatt is not just about saying prayers, doing certain activities or attending meetings. It is a way of life – it affects one’s whole life and one’s relationships with others.

Through the Covenant of Love with Mary, the members not only discover more and more the deeper meaning of their baptismal covenant but also are enabled to live this covenant and try to live as God’s instruments in today’s modern world.

“Nothing without you, Nothing without us” is a simple expression of this covenant. This was the beginning and is the lasting foundation of today’s world-wide Schoenstatt movement.