I M P U L S E 2І2020 or Daily Living

Maria – A Woman Familiar with Suffering

Secretariat Father Joseph Kentenich Mary, A Woman Familiar with Suffering It wasn't exactly a small thing with also educated his mother, so-to-say which she had to cope: to accompany equipping her spiritually so that she her son on such a journey. Ever since could follow him all the way of the cross. "She didn’t understand him. How Simeon announced that a sword would often this word shone forth in her life! pierce her soul (Lk 2:35), she had to live How much darkness it contained! In an with the prophecy that she had to expect exemplary way, she has overcome the enormous suffering for the sake of her uncertainty of the mind through heroism child. She had to live with this fear, with of faith and the fear and need of the heart through the heroism of trust and the uncertainty. Father Kentenich, who love." (J. Kentenich) was occupied and involved with her life, draws attention to the fact: "We often Believe heroically, trust heroically, love think of Mary’s life as a constant stroll heroically. Is this a way – also in my life across flowery meadows: without – to master suffering and dark hours? deeper conflicts and emotional distress, There was always a quiet fear for him; free from any uncertainty and fear. But distress and human anxiety is always that contradicts the harsh reality. It present in her. She had to endure all this makes us blind to Mary's greatness: for ever since he started his public life. What the heroism of faith and love, with which might it have been like for her when he she responded and overcame went for the Passover to Jerusalem, of all uncertainty and fear. She knew night places? What danger did he put himself and darkness, uncertainty and insecurity in? like us – even more than us." (J. Kentenich) With him, she bears all the injustice, all Mary heard all that was said about her the abuse, slander, and malice against son, what he was accused of. She him. She knows who he is, and she has wanted to warn him, protect him from to watch him be tortured. How cruelly he persecution, preferably take him home, is abused, scourged, mocked! And but Jesus doesn’t allow her to worry. He there's nothing she can do. Suffering in even rebukes her quite harshly: Who is my mother and who are my brothers? silence, she watches everything, doesn't Those who do my Father's will! The will run away, doesn’t close her eyes to of the Father is decisive for him. This suffering. She bears it with him, for him. should be decisive for her as well. He Suffering has to be learned. But to suffer knows it’s not only his personal ideal of with someone, for someone also means life, but hers as well. She had replied to the angel, "May it be done unto me at the same time to know the happiness according to your word." She will of loving. Finally, comes the climax of remain faithful to him even during these his life: the Way of the Cross. When he difficult days. Jesus admonishes her, as was standing there in his glory, he had it were, not to simply give in to her many followers. They all wanted to be maternal feelings. In this way he friends with him, but now they have all prepares her for even greater suffering. Father Kentenich explained that Jesus fled in fear. But she doesn’t flinch; she cannot be stopped and held back. She "Suffering hurries to him. She must be with him nourishes love." now. When he fell under the heavy The more I have suffered for beams of the cross she's not thinking someone the about her own pain, the intolerability of more I love having to watch him! She wants him to him, and the see her. We have to see each other. My more I love son, my child, you’re not going to carry someone, the more I suffer. that alone! Once, when Her faith has become even stronger Father through all the trials and tribulations in Kentenich was PHOTO: NEUENHOFER her life: This Good Friday will be asked how he followed by an Easter morning. "He could endure so much suffering in his will free his people from their sins." life, he replied: "My Love was always Scripture says she had kept all these greater than my suffering." Here lies the words in her heart and pondered. She key – also for my life: See to it that love had thought about what all this meant, is always greater than suffering. Mary what Simeon had told her... HE will gave him the visual instruction. From win! her person, he recognized the nature of woman and discovered an enormous Mary goes with him all the way to the capacity in woman to bear suffering, summit of suffering, to the crucifixion. especially for the sake of others. For her as a woman it is far more difficult to see her beloved Son suffer People who have suffered much can so much than to be sacrificed herself. understand others in need, in their Mary's testimony speaks to me, to my worries, in their grief in a completely life and suffering: There's nothing different way. This applies above all to greater than to suffer out of love, to die Mary, the woman who, like no other for love! Is it any wonder that over person in the history of the world was many centuries people today seek taken into the redemptive suffering of refuge with her in their suffering, hope Jesus. But this is true also for Father for her understanding, and to turn to Kentenich and is a reason why so many her? This woman is capable of suffering people found so much comfort, like no other. She knows what suffering encouragement, and support with him, means and what it takes to suffer for a especially in the most difficult person whom you love. She will help situations. He knew that we do not me, too, to be able to carry my overcome the fear of suffering by suffering. She won't take it away from fleeing, as the men around Jesus me, but she'll carry it with me and give preferred to do. Fear is defeated by love me of her confidence: Here is not the and by bravely approaching it out of end of the line! Easter morning comes – love. also in my life. Sister M. Doria Schlickmann In Mary's school, Joseph Kentenich learned early on what suffering means, but also how to deal with suffering without breaking down. "Love and suffering belong together!" he could often say. He broke off the peak of suffering because he put love first. Experiences of God through Father Joseph Kentenich (By Father Rudolf Mosbach)

The question has already been asked: July 24, 1942, at his own risk he Is there any God experience in this arranged not letting Father Kentenich world at all? A person today, in all go on the notorious Transport of one’s awareness of life, is Invalids, but was hidden and escaped characterized by the experiential from the SS and thereby "Absence" of God. extermination. Dachau was typical for this 1. The Absence of the Experience of atmosphere: In 1942, Father God Kentenich was sent to the In some respects the situation of the concentration camp and was put in the camp can be extended to the whole entry barrack. Father Kentenich and world. Here too we hear: None of us some others were received by the has seen God! ... Father Kentenich block (=barracks) elder or leader...the says: If there is any faith left in a Communist Hugo Guttmann: "You person...then I guess it's faith in can leave your Lord God at home. providence. So, if it is claimed that None of us here at the camp has seen there is no longer any intervention by God." Then he must have sensed that God, then the person, if he's at all still one person was not quite "levelled" by open for the supernatural, has to this opinion. That was Father critically ask his questions here. Kentenich, who replied, "But perhaps you have seen the devil!" Through Those who don’t want to see God don’t this, Hugo Guttmann’s attention was look for him and therefore don’t see drawn to Father Kentenich. He kept him. Hardly anything was explicitly an eye on him. What struck him was mentioned about God speaking in two that someone here was, as it were, thousand years of Church history. Let's more "communist" than he imagined, just think about our families. Where because from day one, Father were the children taught that there isn’t Kentenich never took all that was due just a "God of the catechism", a "God him from the ration, bread etc., but of the altars", but also a "God of life"? still gave something away to others. During camp, the Schoenstatt Boys' The communist Guttmann had never Youth had an activity called yet encountered anything like this "Campaign SY" (Show yourself). This kind of humanness. The admiration meant that from morning to evening for Father Kentenich had a we look for and pray to God and the consequence a few months later. On Blessed Mother: Show yourself to us! - in any events and persons of everyday life. In the evening individuals could share where they had received a hint from God or the Blessed Mother – so- to-say a schooling about the God of life. We know how Father Kentenich was pleased when he heard reports from our Schoenstatt priests about this awakening life concerning faith in Providence. 2. Experience of God through In a short testimony, a French priest, Father Kentenich who was also admitted to the camp, told how he was led to Father Our question is: Does the God of life Kentenich. He had been without hope exist or does he not exist? Is there an and said to himself, "I'm not getting out experience of God in this world or of here alive.” Depressed, he spoke to does it not exist? We limit our answer Father Kentenich and asked him, to the person of Father Kentenich, we "Father, do you think that I will get out gather what we have experienced with of here alive? Then Father beamed at him, we verify it. However, as with him and said: "But August, that's so Francis or the Curé of Ars: What we incidental, we’ll leave that up to the experience with Father Kentenich was Blessed Mother!" This encounter at first restrained, as if it were veiled. worked. After some time, his depressed Only little by little did the experience, mood was overcome. He was an active the rethinking and perhaps also co-worker of Father Kentenich. He through a flash of light in certain used his free time to translate situations, the intuition became more Schoenstatt texts to the French clearly a consciousness or a language. He could profess that in the conviction: There’s more here than person of Father Kentenich he had just something human; here we are encountered something of the faced with a real experience of God. supernatural. This realization takes time. It's been the same in other cases, even among We recall Father Kentenich’s Christ's disciples. confinement in the bunker (four weeks dark detention in 1941). They thought, Different groups of people made their if he comes out of this alive again, then "experience" directly with Father he'll be broken for the rest of his life. Kentenich. Joseph Engling and his And what happened? The chaplain of classmates were first just impressed this prison said that no one had ever with him. However, little by little, done that before; most of them they became aware that in the person collapsed physically and mentally after of Father Spiritual, the title they used only a few days; would have testified or for the spiritual director, in his signed anything the asked for. speaking and acting, they encountered Father Kentenich came out after four something supernatural. We find weeks, radiant, erect, as if to say: "Do something similar in the concentration what you want, but the future belongs camp. A Protestant fellow prisoner, to me and my ideas!” Along with the who had gained great respect for general amazement came the sense that Father Kentenich because of living there was more to Father Kentenich together with him, sums up: "Father than just human security and Kentenich disliked literal Christianity. sustainability. He modelled his faith and his . In the tense atmosphere and From a talk by Father Rudolf Mosbach gloomy, hopeless, and desolate during the Delegates' Meeting of the situation of life his eyes caught the Schoenstatt Family, October 1970. supernatural light in the rays of the cosmic starry skies and with sun in the heart he radiated consolation, happiness, and contentment."

He Helps A Trusted and Sure Guide in Time of Desperate Need Father Kentenich has been once again, as many times before, my sure and trusted guide in life. But this time he has proven his intercessory power in an almost Instead, the city of Cebu began a gradual miraculous way. But he also demanded lock down and the closing of the airport my human collaboration according to was in sight. When on March 18, our [the motto] Nothing without me, nothing covenant day, I searched for possible without you. flights I found one single flight offered on March 19 via Hong Kong. I dared to I had booked a flight from Sydney to accept this only flight with total trust in Cebu, Philippines, over Hong Kong on Father Kentenich even with the March 11. When I arrived at the airport uncertainty whether Hong Kong would at night, I was told at the check-in that a accept flights from the Philippines while few hours earlier, the Philippine no flights from Hong Kong were allowed government had closed their airport for to land there. It was St. Joseph’s day and flights from Hong Kong due to COVID- I begged him on his feastday to guide me 19. For a moment I was stunned because safely home and to calm my rising inner I was not informed of it ahead of time. tension. When the officials remained hard and not very willing to help me, I turned to He was a sure guide. Upon arriving home, Father Kentenich for his guidance. After I learned that within a few hours the much negotiation back and forth I was Sydney airport would be closed to all assured of a full refund of my ticket. foreigners – and I am one of them. Thanks to Father Kentenich, I was able to book another flight over Manila, I thanked Father Kentenich with all my Philippines, for the next day in the heart. His intercession was total precision morning without knowing what was work that led me safely home just before awaiting me. the total lock down in the Philippines as well as in Sydney. Upon arrival in the Philippines I was told that in two days, the Manila airport will Father Kentenich used to inspire us to be closed for all incoming and outgoing have confidence as firm as a rock! He did flights. This would mean for me: I not leave me alone. Thank you! couldn’t return that way. A.T., Australia March 30, 2020 Again, I turned to Father Kentenich for his advice. Calmly I took care of my A Wonderful Experience various duties and in-between I searched for flights back to Sydney without In order to understand this story, you transferring in either Manila or Hong must know that I suffer under Tourette's Kong. Flights were offered to me in the -syndrome, which causes panic attacks moment, but in a few hours, they were and dizziness. Earlier this year, both had cancelled again with the promise that increased, especially when I was the soon everything will return back to passenger in the car, but also when normal. shopping and visiting the doctor. I didn't have the courage to leave our house. I asked the Sisters in Schoenstatt to pray to necessary information and the case was the Blessed Mother and Father Kentenich dismissed. Thank you, Father Kentenich, for me. This has obviously helped. A few for your help; we are forever grateful! days ago, my mother went to the bank for me, and my ATM card got stuck in C.C. Austin, TX the ATM. My account was then blocked. Finally, my card was again found. Now it Happy and Grateful Parents became unpleasant for me: I had to get my own bank card at the branch of the We're a married couple who, for eight bank. Through this I was forced, after a years had an unfulfilled desire to have long time, to get in the car. My mother children. It was a very stressful and painful drove me to the bank. I was very scared time with several miscarriages and in the car and felt dazed. But nothing surgeries that we had to live through. more happened. We also received a During these painful years we went to pray parking ticket from a man. There were to the Blessed Mother and Father no Tourette's-syndrome attacks on the Kentenich in the Schoenstatt Shrine. We return trip either. For me the story is a also brought our requests to the community clear proof that God has given us life and of the Sisters of Mary to seek their support leads us. I am full gratitude for this in prayer. Likewise, some friends and experience. family members prayed for us. With countless prayers and lighted candles, we P. H., November 2019 have trusted that all would turn out well. On October 18, 2018, we finally went to I asked Father Kentenich that there Schoenstatt to visit the Original Shrine to would be holy Mass in the shrine the present our concerns loudly and participate next day, on my birthday. It was highly at a worship service on Covenant Day. improbable because there usually isn't a Together with our parents, with other holy Mass on this particular day of the members of the Schoenstatt Family, and week. A big surprise! In the evening a some Sisters of Mary, we participated in priest called and asked if he could this service and poured out our hearts at celebrate a holy Mass the next day in the this place of grace. On December 18, 2018 shrine! Thank you, Father Kentenich! we went to the gynaecologist for an ultrasound. So, when the doctor said, "O, MGD, Waukesha, WI there are two of them," we could hardly believe it. Still a little afraid whether the Recently, I received a citation from a two would stay with us now and not leave justice of the peace in which I was being us, we were at the same time filled with fined a great sum of money for parking great hope. During the rest of the in a handicapped designated space. We pregnancy, everything went well. We were were completely stunned because we use overjoyed and infinitely grateful for the the handicap space on account of my great grace that has been bestowed on us. wife's condition. I called the appropriate Our faith and our trust were rewarded. office to discuss the situation and was Again and again, the quote from Father told to bring a copy of the handicap Kentenich came to mind: "Those who trust placard and a copy of my driver’s license have everything." On July 23, 2019, our to see if the case could be dismissed. We twins were born. Those who look into the immediately entrusted the petition to eyes of the little angels can see God. With Father Joseph Kentenich. We entered the great gratitude and joy, we celebrated building and had to take a number. As , and filled with trust placed the soon as our number was called and we life of our children into the hands of the approached the person who was Blessed Mother. Mary helped! She helps attending us, the young woman said, "I even today! All things are possible for the know you people. You were my first one who believes. grade teacher and you were the counselor H. S., July 2019 at the high school." We provided the Father Joseph Kentenich - Founder of the International Schoenstatt Movement - was born on November 16, 1885, in Gymnich near and died on September 15, 1968, in the Church of Berg Schoenstatt, immediately after the celebration of the Holy Mass. He is also buried in this church. His sarcophagus bears the inscription Dilexit ecclesiam - He loved the church.

The Secretariat Father Josef Kentenich distributes information about Father Kentenich, to those who are acquainted with Schoenstatt’ spirituality and pray on his intercession. You will be able to find more information and novenas from Fr. Kentenich in our centers.

Request for the newest publications:

Novena Courage of Faith Autumn Storms Book

Contact Addresses in the USA: Contact Address in Australia: Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary Mount Schoenstatt W284 N698 Cherry Lane 230 Fairlight Road Waukesha, WI 53188-9416 Mulgoa, NSW 2745 Phone: (262) 522-4300 Australia

Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary House Schoenstatt 134 Front Street *Translated from the German Rockport, Texas 78382-7800 by Sr. Marihedwig Heisig Phone: (361) 729-2771

Whenever this pamphlet directly or indirectly states that Father Kentenich is a “” it is always the expression of private opinion. The decision of the Church is in no way anticipated.