Year for Priests - 100th anniversary of Father Kentenich's ordination
In the Year for Priests proclaimed by the Church, Schoenstatt celebrates the centennial anniversary of the priestly ordination of its founder, Father Joseph Kentenich.
The objective
"In this Year for Priests proclaimed by the Pope, we see an open door to demonstrate to the Church the priestly richness of our Father Kentenich. We are proud to have a founder who - as a priest - has been so fruitful in his life.
He was a priest who matured through a crisis in his youth. He accepted the great challenge of risking his life and was not afraid to face the hierarchy of the Church.
He was a priest who spoke about God as if he were exactly next to Him. His love for Mary awakened all the powers of his soul and impregnated his entire pastoral work.
His heart was so big that he was able to unite himself deeply with each person he encountered. His priesthood was a source of joy for us. This is what we want to manifest publicly.
In reality, Schoenstatt was born one hundred years ago with the priestly ordination of Father Joseph Kentenich. The group of sodalists was formed around that young priest, who, as such, lived as a shepherd amid his flock.....a flock which is a family which has a Father.
He was not only a dispenser of the sacraments: he was a creator of relationships, a former of persons, an expert in covenants, a strategist in organization, a prophetic interpreter of the times.
His priesthood, source of our joy
His priestly being is always attached to all of us. It is a joy for all of us and a task for the entire Family to present his priestly profile today. Each pastor, each diocese, the entire Church, should experience the richness which his priestly life embodies.
The four Schoenstatt priestly communities (the Schoenstatt Fathers, the Secular Institute of Diocesan Priests, the Apostolic Federation of Diocesan Priests and the Apostolic League of Diocesan Priests) are putting together a program with this aim. The key is to give to the Church, in the present challenges, all which has made fruitful the priesthood of our Father Kentenich.
Would it not be possible that with the present crises of the priests, the entire Schoenstatt Family would become enthused for helping the Church, manifesting an image of that priesthood which has confirmed its fruitfulness so that it can be a model for many?"
Fr. Heinrich Walter, President of the International Presidium of the International Schoenstatt Work
Passionate for God and for mankind
There is a passionate debate among committed Catholics: what will become of the priestly vocation? What will become of our parishes? What is the type of priest we need for a totally secularized society and for an "ecclesial panorama" which changes very rapidly? There are those who no longer question. They no longer expect something from the Church. Is the vocation to priestly celibacy "a model on the edge?"
The Year for Priests ... for whom?
Pope Benedict XVI wanted to motivate the priests with the proclamation of the "Year for Priests," but it is not only meant for them. Everyone can understand their being Christian as a vocation whether it is from "priesthood through baptism" or consecrated "priesthood through service." They should ask themselves what can they do "in a priestly way" for others while living their faith and creating community?
A priest for tomorrow: Father Joseph Kentenich
It is very appropriate that the centennial celebration of the ordination of Father Kentenich fell "precisely" during this Year for Priests. It is the overwhelming example of a priest who has lived and has worked as a "man of God." We are very grateful for him and we can present him to the world.
Fr. Josef Treutlein, spokesman for the Schoenstatt Diocesan Directors in Germany
To attract the widest circles of priests
Time and time again, many happenings call attention on the priests: often it is about scandals which embarrass the clergy and deeply hurt all of us.....scandals which bad intentioned media exaggerate even more so. Thanks be to God, brilliant examples of brave priests who give their all for their mission as pastors are not lacking.
Pope Benedict XVI has proclaimed a Year for Priests (from June, 2009 to June, 2010) to commit the entire Church to pray for the sanctification of the priests.
Coincidentally, as Schoenstatt Family and in particular its diverse priestly communities, we celebrate on July 8, 2010, the centennial anniversary of the priestly ordination of our Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich.
What would our Father and Founder say to us in these circumstances? On the 15th anniversary of the foundation of Schoenstatt - in 1929 - he made the daring affirmation: "in the shadow of the Shrine....." Shortly thereafter, he said these words to the Sisters which seem to have just been proclaimed now. For that reason, I let him speak now:
"What should we expect for the next fifteen years? Look, what I said for the first time three months ago on the occasion of the consecration of the secondary students, could perhaps become a bit more of a reality in the course of the next fifteen years. I said then: ‘In the shadow of our small Shrine, the destinies of the Church, not only in Germany but also further afield, will essentially be co-decided in the next centuries.....'"
It is something special on how many priests and priest communities, in the last few months, look toward Schoenstatt and they make an effort to direct from here the current of graces to their dioceses. As I see the present situation, the Blessed Virgin wants to attract large circles of priests to Schoenstatt..... If the destinies of the Church are to be decided from here, then the Blessed Virgin must especially attract all our priests here: our diocesan priests, our religious priests and also our pars motrix priests. She must send all of these circles here so they may be captivated by the current of graces and then be sent forth to win the battles for God.....
Through this I see it as a gift from God - and surely you have the same opinion - the fact that not only one course but also that many members of our Family feel spontaneously motivated to sacrifice themselves for the priesthood, and in particular for the priests which God and the Blessed Virgin send to us here.....
All religious currents - which at least do not all rest on the shoulders of the diocesan clergy - in time are condemned to be infertile. For that reason, the priests play a very important role in our Movement. One must add to this that they have to live amidst a world affected by paganism. Thus they are always in danger of being affected by the pagan spirit of the time. From there comes our desire to unite them and to attract them to our Shrine to place them under the influence of the Blessed Virgin." (Fr.Joseph Kentenich, 1929)
Fr. Juan Pablo Catoggio, Regional Superior of the Region of the Father of the Schoenstatt Fathers ( Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Italy and Nigeria)
The Program
Rome: June 9 - 11, 2010
"Priests today" is the title of an afternoon that seeks to respond, above all through testimonies and the language of the arts, to the real challenges faced by priests today in the Church and in society. The event will take place on 9 June 2010, in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, as part of the concluding events of the Year for Priests. Priests from over 70 nations, worldwide, are expected to attend.
Sponsors of the event: the priests of the Focolare and the Schoenstatt Movements in collaboration with the ICCRS (International Catholic Charismatic Renewal in the Spirit) and other church associations.
The programme will describe in three phases the identity of the priest today: Man of God - brothers among brothers - prophets of a new world. Each section will be introduced by a thought from Benedict XVI (on video). In the concluding section, some thoughts of Chiara Lubich, foundress of the Focolare Movement, and of Fr. Josef Kentenich, founder of Schoenstatt, will be presented.
>>>Information, announcements, web page
>>> Press Release
Schoenstatt: June 20, 2010
"Passionate for God and mankind" : this is the theme for the celebration of the International Schoenstatt Work to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the priestly ordination of Father Kentenich. The friends of Schoenstatt and representatives of the Church and society are invited.
Features for the day: testimonies, inspirations, perspectives of the topic: Father Joseph Kentenich, a priest for today. A festive activity with a conference by Prof. Dr. Michael Hochschild from Paris. Eucharist presided by Cardinal Claudio Hummes, prefect of the Congregation for the Clergy who previously, being Archbishop of Sao Paulo, Brazil, has linked with Schoenstatt and Father Kentenich.
>>> Information, announcements, web page (German)
Schoenstatt: June 21 - 23, 2010
Passionate for God and mankind: an international conference for priests in Schoenstatt, for Schoenstatt priests and friends where through exchanges, reflections, prayers of praise and adoration, in a festive and priestly community, wants to open and demonstrate the sources for a living priesthood, "passionate for God and mankind"..... It is an opportunity for growth for the priests of today, illustrated with the dimensions of the priesthood of Father Kentenich. Concretely, spiritual renewal is practiced according to Father Kentenich on a monthly basis - or better said, personal supervision of the Good Shepherd.
Limburg: July 8, 2010
On the day of the centennial anniversary for the priestly ordination of Father Kentenich, the Eucharist will be celebrated in the Limburg Cathedral and presiding will be the Most Reverend Tebartz von Elst, Bishop of Limburg. It will conclude with an encounter in the place where Father Kentenich was ordained, the Mission House of the Pallottine Fathers.
In the afternoon, a walking pilgrimage for the intentions of the Year for Priests will take place from Limburg to Schoenstatt. The pilgrims will arrive on July 10th, the 100th anniversary of Father Kentenich's first Holy Mass.
Those responsible: Fr. Josef Treutlein, Msgr. Peter Wolf.
2010 throughout the world
Throughout the world, there will be conferences and retreats for priests in the Schoenstatt Centers. These will especially emphasize the commitment to the Year for Priests and the commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the ordination to the priesthood for Father Kentenich.
Translation: Carlos Cantu, LaFeria, TX, USA
- Present news on the Year for Priests and the 100th anniversary of Father Kentenich's ordination
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