Dear Schoenstatt Family and Friends:

Happy and blessed Covenant Day! Today we celebrate 97 years of the first Covenant of Love sealed by the Sodalists and Fr. Kentenich at the Original Shrine. Today we are also spiritually united in the Original Shrine with the entire Schoenstatt Family as we officially open the "Year of the Shrine" leading up to Schoenstatt's 100th Anniversary on 2014.

2 PM Beginning of Adoration at the Chapel until 7 PM

2:30  Beginning of Pilgrimage from St. Mary's Cathedral to Addie Roy

6:30  Welcoming of the pilgrimage at the Way side shrine at Addie Roy

7      Holy Mass and presentation of the New Capital of Grace leading to the Shrine in Austin

8      Pot luck dinner

We read from today's opening of the Year of the Shrine in Schoenstatt:

In the Shrine we experience transformation, healing and conversion

We know about superficiality and indifference in our surrounding. We know physical and emotional hurts. Everyone has his wounds. Testimonies give us courage to begin anew and to bring everything to the Blessed Mother: A mother recounts: “When the pilgrim MTA comes into our house, the atmosphere changes every time. Then we talk differently with each other.” The story of our vocation is a story of transformation in our hearts. Here we find the highest quality of love represented in Mary, and she wants to lead us to it.

The shrine is the cradle of sanctity as the Founding Document says. This is not only true for youth who carry a great idealism in their hearts. Their radicalism keeps us older ones awake, too. During this year may we recognize when and where there is need of a turn in our life, to come closer to the will of God. Those personal steps purify and sanctify the realm of our family so that Mary may touch the hearts of people through our common witness.

Many blessings:

Fr. Jesus Ferras, ISP