November 2018 eNewsletter

Message from Fr. Bryan Cunningham Dear Schoenstatt Family and Friends, In this last month of October we celebrated the Blessing of the Shrine with our October Day

pilgrimage to the Shrine. We commemorated fifty years since the death of Father Kentenich and

we also remembered fifty years since the first holy Mass at St John Fisher’s. Fr Peter Locher

joined us for the Kentenich Seminar at the end of October and followed up on the first seminar

about being conscious of our mission by inviting us to adopt the attitude of the Apostles in all we

do.

This is now the month of the Holy Souls and in a special way we want

to remember all the members of our own families and of the

Schoenstatt Family who have died, especially Arthur Hamilton, Paul

Barnes and (wee) Brian Stocks. We also remember Cecilia Stuart,

Dorothy Sheilds and Anne Barrick from Leeds and Arthur Holt from

Liverpool. This year we commemorate at St John Fisher’s

Remembrance Sunday together with the Churches on the Mount and

all our local community.

This month we also have a Pilgrim Mother Rally on Saturday 24th

November and we look forward to meeting all our coordinators

especially our new members.

Starting on 14th November 2018 we invite you to a programme produced by the evangelisation

group CafÉ on Our Lady called ‘Let it be’. It is a programme of five units: Mary Chosen by God,

The First Disciple, Mother of All, Queen of Heaven and finally Help of Christians. Each Unit has

an input video from CafÉ and then the possibility for discussion and questions. It is a wonderful

programme to get to know more about Our Lady and her role in the plan of salvation.

We have Taste and See Family Mass at 3.30pm on Sunday, 11th November and look forward to

seeing you. Into my Vineyard will be on Saturday 10th November at 3.30pm at the Shrine. We will

conclude this meeting with Mass in the Shrine.

The next quarterly MTA Magazine will be published for the Covenant Mass on the 18th December

2018.

I invite you to continue to reflect on how Mary as our Mother and Educator, helps us to come

closer to her Son Jesus Christ, who heals and transforms our hearts so we may be missionary

disciples. May the Shrine continue to be a place of prayer and reflection for you and your family.

Blessings from the Shrine,

Fr. Bryan Cunningham

Movement Director and Rector of the Shrine

Regular Mass Schedule

Sunday Mass at 9:30 am in St John Fisher’s Hall

Mass in the Shrine: Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday at 9 am. Thursday at 7:30 pm and Saturday at

12:00 noon

Special Masses in November

All Saints Day, Thursday, November 1st, 7.30pm

All Souls Day, Friday, November 2nd, 9.00am

Early Bird Holy Mass for men, 7.00am on the first Saturday of each month (Shrine)

The Presentation of Mary, Wednesday, November 21st, Holy Mass at 9.00am

Covenant Mass, Sunday, November 18th, 7.30pm

Reconciliation Every Saturday from 11.00am to 12.00noon

Adoration in the Shrine every Saturday at 11.00am and Sunday at 12.00noon

Youth Adoration in the Shrine every Saturday evening

Shrine is open daily for visitors from 9.00am – 6.00pm and the praying of the Angelus is at 12.00

noon and 6.00pm daily accompanied by the ringing of the bell.

Groups welcome, to schedule go to www.schoenstatt.org.uk

Masses

Stain Glass Window to commemorate 50 years since the celebration of the First Holy Mass in St John Fisher's Kearsley

Our initiative to look at a stain glass window to mark the 50th

Jubilee of the first Holy Mass at St John Fisher’s. We have

donations of over £4,000 towards the cost of the window

£5,700.00. Ian Hall has opened a crowd funding project on

facebook where it is possible to donate.

For more information visit us at www.schoenstatt.org.uk

The UK Youth Branch host their weekly prayer and adoration in the Shrine every Saturday

7:00pm - 8:00pm. Stay for social time with snacks in the cottage after Adoration.

For more information go to www.facebook.com/SchoenstattUKYouth/

Life at the Shrine

Life at St. John Fisher’s Parish

Young people who dream, Elders who see visions

“At the end of World Youth Day in Krakow in

2016, the Holy Father gave us, the young

people, the mission to prepare the next event

in Panama. For that he asked the question,

“Do you promise me that in order to prepare

Panama, you will talk more with your

grandparents?” The answer was unanimous:

“YES”.

In these days, in the last months of

preparation for this long-awaited meeting, the

Synod of Bishops is taking place and the Holy

Father had a meeting with young people and adults. In this event, Monsignor Ulloa, Bishop of

Panama had the joy to talk to us about “Sharing the Wisdom of Time".

On this occasion, he reminds us the importance of having encounters with the “elderly", but that

the work has to be done together; to join forces. He makes clear to us that young people and the

elderly have key tasks for our Church with these three ideas:

1. "Young people who see visions": Our Church needs visionaries, who see with the eyes of the

heart, who aspire the highest. Youth is a source of dynamism, freshness and novelty. It is needed

to fill with life. However, the contribution of the elderly is essential: they dream and help young

people to move forward. The protagonists are the young ones, but those who accompany and

watch are the elderly.

2. "Elders who dream dreams": The memory of an elder is not an encyclopedia, it is a treasure of

experiences, a composition; it also has scars and wounds that teach to live, and caresses that

teach to love. Old age gives something that returns them to their inner child, who once were that

makes possible a new wisdom to arise, therefore elderly people can dream and transmit to us

dreams,

3. "Young people who dream, elders who see visions": Young people must learn to listen to the

Spirit, and for that it is also necessary for the elders to tell us their dreams. Our society needs

elders who do not stop dreaming, who fascinate us with their wisdom. The Church has the mission

of providing inter-generational conversation times, times and spaces for young and elderly people

to feel accompanied, that both can take refuge, give each other joy and joy, an alliance.

For more information go to www.facebook.com/apostolinkweb/

Schoenstatt’s Pilgrim Mother Apostolate is a

movement among the laity that reaches out to

touch the lives not only of the people in the

Church, but also in every part of society – to

those with faith and the many who have lost

their faith or never heard of God.

“Through her many titles, often linked to her

shrines, Mary shares the history of each

people which has received the Gospel and she

becomes a part of their historic identity. ...

There, in these many shrines, we can see how

Mary brings together her children who with great effort come as pilgrims to see her and to be seen

by her. Here they find strength from God to bear the weariness and the suffering in their lives. As

she did with Juan Diego (in Guadalupe in Mexico), Mary offers them maternal comfort and love,

and whispers in their ear: “Let your heart not be troubled ... Am I not here, who am your Mother?”

(Pope Francis, EG 286)

What is the Schoenstatt Pilgrim Mother Apostolate?

When Mary went to visit her cousin Elizabeth, her presence brought many blessings. Not only did

Mary serve Elizabeth’s physical needs, she also brought the Lord with her into Elizabeth’s home.

She filled that home with the praises of God and with his joy. The child in Elizabeth’s womb leaped

for joy, causing Elizabeth to call out: How is it that the Mother of my Lord should come to me? (cf.

Lk 1:39-56). Zachary was given back the ability to speak and he began to prophesy (cf. Lk 1:56-

90).

Mary was the first apostle of her Son. Some of the greatest apostles of the past were followers of

Mary and inspired by her. As Pope Francis wrote:

“Mary was able to turn a stable into a home for Jesus, with poor swaddling clothes and an

abundance of love. She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. She is the friend

who is ever concerned that wine not be lacking in our lives. She is the woman whose heart was

pierced by a sword and who understands all our pain. As mother of all, she is a sign of hope for

peoples suffering the birth pangs of justice. She is the missionary who draws near to us and

accompanies us throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love. As a true mother,

she walks at our side, she shares our struggles and she constantly surrounds us with God’s love.”

(EG 286)

Pilgrim Mother Apostolate UK

Mary’s mission is to bring her Son, Jesus Christ, to the people in the world. She wants to bring

Jesus into our homes and places of work, to serve us and take care of our needs, and to intercede

for us with her Son. Many of us cannot travel so easily to the great places of pilgrimage: Lourdes,

Guadalupe, Czestochowa, Fatima, Schoenstatt, Medjugorje ... So Mary comes to us WITH HER

SON. She wants to make our homes, rooms, offices, and holy places, islands of grace,

sanctuaries and places of refuge in the midst of the world. She wants to spread God’s Kingdom

by bringing her Son into the world again, this time through us.

Millions of people throughout the world welcome the Pilgrim Mother of Schoenstatt into their

homes and hearts. Now she wants to come to your area. Are you ready to offer her shelter on her

Journey of Love?

Blessings of the Pilgrim MTA

The Pilgrim MTA goes on pilgrimage from home to home, or to the work place, hospitals, etc.

Wherever her picture goes, the graces of the Schoenstatt shrine go with it. These are the graces

we need so badly today.

The grace of a home

in her heart, and through her heart in the heart of Jesus and the Father, and a home in the heart

of others. She also enlarges our heart so that it can become a heart not only for our immediate

family, but even beyond. In our uprooted people of today, the grace of a home, of being rooted in

a place and people, and ultimately in God, is life-saving. There is so much mental illness today

because we have lost our true home, our ultimate roots. For children and adults who may have

to contend with bullying and other forms of abuse, this awareness of being loved and safe in a

human heart, and ultimately in God’s heart, can be the best antidote.

The grace of inner transformation

Mary was the mother and educator of Jesus, so who is better able to mother and educate us? We

all need to grow and mature physically, mentally, emotionally, socially and also spiritually. If we

follow her guidance, we cannot lose our way. She will help us to see through the false and alluring

world of the mass media and find the truth about ourselves and others. We can only find our true

identity in God. Through faithfulness in carrying out our duties and responsibilities at home, at

work, at school, etc., we are led to the sanctity of everyday life. More and more Mary will guide

us to become like her Son, other Christs, other Marys, and a blessing to those around us.

The grace of apostolic zeal and fruitfulness

As Pope Francis has pointed out so often, being an apostle does not mean proselytising. We

aren’t trying to convince people that our way, our faith, is the best. When we take the Pilgrim

Mother to someone, we are only instruments bearing witness to God’s love in our lives. She will

do the rest. We don’t need to KNOW much, we need to love much. Pope Francis calls upon us to

go out to the peripheries, to those neglected or rejected by society, and to make God’s fatherly

love present there – just as Jesus and Mary did. The more we love Jesus and Mary, the more we

will feel urged to go about helping others as they did. Fr Kentenich loved to repeat St Vincent

Pallotti’s saying: She is the great Mission- ary, she will work miracles! But, according to God’s

will, she can do nothing without us, without our co-operation. We have to be her hands, her feet,

her mouth, her heart today. It is the only way to change the world for the better.

“Shouldn’t we undertake as a sacred duty to recite the Rosary every day as one of the greatest

means of salvation in these times?”

Father Kentenich said: “Schoenstatt has the task to form the new person in the new community

filled with apostolic zeal. As an instrument of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress

of Schoenstatt, we want to help imprint the countenance of Christ on the people of the entire

world.”

He encouraged us to give Mary a place of honour in our homes so that our homes could share in

the graces of the Shrine. We welcome Mary our Mother as she visits our homes as Pilgrim Mother

and ask that Mary may form us to be apostles of the Covenant of Love for our times.

For more information, send an email to: mary@schoenstatt.org.uk

By Stephen Bromley

Last month, during a holiday on the Algarve, Portugal, my family and I made the 160 mile journey

to Lisbon to visit the Schoenstatt Shrine there.

The Lisbon Shrine is older than ‘ours', built in the mid-1970s. In so many ways it was such an

obviously familiar space with all the features common to Schoenstatt Shrines, but nonetheless it

felt very different to our own. No less special, just different. Set in an very urban environment in

a small courtyard, it has a tiled floor typical of the style of building employed in warmer countries

with the letters ‘MTA’ inlaid into it just in front of the Altar. It also has an altar rail, which is common

to many Shrines but something that we do not have.

It was a long (320 mile) round-trip (thank you to my son for doing all the driving!) but it was totally

worthwhile.

And as much as it was a great thing to do, coming home is so nice. These picture of our Shrine

were taken in the late October sun. When viewed from certain angles you could be anywhere in

the world. We are lucky to have such a lovely spot for our Shrine. A Beautiful Place.

Stop Press

Coffee Morning at the Shrine, Thursday 8th November at 10.00am

Into my Vineyard Meeting, Saturday 10th November at 3.30pm

Taste and See Mass at the Shrine, Sunday 11th November at 3.30pm

Let in be Done Programme at the Shrine, Wednesday 14th November at 7.00pm

Fashion Show at St John Fisher’s at the Shrine, Wednesday 21st November

Pilgrim Mother Rally at the Shrine, Saturday 24th November at 10.30am

Let in be Done Programme at the Shrine, Wednesday 28th November at 7.00pm

Let in be Done Programme at the Shrine, Wednesday 5th December at 7.00pm

You are invited to take part in these events.

Save the Date - Special Dates in December Feast of the Immaculate Conception Holy Mass, Saturday, December 8th, noon Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe Holy Mass, Wednesday, December 12th, 9:00am Christmas Masses Christmas Eve Carols, Monday, December 24th, 6.30pm Christmas Eve, Monday, December 24th, 7:00pm Christmas Day, Tuesday, December 25th, 10:00am Saint Stephen’s Day, Wednesday, December 26th, 12.00noon

Celebrations

Sub tuum praesídium

Sub tuum praesídium confúgimus, sancta Dei Génetrix; nostras deprecatiónes ne despícias in

necessitátibus, sed a perículis cunctis líbera nos semper, Virgo gloriósa et benedícta”.

We fly to Thy protection, O Holy Mother of God. Do not despise our petitions in our necessities,

but deliver us always from all dangers, O Glorious and Blessed Virgin.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

Saint Michael, the Archangel, defend us in battle; be our protection

against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke

him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O prince of the heavenly host,

by the power of God, thrust into Hell, Satan and all the other evil

spirits, who prowl throughout the world, seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen

My Queen, my Mother,

I give myself entirely to you, And to show my devotion to you, I consecrate to you this day, My

eyes, my ears, my mouth, my heart, My entire self without reserve.

As I am your own, my good Mother, Guard me and defend me, as your property and possession.

Amen.

This letter from the Schoenstatt Movement is prepared by our editing team, Avril de Mink and

Juan Ignacio Melecio in association with the editor of our quarterly magazine MTA, Patty Ganley

and many contributors.

Prayers