By Pilar Huerta

After many years of longing, of contributions to the Capital of Grace, of united effort, perseverance, love and service, the Holy Spirit revealed to us that it was the time to act – it was God’s time.  On Pentecost Sunday 2005, the diocesan committee met to formulate a letter requesting guidance from the Institutes of the Schoenstatt Fathers and the Schoenstatt Sisters to get permission to build a daughter shrine in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  The committee, representing all the members of the branches, made the decision to set a time frame for the building of the shrine.  A three-year intense fundraising campaign would be required.  The Living Stones Campaign would be implemented on October 1, 2005, the first day of the new fiscal year. 

 God’s surprise and great blessing, through the intercession of our Mother and Queen, came to us on September 27, 2005!  Our benefactor called Sr. Corelia Bechold to let her know that he was making a bank transfer to the Schoenstatt Movement of San Antonio for the construction of the shrine.  After prayers of thanksgiving and gratitude at the Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine, the committee decided to go ahead with the planned campaign because additional funds would be needed for the clearing of the land, all the interior of the shrine, some of the symbols, and sacred vessels, linens, etc.  As it turned out, every dollar of the sizeable amount that was raised was needed for the completion and dedication of the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine. 

 The second weekend in October was when the Delegates Convention-Workshop had been held for many years at the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar.  The Convention of 2005 was an unbelievable miracle of unity!

Words of Sr. Corelia Bechold, A Shrine for a Shrine - History of the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine, p. 25

At the Delegates Workshop of that year (2005), Julian & Pilar Huerta and Linda Silva shared the news of the gift with the Delegates.  They, in turn, shared this joy from the heart.  Then something wonderful happened that could only be guided by the Holy Spirit and Father Kentenich’s intercession.  The leaders of the branches and the diocesan leaders voiced their readiness to build this new shrine together as a Jubilee Gift for the Confidentia Shrine (50^th Anniversary).  When the Living Stones Album was developed by Pilar Huerta, each diocese took a symbol of the Shrine to work for and to present to the new shrine.  It was a miracle of unity guided from above, a Shrine for a Shrine.

Once home in San Antonio after the grace-filled weekend of unity, love, and joy, the work began for the diocesan committee and the board.  The preliminary work for the board was to prepare a short-term and long-term plan for the use of Mount Schoenstatt which was submitted by the chairperson, Pilar Huerta, to the appraisal district with the application for transfer from an agricultural exemption to a religious-use exemption on the entire property.  Upon approval, the next thing taken care of by the board was to sell the longhorn cattle and begin the clearing of 10 acres.  The architect, Francisco Gonzalez, who served on the board, prepared the architectural plan for the shrine.  Several of the sisters from Lamar came to help in the selection of the site for the shrine.

 The diocesan committee had as its primary focus, the process of discernment for the name and mission of the shrine.  It was a beautiful, spiritual experience of working together.  We had enough members, representing the branches and the pilgrim circle on the committee, to have one member or couple to spend one hour in Eucharistic adoration on each of the seven days of the week.  We did this for over two years until God, through the intercession of our founder, revealed to us the name and mission of our shrine – Cor Unum in Patre – One Heart in the Father.  It is a mission of great significance to offer to Church and world from our shrine.  Most of us (if I may venture to say, all of us) on the diocesan committee in the years of being called as instruments for this holy task, continue with our weekly adoration now 11 years later.  It was a great grace we received of an hour of silence growing in our relationship with God and learning to anchor each week of our lives in Christ who is present in the Eucharist.

Part Eight – Dedication of the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine – our Mother’s victory!

On October 18, 2008, with great joy, the San Antonio Family united with the Texas and U. S. Schoenstatt Family offered our Mother and Victorious Queen the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine.  It was the fulfillment of a 40-year longing for the day when our Mother, Queen of Unity, would reign from her shrine in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  Living the grace of unity, our ideal, prepared us for this day and for the shrine’s mission. 

This second shrine of the Texas Family was the jubilee gift for the 50 years of the special activity of our Mother Thrice Admirable from the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar-Rockport – a Shrine for a Shrine!   For five decades, our San Antonio Family received the special grace of unlimited, childlike and victorious confidence through the hands of our covenant partner. Our striving to live unity daily, nurtured by the grace of confidence, has shaped our story.  It was with the attitude of great confidence that the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine was also offered in thanksgiving in advance for the canonization Schoenstatt’s founder, Father Joseph Kentenich.

Most Reverend Jose Gomez, Archbishop of San Antonio officiated at the dedication of the shrine.  The Mass was concelebrated by the Schoenstatt Fathers of the United States and some diocesan priests.  Several deacons assisted.  The Schoenstatt University Men served as altar servers.  The choir director was Maria Apac-Smith.  Carlos Cantu, from the Brownsville Diocese was the Master of Ceremonies.  The Mass was coordinated by the Dedication Mass Committee:  Fr. Jesus Ferras and the diocesan leader of the mothers’ branch, Linda Silva, and the diocesan leader couple of the family branch, Julian & Pilar Huerta.

1,700 persons attended this special day of grace and festive day of celebration in honor of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt.  Many guests from throughout Texas, the United States, Puerto Rico and Mexico were present.  After the Mass, the celebration continued with Mariachi music and a dinner for hundreds of guests in a large dining tent.  Congratulations and gifts were presented from throughout the United States, Mexico and Schoenstatt, Germany.

Our holy history continues, bringing us to 2019 and 50 years of great blessings. . .

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

As we journeyed with the Church and as Schoenstatt Movement in the final years of the 1990’s leading to the new millennium, we expressed thanksgiving for the gift of the property for our Mother’s dwelling place and future shrine of grace.  We presented our Mother and Queen with a crown.  The first May crowning on the property was on May 18, 1997 at an outdoor Mass celebrated by a visiting Oblate priest.  The stained-glass crown we offered our Queen was designed and crafted by Albert Tamez.  The following year, the crowning celebrated the 25^th anniversary of the original crowning of our Queen of Unity in 1973.  The Mass was celebrated by Fr. Hector Vega and many of the members of our Texas family came to visit the property and celebrate with us.  The diocesan leaders of the branches offered the original Unity Crown to our Queen of Unity anew.  In the final year of the 1990’s, 1999, Archbishop Patricio Flores celebrated an outdoor Mass for our May crowning.  Our Texas family again celebrated as a united family.  In return, our Mother and Queen presented her children with a crown.  Through the generosity of her instrument, the first development of the property was completed -- electricity and a public-use well.  It took many prayers and contributions to the capital of grace “the nothing without us” to overcome the unexpected challenges with the two initiatives, each one is a “story of perseverance and trust” in itself!

Part Seven – Years of Foundation - Mount Schoenstatt

We entered the new millennium by welcoming special visitors from the General Presidium in Schoenstatt.  They came to see our hill country property and assess its feasibility for a Schoenstatt Shrine and Religious Center. 

United as Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio, we sponsored Schoenstatt Conference 2000.  It was held at a nearby parish hall.  Holy Mass was celebrated by Fr. Gerold Langsch who also presented the key talk.  A master plan for the Helotes property was unveiled by board member and architect, Francisco Gonzalez.  Ministry booths throughout the conference area helped to introduce Schoenstatt and to bring in volunteers interested in the life of the Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine and the future shrine at Mount Schoenstatt.  The highlight of the program was a skit, “Vamos a Construir” (“We are Going to Build”).  We wore yellow construction “hard hats” made of plastic and by the end of our skit we had built a tabletop Schoenstatt Shrine out of cardboard cinder blocks, complete with bell tower and bell!   

 In 2001, the fifth of the founding years at the property, we purchased a 1,500 sq. ft. building (formerly used for CCD) from Our Lady of Sorrows Parish in downtown San Antonio and had it moved to Helotes.  That was the first building on the 52.8 acre property.  This year, in the October 18, 2001 Covenant Day Mass, at the sign of peace we added a hug for the persons sitting close to us with the words “thank you”.  We acknowledged our unity in Christ’s peace and the contribution of each person. The next year, the renovation to the building was completed. 

The year 2003 was ushered in by the movement of the Holy Spirit inspiring us to more spiritual striving.  United, the members of the branches offered a nine-week Rosary novena while walking the grounds of the property.  The men took turns carrying the SRC auxiliary shrine as we walked and prayed.  We were challenged to do more.  Belinda Murguia was inspired to have a pilgrimage to the Schoenstatt Shrines in Mexico and to offer our Mother her Unity Crown in petition for growth in numbers and growth in the depth of our Covenant of Love.  It turned out that only the diocesan leaders of the branches would make the pilgrimage – Linda Silva, Julian & Pilar Huerta and Belinda Murguia.  Fr. Christian Christensen accompanied us.  In the beautiful, holy Easter season, we visited the shrines in Monterrey, San Luis Potosi, and Queretaro.  In each shrine, our Mother and Queen accepted her crown and our petition for her intercession.  We also petitioned our Mother at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City.

In the summer of 2003, a very special Corpus Christi procession and blessing (E-W-N-S) was held in the large meadow of the property.  Soon after this beautiful spiritual preparation, we took on another project of an addition of 800 sq. ft. for an office and bathrooms.  More utilities were required to be installed in the property.  This project was made possible by the generous contributions of the members thru a three-year capital campaign implemented in 2001, Together We Can Build.  In November 2003, our Covenant Day celebration included a blessing of the Center with the newly completed addition.  The 52-acre property was officially named “Mount Schoenstatt”.  Fr. Hector Vega celebrated the Mass and blessed the building.  Sr. M. Corelia and Sr. M. Daniela came from Lamar to celebrate with us.

It is now the eighth year of the cattle grazing operation – we were maintaining fences and water troughs, and buying large quantities of hay bales from farmers in small towns on the outskirts of San Antonio.  Dealing with coyotes, feral pigs, and snakes was not something we had expected.  However, we had said our yes to maintaining the agriculture exemption and it included all.  God was with us and every year brought its own blessings.  During the December 2004 Covenant Day celebration and posada, Fr. Christian Christensen unveiled and blessed the wayside shrine at the entrance to Mount Schoenstatt.  It was a beautiful gift of the Mothers Federation, course III.

The year 2005 brings great blessings!  Our holy history continues. . .

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

The second half of the decade of the 1990’s brought even greater blessings from a loving Father.  In an “act of confidence,” the altar for the future daughter shrine was ordered in November 1994 from Ecuador; and before the altar arrived, we received the gift of a 52.8 acre property in Helotes to build the daughter shrine! 

The general motto of the Texas Schoenstatt Family for 1996 was Crown for Crown!  In 1973, we had crowned our Mother as Queen of Unity with the petition for a daughter shrine where she could reign in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  On August 12, 1996, our Queen of Unity offered a crown in return to her children – the gift of the land and also a spiritual gift of the grace of unity and of trust in great measure for it would be yet 12 more years for the realization of her throne of grace -- her victory for her small instruments who loved their Mother, the Triune God, and one another.

Part Six – A crown for a crown

The act of confidence in ordering the altar for the future daughter shrine was offered with a great petition for the perfect land for the future shrine.  With this great petition, was our part – the “nothing without us.”  We promised to have monthly Eucharistic Adoration in the Fountain of Family Unity Shrine.  Our Schoenstatt Family kept this promise for 20 years. 

How did our Mother Thrice Admirable reveal to us the perfect land she had chosen for her throne?  In late fall of 1995, two members, Linda Silva and Mary Tamez, were driving on the historic Scenic Loop Road in Helotes after work and saw a “for sale” sign for a 52-acre property.  They could see through the barbed-wire fence.  It had many oaks, mountain laurels, cedar, a spacious wildflower meadow and a beautiful hill.  The land was used for (longhorn) cattle grazing.  A call was made to get the information about it and the information was related to Sister M. Corelia Bechold who contacted our potential benefactor about the hill-country property that was available.  Our benefactor believed that we had discovered our Mother’s choice and he began the process to purchase the property for a future Schoenstatt Daughter Shrine in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  In early January 1996, some branch leaders and officers of the board were shown the property by the owner, Dr. Haddock.  He granted permission for a Mass and blessing of the property.  On February 24, 1996, Fr. Vega celebrated an outdoor Mass and blessed the property.  Closing on the property was set for August 12, 1996. 

The Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine continued to be the spiritual home of our Schoenstatt Family.  It was four months after the official gift of the land that the altar, ordered in confidence, would arrive – on December 11, 1996.  The altar was blessed by Fr. Hector Vega on April 18, 1997 before celebration of the covenant Mass.

On August 12, 1996, after signing all the documents at the title company for the transfer of deed, the board officers and branch leaders went directly to the property.  Words cannot express the joy and gratitude in our hearts.  We took with us the Father Eye from 1985, first symbol for our future shrine.  There was only a wood storage shed on the property.  The roof extended on one side, similar to a covered patio.  On the exterior wall of the shed that had this covered area, we enthroned the MTA picture!  It had a rustic wood frame.  It “fit” so perfectly.  We prayed together in thanksgiving for this great gift for our Mother’s throne of grace.  In one voice, we renewed our consecration. 

The next day, we came down from the clouds and with our feet firmly planted on the beautiful country property and lovingly offered another “nothing without us.”  We said our “yes” to maintaining the agricultural exemption.  The property taxes on such a large piece of land were high and we were not ready to build the shrine to qualify for a religious exemption.  For ten years, 1996-2006, our Schoenstatt Family, mainly the men of the membership community, had responsibility for a cattle-grazing operation.  These ten years are a part of our unique story – of unity and offerings to the capital of grace.

 I return to August 12, 1996, the day that we received the gift of the property.  While waiting to be called in for signatures on the documents, we sat with our benefactor and conversed with him.  Theresa Ochoa, whose husband Deacon Jesse Ochoa was recently deceased, shared that he offered his life for the realization of the shrine. She also shared that it happened that the owner of the property our Mother chose for her throne of grace was the cardiologist of her late husband.  Our benefactor listened to her intently and remarked to her that in three days the Schoenstatt Family would receive a card.  In three days it would be August 15, the Feast of the Assumption of the BVM.  It was a great surprise of a monetary gift for the beginning of the development of the property by bringing in utilities.  The gift was a significant amount.  Our Mother and Queen is not outdone in generosity and he was her instrument.  His generosity made it possible that by 1999 we had electricity and a public-use well on the property.

Our holy history continues.  It would be in the next decade of the 2000’s, after more than 35 years of a holy longing, that the daughter shrine in the plan of God as a gift and task would be dedicated with a name and mission of profound significance.

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

The early 1990’s brought God’s special blessings:   

• the dedication of the new wayside shrine in April 1990
• enthronements of the picture of grace of our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt in three local parishes
• a land search committee and a capital campaign for land for the future daughter shrine were established

 Part Five – Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine – a new place of grace – our new spiritual home

On April 29, 1990, the new wayside shrine, Fountain of Family Unity, was dedicated by Archbishop Patricio Flores.  The outdoor Mass was con-celebrated by Father Hector Vega and Monsignor Michael O’Gorman, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Parish.  Deacon Jesse Ochoa and other deacons, from several parishes of our members, assisted in the Mass.  A choir from a local parish provided the music.  The Knights of Columbus of Blessed Sacrament Parish and the Girl Scouts took part in the processions.  Several Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary from Lamar and members of our Texas Schoenstatt Family were present to celebrate with us the new home for our beloved Mother.

 It was a day of gratitude and celebration for the San Antonio Schoenstatt Family - despite the high temperature on that day.  I remember one of the Knights of Columbus, in full regalia, fainted.  The picture of grace of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt was carried in procession by Belinda Murguia and her daughter, Melanie.  The Peralta boys, Louis, Jr. and Christian, were servers for the Mass.  Archbishop Flores, a good friend to our Schoenstatt Family, placed the MTA picture on the wall in the sanctuary space of the shrine. 

Everything for the new wayside shrine – altar, MTA picture, credence table and cabinet, plant stands, sacred vessels and linens, the pews and the Stations of the Cross came from the Shrine of Unity that had closed at the end of 1988.  The Schoenstatt Shrine of Unity which was on the grounds of St. Lawrence Church had served as the spiritual home of our Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio for 19 years.

 [Interject here that today, in 2019, the altar, the framed MTA picture and the two plant stands from the Shrine of Unity (1969) and later in the Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine (1990) are in the chapel room of the Center at Mount Schoenstatt. Today, 50 years later, Holy Mass is still celebrated on the altar blessed in the Shrine of Unity in 1969.  At how many Eucharistic celebrations has the presence of our Lord Jesus been adored and received in communion – in thanksgiving – by us?  At how many Eucharistic celebrations has our Lord been sacrificed, consecrated and received in sacramental communion from this altar, especially by our founding generation members and those of the second founding generation to which I, with my husband Julian, belong?  For this reason, I have foremost great love and reverence for my Lord, my God – present body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist where I unite myself with Him, but also much reverence for this simple altar – table of the Lord – where I have had the privilege of serving my Lord, his priests, and my brothers and sisters as sacristan for many years.] 

 During these years, the picture of grace of our MTA was enthroned in three churches of our archdiocese – Our Lady of Good Counsel, St. Margaret Mary and St. Lawrence.  With these open doors, our growing family was able to bring Schoenstatt more into the church.  The parishioners welcomed Our Lady of Schoenstatt and she bestowed graces in abundance (and continues to do so) to the families.

 From the beginning, there was much life in and from the Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine.  Weekly community rosaries were held on Wednesdays at 7 PM, led by Hope Falcon – not even inclement weather interrupted these weekly rosaries.  The shrine was full on the evening of the 18^th for Holy Mass or Marian devotions.  Several priests throughout the years were very faithful in coming to celebrate Mass for the Schoenstatt Family on most 18^th covenant days.  The wayside shrine was open daily and pilgrims visited throughout the day.  Their donations made it possible for the shrine to be self-sufficient.  We welcomed special visitors – bishops from our archdiocese and nearby dioceses and also of the Schoenstatt Movement from Schoenstatt in Germany and from Rome.  I remember serving as lector for a Mass celebrated by then Archbishop Francisco Javier Errazuriz Ossa from Rome (later named cardinal),

For over 20 years, the longing to build a daughter shrine (replica of the Original Shrine in Germany) for our Mother and Queen was in the hearts of her children.  The graces of the Shrine of Unity and the new Fountain of Family Unity Wayside Shrine sustained our family in faith and unity.  Over many years of pilgrimages to the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar for retreats and workshops we received formation in the Catholic faith and the Schoenstatt spirituality.  We also received the special grace of the Confidentia Shrine – unlimited, childlike, victorious confidence.  We did not lose sight of the longing in our hearts, we persevered and we continued forward.  A land search committee was established in 1992 and a capital campaign, “Hand-in-Hand for Our Schoenstatt Land,” was implemented in 1994.  In our home shrines, we recited a common prayer of petition for the intention of securing the perfect land for our Mother’s throne of grace.

 Our holy history continues . . .

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

The decades of the 1970’s and 1980’s brought growth in all the branches of the San Antonio Schoenstatt Family. With gratitude, we continue to recollect the experiences of God’s blessings and our Mother’s loving care as we celebrate 50 years of unity.  In 1970 the first pilgrimage from Texas to the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt, Germany was organized.  Members of our San Antonio family went on the first pilgrimage and on the ones to follow every five years.

Part Four – Our Queen of Unity reigns – new challenges and new blessings

In 1973, the Schoenstatt Family crowned our Mother, Queen of Unity.  The crown our Mother and Queen presented to her children in return was the gift of growth in all the branches.  With the selfless service of the Schoenstatt Sisters and Schoenstatt Fathers, pilgrimages to the Confidentia Shrine were organized.  The members bonded as branch and were open to the opportunities offered for formation.  With the grace they received from the Shrine of Confidence and the fruit of their contributions to the Capital of Grace, the young family grew in unity with one another.  Our Mother drew many of all ages and vocations to her Shrine of Unity.  In 1976, a member of the Family Branch was ordained a deacon.  For the next two decades, Deacon Jesse Ochoa would selflessly serve the Schoenstatt Family.

The 1980’s was a decade of jubilee graces.  In 1985, together with the worldwide Schoenstatt Family, the Texas Family celebrated the Centennial of Fr. Kentenich’s birth with beautiful programs in many dioceses, including San Antonio at St. Lawrence Church and the Shrine of Unity with Archbishop Patricio Flores.  It happened that in this Centennial Celebration the first step in the realization of a replica daughter shrine in our archdiocese occurred.  A united Texas Family gave a Father Eye symbol for the future daughter shrine in San Antonio as gift for the Centennial of our Father and Founder.  The design of the symbol was the same as the Father Eye in the Confidentia Shrine which was a gift from Fr. Kentenich.  We were well represented in the July and September 1985 pilgrimages to Schoenstatt for the International Centennial Celebration.

The end of 1988 brought a challenge.  The sisters assigned at St. Lawrence Parish returned to Lamar and the Shrine of Unity closed on December 18, 1988.  The year 1989 was a difficult time.  The local family did not have the community of the Schoenstatt Sisters, however, Sr. M. Antoinette was attending a local Catholic University and she was a blessing in helping us through the transition.  We did not have a “spiritual home” for 18^th Covenant Day devotions and renewal of the Covenant of Love or for visits to our Lord and Blessed Mother for personal prayer.  For many months, the picture of grace of our Mother Thrice Admirable, that was in the Shrine of Unity, visited the homes of members and was present for 18^th Devotions in various parishes that gave permission to the Schoenstatt Movement to have a prayer service on the 18^th of the month.   

The publication of a newsletter, S. A. Unity Letter, with its first issue in August 1989 was a means for the local family to remain united as we prayed for guidance from God and our Mother.  The first paragraph read:  “This monthly publication will serve as a means of informing our growing San Antonio Schoenstatt Family about projects and activities.  Have you felt the spirit of unity at devotions, committee meetings and other gatherings?  Our Mother Thrice Admirable is helping us to grow in love for one another.  In covenant unity, we are truly becoming ‘one family’.”  The editorial volunteer staff consisted of Julian & Pilar Huerta, editors, Ed & Carol Seurer, printing, Rudy & Elodia Moreno, mailing, Linda Silva, advertising and many volunteers for collating.

At a diocesan general meeting, the San Antonio Family decided to build a temporary wayside shrine of approximately the same square footage as the Shrine of Unity.  Our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen of Unity, took perfect care.  A local Schoenstatt family offered the use of a residential lot (later purchased by the Movement) for the building of the wayside shrine.  The residential lot was centrally located in the city and was on a street with a special name, Ave Maria Street.  On July 28, 1989, the groundbreaking ceremony took place.  Sister M. Antoinette took shovel in hand and broke ground!  She read a prayer she had composed for the occasion.  After the blessing by Deacon Ochoa, everyone took turns having their picture taken as they took the shovel and broke ground for the special place from where Blessed Mother would work miracles of transformation.  By August 6, the foundation and floor were completed!  Building permits in hand and inspections passed, the labor of love continued every weekend.

Jubilee graces abound!  On October 22, 1989 at the 75^th Anniversary of the Covenant of Love Celebration at Lamar, the Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio shared the good news with the Texas Family.  The leaders of the Mothers’ Branch presented the picture of grace from the Unity Shrine on a carpet of 75 yellow roses in a beautiful custom white and gold chariot.  It was impressive!  The leaders of the Family Branch announced the progress in the building of the new wayside shrine.  The four branches of the Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio, sustained by the grace of unity, together donated the materials.  The men of the Family Branch building the shrine as a gift of love to the Blessed Mother were:  Rudy Moreno, Steve Trevino, Julian Huerta, Tom McClellan, the father-son team of David Sanchez, Sr. and Jr. and Manuel Muniz.  Chris Ludolph was the advisor for the project and construction guidance was provided by Mr. Gonzalez.  All the branches supported the project both in prayer and providing food, water and chairs for the workers to rest.  Side by side, a Schoenstatt Family united by the Covenant of Love built the wayside shrine.  Next month’s Blog – Part Five will reveal its name and mission.

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

With gratitude, we continue to recollect the experiences of God’s blessings and our Mother’s loving care as we celebrate 50 years.  Today, jubilee graces abound.

Part Three – The crowning of our Queen of Unity

The first crowning of our Mother Thrice Admirable by the San Antonio Schoenstatt Family was held in the Schoenstatt Shrine of Unity in St. Lawrence Parish on Petaluma Street on July 15, 1973.  Our Mother was honored with the title “Queen of Unity”.  The beautiful crown was adorned with the symbol of every group in the branches that had been established by 1973.  Some members of the Schoenstatt Family that were in attendance were:  Jesse & Theresa Ochoa, Hope Falcon, Margaret de La O, Mrs. Sczepanik, Mrs. Balderama, Charles & Margaret Gill, Sister Margret and many others from the four branches active in that year.  The crown was placed on the picture of grace of our Mother Thrice Admirable by Fr. Dieter Haas, the Schoenstatt Father assigned in Texas.

From the sermon by Fr. Dieter Haas we read:  “We come together here to celebrate the coronation of Mary, our Queen.  . . . It is of greatest importance what we are doing here now.  We may even say that what we are doing now is of great importance for San Antonio as well as for the whole world. . . . The crowning today is the center for San Antonio, the church and the world.  We celebrate her already for the day when she will reign.  In many ways the world is on the way to become one.  The communication media tell us of happenings in all parts of the world in a very short time. We crown her as Queen of Unity and ask her to be rooted here as Queen of Unity for the whole world. . . . She helps us recover in our lives the person of Christ. . . . She helps us as Queen of Unity to unite with Him in a deep way.  We believe that in the future Mary will be recognized as Queen of Unity. . . . Let us also invite her to be in the center of our families thus uniting us and keeping us united as family.  She will go forward as a powerful Queen.  She will reign as Queen.  She will be victorious.”

Soon after the crowning of our Mother and Queen, Sr. Margret received a new assignment.  On August 13, 1973, she wrote the Schoenstatt Family of San Antonio a farewell letter with this message:  “Our longing is for unity.  We have crowned her our Queen of Unity.  We know that she will glorify herself in all of us, not only every day but every moment of the day.  She will give us peace, unity in our families and all the love and joy that comes with it and for which we always long.  She will give this to us because she is our Mother, our Queen of Unity, because we crowned her and because we are her children.  As our wonderful Mother and Queen she cannot do it any different.  Even though this will be her free gift to us, she nevertheless expects our NOTHING WITHOUT US.  We also must make efforts toward unity.  What can these efforts look like?

Trying to remain united with Mary during the small and great events of everyday life.  In a letter to Father Kentenich, Joseph Engling gives us a beautiful insight into his heart which was one united with Mary.  But this grace of such a deep union with her was not given him from the start.  His sole endeavor was always to please his heavenly Mother.  And this is also what we can do, trying to love her to please her, to offer her small and big sacrifices, to talk with her during the day, to give her gifts of confidence and surrender.

Being thus united with Mary will make it easier also to preserve our unity with all those with whom we live together.  Yet also here our efforts may not be wanting.  One great obstacle in preserving unity is that I see things only my way.  Once I start seeing things, events, circumstances the other person’s way, it looks quite different.  This is a very essential and natural prerequisite for unity in any community.”

Many of our family members will remember that in recent years Sister spent her retirement at the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar.  We were able to greet her and listen to her greeting to us – always words of encouragement and inspiration.  Sister would carry a tote with little gifts of pamphlets or holy cards to give to us and to our Mother’s visitors to the Shrine.  Our loving Father received Sr. Margret home in March 2017.  I want to share this insight – the picture of grace of our Mother Thrice Admirable in the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine was a gift from Sr. Margret.  It is a high-quality print from Schoenstatt, Germany that she gave to Sr. Corelia Bechold to present to the San Antonio Mothers Branch.  The light frame on the altar with the picture of grace of our Mother Thrice Admirable was the gift offered by the Mothers Branch in 2008 for the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine.  Of course, also, the crown from 1973 is a reminder of Sister Margret, the other Schoenstatt Sisters and the Schoenstatt Fathers that secured a firm foundation for the Schoenstatt Family in the early years – the late 60’s and 70’s.  The Schoenstatt Fathers assigned in Texas in the 1970’s were:  Fr. Locher, Fr. Brugger, Fr. Haas, and Fr. Vega.

May we strive together, in the spirit of cor unum, to enliven the unity which has been our ideal since the founding of our San Antonio Family.  Then we can be assured that the  Triune God and our Mother “Queen of Unity” will bestow the same abundant blessings which we have received for 50 years of our holy history.

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© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies.

By Pilar Huerta

The story of the holy history of the Schoenstatt Movement of San Antonio continues.  It is now 1972, three years after the dedication of the Shrine of Unity in St. Lawrence Parish in 1969.  The young Schoenstatt family wants to see more growth in numbers in the branches.  They see growth as the means to realize the deep longing in their hearts for a replica of the Original Shrine.   

Part Two:  The preparation for the crowning

In June 1972, Sr. M. Margret Gruendig took the design for the crown to Schoenstatt for the crown to be made.  In a letter to the Schoenstatt family, she writes:

“ . . . The idea and ideal of unity seems to move farther and farther from us people of today.  In its stead, discord, resentment, strife, hatred and indifference seem to take their place and at times even may seem to get hold of us.  And yet amid all this we have the courage to crown our dear Blessed Mother as Queen of Unity and have the firm belief that she will glorify herself as Queen of Unity with us and everywhere, for what we do in love and faith has immeasurable and far-reaching effects.  The greater our confidence–the greater God’s answer!  . . .

In the October 18, 1972 devotion prayer we read:  ‘As a sign of our unity with each other we have united all our group symbols in this crown and ask you to unite always our hearts deeper in love and our minds in truth.  . . . Bless this crown with the special presence of your love and power and especially make it an instrument of your unity.’  As you visit our homes in this symbol, give to our families your love, peace, happiness and harmony.  Make this unity so strong that no power may ever sever it.”

In 1973, there was a crowning pilgrimage around the city of San Antonio.  There were three cars with Sr. Margret and the following members:  Margaret De la O, John & Star Elizondo, Hope Falcon, Charles & Margaret Gill, Jesse & Theresa Ochoa, David & Ofelia Rodriguez, and David, Sr. & Aida Sanchez.  They drove around Loop 410 which at the time was the city’s outer loop.  In their pilgrimage drive, they prayed the Rosary.  When the pilgrimage began, the crown was with the members in the first car.  As they traveled, they would exit the loop, stop and get out and pass the crown to the next car and then the cars would enter the loop again to continue the pilgrimage around the city.  This was done several times as they continued the drive all around Loop 410.

In the pilgrimage prayer we read: . . . With this crowning pilgrimage we come to you . . . our greatest petition is that you will select a special place here in San Antonio for your Shrine and retreat house.  . . . We thank you for this Shrine . . . but our great desire is a true replica of the Original Shrine here in San Antonio or nearby, together with a house, so that your message may be spread.  . . . Draw us ever closer to your heart, transform and change us with the sweet power of your love and deepen in us the desire to bring your message of love and grace to others.  Do this from this Shrine and even more so from your new Shrine that we hope to build for you in the future.  We want to give you also for your new Shrine already many prayers, sacrifices and conscientious fulfillment of the duties of our state of life, so that when we can offer you the throne you can already dispense favors in abundance.”

In the last sentence of the paragraph above, we see already the laying of the spiritual foundation of the future shrine through contributions to the capital of grace.  This was in 1973 – the new replica of the Original Shrine would be dedicated in 2008, 35 years of prayers, apostolate, service and sacrifices -- both small and great, very great.  Only our loving Father and our Mother Thrice Admirable know the great number and the depth.  But also, only our loving Father and our Mother Thrice Admirable know the effect of the abundant grace of unity that the Schoenstatt family, not only of San Antonio, but of eight dioceses in Texas received.  During these years, we went to the Confidentia Shrine in Lamar for retreats or on pilgrimage.  We became children of confidence – formed and transformed by the special graces of the shrine, receiving the grace of confidence in great measure.  Countless covenants of love were sealed in the Confidentia Shrine over the more than three decades – sustained by grace, we would persevere and would be rewarded by our Mother’s victory.

From a letter of Sr. Margret in June 1973, we read:  “We all know many examples of disunity.  In Schoenstatt, God has given us Mary as our Mother . . . close to her our hearts soften, remain open for God and each other.  From her we learn this complete forgiveness which restores lost peace and confidence.   Our Mother Thrice Admirable unites us also by leading us to the Father.”

I want to repeat the last sentence above:  “Our Mother Thrice Admirable unites us also by leading us to the Father.”  More than 30 years later, these words would be an inspiration during the period of discernment for the name and mission of the new shrine.

© 2019 Pilar Huerta, some rights reserved for entire document, request permission to make copies

We celebrate our Golden Jubilee

By Pilar Huerta

November 23, 2019 will be the 50^th Anniversary of the Schoenstatt Apostolic Movement in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.  In gratitude to God, to our Mother Thrice Admirable, and to our father and founder, Fr. Joseph Kentenich, we honor our history and the thread of the Covenant of Love that is woven throughout.

Foundation:  The arrival of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary to San Antonio on August 21, 1961.  Four sisters came to teach at St. Lawrence Catholic School:  Sr. Anne Mary, Sr. M. Annerosa, Sr. M. Antoinette, and Sr. M. Renata.  The sisters resided in St. Lawrence Parish on Petaluma Street from August 21, 1961-December 18, 1988, offering 27 years of dedicated service to the Archdiocese of San Antonio and the Schoenstatt Movement. Other Schoenstatt Sisters that also served in San Antonio during the years above, were Sr. M. Margret, Sr. M. Ludhelma, Sr. M. Hildegard, Sr. M. Carmen and Sr. M. Gwendolyn.

The first Schoenstatt Father, sent by Fr. Kentenich in 1967 to work in Texas, was Fr. Peter Locher.  He made frequent visits to the Schoenstatt Family in San Antonio during his three-year assignment.

On November 23, 1969, the first shrine in San Antonio was dedicated in the parish of St. Lawrence (which was celebrating its 10^th anniversary on that day.)  The shrine was built by the loving hands and hearts of the first Schoenstatt members.  In the dedication prayer, we read . . . “But most of all we give you our hearts.  Take and receive them, form and mold them, dear Mother, in the fire of your love.  Burn out of them what burdens and hinders them.  . . . Unite them with your heart . . .”   The original intention (idea) of the shrine was to unite the parish. 

On this day of dedication, four couples sealed the covenant of love.  Thus, this date also marks the 50^th Anniversary of the Schoenstatt Family League in the Archdiocese of San Antonio.

Part One:  The origin of the ideal of unity

“On the first anniversary, November 23, 1970, the shrine is named Schoenstatt Shrine of Unity (the name which the founders have already considered before the shrine was built).  In the anniversary celebration and naming prayer, we read . . . ‘through the history of this your Shrine, you have shown us that in this shrine you would like to dispense in a special way the grace of unity to our time that is so much torn by discord and strife.  Show yourself to us and to all who come here to pray as the Mother of unity, who unites all hearts in the love of her Son.  In union with our father and founder, we ask you, dear Mother, give us that deep and strong faith in the Divine Providence of our heavenly Father that we come to an ever deeper peace and unity with ourselves, with our families, with our neighbor.  Be the Mother of unity who unites the children of this parish to one warm parish family, bound together by the covenant of love with you and each other.’  . . . We include in this covenant especially all members of our parish, but also our city, our country, and all of mankind that they may find back to the deep unity with God that comes through faith.” 

The idea of unity of the young Schoenstatt Family was to become its ideal.  With the abundant grace of a loving Father from the shrine, the young Schoenstatt Family made efforts to realize its ideal through its lived covenant of love, many contributions to the capital of grace, and with the education of a beloved thrice admirable Mother and Queen.

A special visit, a blessing and a confirmation:

In Spring 1969, the groundbreaking and the offering of the foundation stone for the shrine was held.  At this time, April 1969, it happened that the Father Eye symbol was on international pilgrimage (after the death of Fr. Kentenich on September 15, 1968) and visited in Texas including San Antonio.  Father came to us at the time of the groundbreaking for the Schoenstatt Shrine of Unity in San Antonio -- a true blessing!  Was this a confirmation for a future daughter shrine in our archdiocese?  This writer believed this at the moment of grace of sealing the covenant of love, together with my husband, Julian, in 1988 and believes it today, as is attested by the holy history of the Schoenstatt Family of the Archdiocese of San Antonio. 

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