General Updates
Lent – A Time for Change
Deacon Paul Williams
As we end our Ordinary Time in the Church year, and start the month of February, we celebrate Ash Wednesday. The ashes of "Ash Wednesday" must be one of the most popular sacramentals in the Church. It is not a holy day of “obligation”, but thousands of people gather for church services. These services fill the churches all over the world, every year. We will be starting a very powerful season of the Church year, a journey that will take us to the celebration of Easter in the Church.
Ash Wednesday reminds us of the mortality of the body and the eternity of the soul. The body, upon which we lavish so much attention, will return back to dust. The soul, that we often ignore, will live forever. This day is a serious day, as it should be. It is not; however, a day of gloom, but a day of hope.
The season of Lent is also a great time of Christian and Catholic identity, because it is something we all do together. Sometimes, we see people on the street, with the ashes on their foreheads and never realize that they were Catholic. As the prophet Joel calls the whole community together to seek the Lord, so also, we are all called to make the spiritual journey, to a new life in Christ.
Sometimes, we put off our renewal as Catholics to the future, a future that never quite comes. St. Paul writes that now is a grace-filled hour. Now is the time when we can begin to revise and remodel our life. Now is the time for an "extreme makeover," to reverse destructive choices, halt spiritual drift, go back to the basics of our faith, and refresh our lives in the truth of the Gospel, the grace of the Sacraments and the life of the Church.
In Scripture, the Lord points to three ancient pathways for our Lent season. There is fasting, a time we give up certain foods. The effort to refrain from certain foods makes us realize how trapped we are in the self-gratification of our daily life. Fasting is difficult to start, but as we practice it, fasting becomes easier; we experience a personal liberation. The practice of almsgiving reminds us that we have a responsibility to others. We have a responsibility to love others, as Christ has taught us. The third path is that of reviving in our life, the potential of prayer, to unify all the sectors of our life, around Christ and establish an open relationship to God.
Let us start this Lenten season with prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Let us restore our relationship with God. Lent is not about our past; it is about our future. Amen.
The Heart of Schoenstatt is a Valentine from Blessed Mother
By Margaret Ousset
Valentine’s Day often fills our world with symbols of love such as cards, flowers, and promises meant to express affection. Yet beneath these familiar gestures lies a deeper longing: to be loved faithfully, personally, and forever. It is precisely into this longing that our Blessed Mother steps, offering us a love that is not fleeting, but covenantal.
At the heart of the Schoenstatt Movement stands the Covenant of Love, a mutual exchange of hearts between Mary and her children. Mary does not merely passively love but actively commits herself to us. She promises her care, her guidance, and her transforming love, asking only that we open our hearts and strive to live in love with God and one another.
Unlike the romantic love often celebrated on Valentine’s Day, Mary’s love is steadfast and sacrificial. It is the love of a mother who knows her children’s weaknesses yet believes deeply in their potential. She loves us not because we are perfect, but because we are hers. In the Covenant of Love, she draws us into a relationship that shapes our hearts, helping us become more loving, faithful, and free.
Mary’s love flows from the Shrine into our daily lives: into our families, our struggles, our moments of joy, and even our heartbreaks. She teaches us that true love is built on trust, commitment, and the willingness to give oneself for others.
As Valentine’s Day invites us to reflect on love, the Covenant of Love offers us something enduring. It calls us to respond to Mary’s maternal love by living with greater intention—choosing kindness, faithfulness, and self-giving love in our everyday actions. In doing so, our hearts become living shrines, places where love takes root and bears fruit.
This Valentine’s Day, may we remember that we are already deeply loved. Our Blessed Mother has written her love for us not on a card, but on her heart and through the Covenant of Love, she invites us to write our names there forever.
Covenant Day Masses Celebrated at Mount Schoenstatt
On the 18th of each month, the Schoenstatt community remembers the Covenant of Love sealed by Schoenstatt founder Father Joseph Kentenich and the Blessed Mother on October 8, 2014. In remembrance and renewal of this first Covenant of Love, the Schoenstatt community across the world celebrates this special day with Holy Mass in the shrine.
Join Father Rex Anthony and your Schoenstatt San Antonio family on the following days for Covenant Day Mass:
- Wednesday, Feb. 18
- Wednesday, Mar. 18
Masses are held at 12 pm in Cor Unum in Patre Shrine. All are invited, and everyone is encouraged to bring a friend!
Note: As February 18th happens to be Ash Wednesday this year, ashes will be offered prior to noon Mass and Evening Adoration.
Evening Adoration in Cor Unum in Patre Shrine
Every First Friday at 1pm, the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine becomes a quiet place where we gather alongside Mary to adore her Son in the Blessed Sacrament. We invite you to follow Mary’s example of pondering, listening, and offering our hearts to Jesus.
We also welcome a new Mount Schoenstatt tradition – Evening Adoration in Cor Unum in Patre Shrine. On Wed., Jan. 14 at 7pm, the Schoenstatt community gathered in the Shrine for Evening Eucharistic Adoration.
The next Evening Adoration will be held on Feb. 18, Ash Wednesday, at 7pm. All are invited to step away from the day’s busyness, enter the stillness, and let Christ’s presence renew the heart. Father Rex Anthony will administer ashes prior to Adoration.
Where Hospitality Meets Mission
Over the past year, Mount Schoenstatt has supported a wide range of gatherings—from family celebrations to formation events—as a way of bringing new pilgrims to the Shrine and generating some income for the mission of the Schoenstatt Movement of San Antonio. As we welcome these groups, we are reminded of how the Blessed Mother creates a sense of home wherever her children gather.
Putting the needs of the Schoenstatt community first and maintaining the sacredness of the Shrine, we make available for rent Kentenich Hall and other spaces on the property as appropriate. These rentals play an important role in sustaining our mission, helping us keep the doors open for pilgrims and visitors who come seeking prayer, peace, and Mary’s gentle presence.
Recent events at Mount Schoenstatt
Cenacle of Divine Providence hosted a two-day retreat in Kentenich Hall.
Last month, a beautiful wedding ceremony took place on a beautiful, warm day in the Cor Unum in Patre Shrine.
The bride, Paula Bergesse, always wished for her wedding to be held in a Schoenstatt Shrine. As a young child and growing up in Argentina, she was introduced to Our Lady of Schoenstatt. She even made her first communion in a Schoenstatt Shrine in Argentina. She was elated to learn that our Shrine was so close to where she was attending college.
On Friday, January 9, 2026, Paula’s wish came true as she married Michael Lewis in a beautiful ceremony officiated by Fr. Brian Garcia, director of Campus Ministry for the Archdiocese of San Antonio and Chaplain at St. Anthony Catholic Student Center-UTSA.
Paula’s parents, traveled from Argentina to witness the marriage of their daughter. It was truly a joyful event!
Consider Mount Schoenstatt for your next event
Perhaps your own upcoming celebration might benefit from the serene and sacred setting of Mount Schoenstatt! Think us for your next family celebration, parish retreat, or ministry gathering!
For more information or to request a quote, contact Christine Luna Gonzalez at (210) 393-5260.
Called to Communicate: Join Our Newsletter Ministry!
Our monthly Schoenstatt E-newsletter is a labor of love—one that keeps our community connected, informed, and rooted in faith. The newsletter is an opportunity for us to echo the Blessed Mother’s mission—carrying Christ into the world with tenderness, courage, and care.
We’re looking for a few gracious, Spirit‑led, detail-friendly volunteers to join our team. Whether you enjoy writing, organizing information, editing/proofreading, interviewing, or adding a touch of creativity where you can, your gifts can help reflect Mary’s “yes” in our Schoenstatt community.
If you sense the Blessed Mother nudging you toward this work, we invite you to respond to her prompting. No prior experience is required—just a willing heart and a readiness to serve alongside the Blessed Mother in bringing Christ’s love to others.
If you are interested in helping or have some questions before you commit, contact Pamela Raines at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
