Guest column by Lynn Nemec
During the season of Lent, we are often encouraged to focus on prayer, fasting, and almsgiving; doing acts of penance and shifting our focus away from the world and more toward God.
Father Joseph Kentenich, the founder of Schoenstatt, wrote in a Lenten sermon: “Therefore, in the coming weeks we desire and will attempt in keeping with the wish of the Holy Church, to pay less attention to our body, to avoid being so completely – indeed almost exclusively – absorbed by our worldly affairs.... The season of grace, the season in which we can focus our attention once more on things eternal and divine and on our soul, has begun. Sursum Corda! Lift up your hearts! Look towards heaven! (Mary, Our Mother and Educator, p.1)
The Schoenstatt Movement, and the spirituality that flows from it, have had a profoundly positive influence in my faith life, and have been very beneficial in helping my husband and I live our Catholic faith in our daily lives. One of the blessings of Schoenstatt is the gift of our Cor Mariae (Heart of Mary) Shrine, located northeast of Crete, on Highway 103. It is a replica of the original Shrine in Germany. It is a place of pilgrimage, a place of prayer, and a place of grace; Our Eucharistic Lord is present in the tabernacle, and Our Blessed Mother dwells there in a special way. She is venerated under the title: Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt.
There are three pilgrimage graces that are promised to those who visit this special place of grace: the grace of spiritually being at home, the grace of inner transformation, and the grace of apostolic zeal. In another Lenten sermon written by Father Kentenich, he reminds us: “Wherever the Mother Thrice Admirable and Queen of Schoenstatt settles, she is primarily and particularly active, as is her wont, as educator in our modern times. Her shrines are the formation centers and workshops of the new man and the new social order in the way that God desires for today, so that the Church can perfectly fulfill her mission for our times.” (Mary, Our Mother and Educator, p.135)
Very similar to Saint John Paul II’s call for the “Springtime of the new evangelization,” we are encouraged to open ourselves to God’s grace and Our Blessed Mother’s intercession to live faith-filled lives in these modern times.
The Shrine is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. When you pilgrimage to the Shrine, you can stop by for a few minutes, pray a holy hour on your own, or make a personal day of reflection. In addition to the Shrine, there is the Father Kentenich Hall which contains a small bookstore, a special area of tribute to Father Kentenich, and a place to sit quietly to read or journal. In the basement of the Sisters’ home (the middle building) you will find a small kitchenette, meeting room and bathrooms.
Depending on the weather, there are also grass walking trails in the area around the Shrine. If you would like to bring a group to the Shrine for a pilgrimage or retreat day, please contact the Schoenstatt Sisters ahead of time to make arrangements. They can be reached at 402-826-3346.
You are invited to celebrate Mass in the Shrine on the First Saturdays at 9 a.m. and on the third Thursday at 6 p.m.. (If the weather is inclement, you may want to call ahead to make sure they are still having Mass.) We are also planning a May Crowning in early May, details will be in the Register at a later date. More information can be found at schoenstatt-nebraska.com.
The Cor Mariae Shrine is a place of grace, and a special treasure throughout the year, however, a visit during Lent is a beautiful opportunity to pray, offer spiritual alms, to come to a quiet place away from the world and lift up your heart to God. May your Lenten journey be grace-filled, and may Our Mother Thrice Admirable guide you with her Motherly care.
