Germany

The Schoenstatt Mothers’ Federation in Germany introduces itself:

In the Apostolic League from about 1946, there were Schoenstatt groups on the women’s side in the German dioceses with married or widowed women and mothers with group leaders, diocesan leaders, and a sister as moderator. The diocesan leaders met and worked out a program for their lives.

September 8, 1950, became the founding day of the Schoenstatt Mothers’ Federation

From September 4-8, 1950, Father Kentenich organized a retreat for the leadership circle of the Mothers’ branch. In addition to the talks, the women had discussions with Father. Mrs. Maria Maud Wiesmann, the representative of the diocesan leaders, informed him about their situation.

Finally, on September 8, Father stated during his closing speech, “After all that has become, we now have a Federation course in the Mothers’ work” (J.K.: Uns gesagt Vol. 3, p. 130). Thus September 8, 1950, became the founding day of the Schoenstatt Mothers’ Federation. At first, it only existed in Germany, but Father’s mission was, “When the Federation has been realized here, it must also develop abroad”. (ibid., p. 141).

Growing faithful to the Founder during his exile

During the time of Father Kentenich’s exile, six courses gradually came into being and made their Federation consecration. As the original Federation, the Mothers saw it as their responsibility to form a solid foundation for further development and they remained faithful to their founder. After his return from Milwaukee, Father considered the Mothers’ Federation experiment a success and commissioned Sister M. Vita and Father Rudolf Mosbach to work out statutes together with the mothers.

In 1970, Father Menningen established the Mothers’ Federation in Germany

In place of the deceased founder, Father Alex Menningen took over the constitution of the Mothers’ Federation in Germany on August 22, 1970. The Official Community came into being, divided into 5 areas, which, together with the course community, realized the principle of tension envisaged by Father.

The image of the MTA

Out of gratitude for the constitution and in order to reenact the 3rd milestone, the Federation Mothers undertook a pilgrimage to Rome in 1972. There they experienced that a mentally disturbed man had damaged the Michelangelo’s sculpture of the Blessed Mother. They therefore marched with their MTA picture in a procession of atonement through St. Peter’s Basilica. The experience continued to have an effect and led to the Blank Check with the coronation of the MTA in 1975.

The MTA picture also became our implantation symbol when we were implanted in the Garden of Mary in 1985, on the 100th birthday of our father and founder.

Transparency of the MTA

We found our Federation ideal in 1998. We want to be the “Transparency of the MTA”.

On the occasion of the 100 years of Schoenstatt in 2014, we sealed the covenant of love in, with, and for one another and gave our MTA the scepter.

★★★★★

“When the Federation has been realized here, it must also arise abroad”
(P. Kentenich)

We experienced the high point of Father’s commission for internationalization in the constitution of the International Apostolic Federation of Schoenstatt Mothers on September 8, 2022.

At this moment

We currently have 75 Federation Mothers in Germany in the courses 6 to 18. For all mothers of the first five courses the call “Homeward to the Father goes our way” became a reality. In eternal Schoenstatt, we have far more mothers than on earth. After a long dry spell, there are now again interested women for a new Mothers’ Federation course in Germany.

Birgit Nikolayczik (Federation leader) Elke Riedlinger (Representative) Magdalena Schmitz (Federation course mother)