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© 2004, Schoenstatt Girls’ Youth W284 N698 Cherry Lane Waukesha, WI 53188-9402 2007 reworked draft by SMD For private use only!

Authors: Sr. M. Frances Pizarro Sr. M. Emily Kenkel

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Introduction to the Room Shrine Dedication

Dear ________________________________,

Now that you have made your Marian Apostles dedication, the Blessed Mother would like to

have a special place in your room. She would like to dwell in your room and establish her

throne of grace right there. Are you willing to invite her to your room?

With the help of these outlines we will prepare for the room shrine dedication. You might be

wondering what it is all about. Let’s begin with an overview of what we will be covering:

Table of Contents

1 What is a Room Shrine? Room Shrine History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 2 What Does the Blessed Mother Expect of Me? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

-Capital of Grace

-My Room a Beautiful Place

3 Visit the Blessed Mother in my Room Shrine— Importance of Prayer . . . . . . 17

4 What Can I Expect of the Blessed Mother? Three Graces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

5 Essentials for a Room Shrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

- Crucifix

- The Picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable

- Connection with the Shrine and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich

6 Sacramentals in my Room Shrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41

7 Extra Touches to my Room Shrine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .46

- My Personal Symbol in the Room Shrine

- A Unique Name for my Room Shrine

8 Room Shrine Dedication & Erection Celebrations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Answer Key . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60

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Chapter 1: What is a Room Shrine?

Room Shrine History Goal: * understand what a room shrine is * explain how we invite the Blessed Mother to dwell with us

* learn about the history of the room shrine.

I. We begin with an opening prayer: II. What is a room shrine? A place of … Fill in the crossword puzzle as you go along with the explanation.

Word Box

Pilgrimage Dwelling

Miracles Prayer

Grace Mary

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• Dwelling for Mary: Do you remember how the first Schoenstatt Shrine came about? Father Kentenich and the boys (young seminarians) invited the Blessed Mother, the Mother Thrice Admirable, to come and dwell in the little shrine. They wanted to give her a home there. Father Kentenich says that we can do the same in our rooms! We can invite the Blessed Mother to come and dwell there – to be with us in a special way. There were three people who took Mary into their home in Scripture. Do you know who they are? On page 7 read the Scripture quotes and highlight the following sentences: - St. Joseph (Mt 1:18-24) - Do not be afraid to take Mary into your home! - St. Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-45, 56) - How is it that the mother of my Lord should come to me? - St. John (Jn 19:25-27) - Behold your mother. (Quotes were taken from the New American Bible) These are the same words that are spoken to us! If we take Mary into our home, invite her to

make her dwelling in our room, she will only do good for us. It is certainly an honor that Mary

may choose my room as her home! Imagine if you were to invite the Holy Father to your

home. Wouldn’t it be an honor if he would accept? Now consider: This is Mary, the Mother of

Jesus, and our Mother! She wants to dwell with us!

• Prayer Mary wants to come and dwell in our room. If Mary is there, isn’t it natural that she wants us to come and speak to her? She loves us and wants to care for us like a mother cares for her chil-dren. Where can she do it better for us than in our own room, our own private place? Jesus tells us, “When you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in se-cret” (Mt 6:6). Mary is waiting there for us; she wants to listen to us and bring our prayers to Jesus. • Pilgrimage My room shrine will be a Schoenstatt Shrine, right in my very room! When Father Kentenich and the boys invited the Blessed Mother to come and dwell in their little chapel, they asked her to make it a place of pilgrimage. Can you think of other places of pilgrimage? (Lourdes, Fatima, Rome, etc.) People should come there and receive very special graces. So when we say that my room will become a place of pilgrimage, it means that it will be a Schoenstatt Shrine in my room from which all of my family members can benefit! I will not be the only one who receives gifts from the Blessed Mother – my mom and dad, brothers and sisters, and also my friends who come to my room can receive special gifts and graces! • Grace and Miracles What kinds of graces? Do you remember what the three graces of the Schoenstatt Shrine are?

• Finding a home: She will let us feel at home with her. • Inner transformation: She will intercede miracles in us to help us stay away from

sin and become holy! • Apostolic zeal: She will set our hearts on fire with love for her and urge us to

bring many people to herself and her Son.

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Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came

about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to

Joseph, but before they lived together, she was

found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph

her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet

unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to

divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when,

behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a

dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be

afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For

it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has

been conceived in her. She will bear a son and

you are to name him Jesus, because he will save

his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had

said through the prophet: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a

son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

When Joseph awoke he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him

and took his wife into his home.

During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a

town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted

Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the infant leaped in her

womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, cried out in a loud voice

and said, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of

your womb. And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord

should come to me? For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached

my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed are you who

believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled!” …

Mary remained with her about three months and then returned to her

home.

Matthew 1:18-24

Luke 1:39-45, 56

Standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother

and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of

Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw

his mother and the disciple there whom he

loved, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold

your son.” Then he said to the disciple,

“Behold, your mother.” And from that hour the

disciple took her into his home.

John 19:25-27

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1. During an important talk on this day, Father

Kentenich and the boys invited Mary to come

and dwell in the shrine and make it a place of

pilgrimage. This is considered the birthday of

Schoenstatt. _____________________________

(month, day, year)

2. Schoenstatt spread to other continents in the next 25

years; in 1943 the first daughter shrine was dedicated

in Nueva Helvecia, Uruguay on what continent?

_________________________________________

3. The first daughter shrine was built in

North America in ___________________, Wisconsin.

4. In Milwaukee some ____________________

got to know Father Kentenich and asked if they

could invite Mary to dwell in their homes just

like in the shrine.

5. The first home shrine was dedicated in Milwaukee in this

year_________________________.

III. History of the Shrine -Fill In the Correct Information

Word Choice Box

South America Families

October 18, 1914 1962

Madison

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My room is your shrine, Where you work to the glory of the Father. There he transforms my entire being Into the Trinity’s most beloved shrine, Where the sanctuary light constantly burns And the glow of love never dies; Where the fire of sacrifice upon sacrifice Banishes all selfishness from the heart; Where roses adorn the altar And lilies never cease to bloom; Where paradisal breezes waft And raise heart and mind to heaven; Where the spirit of the world cannot enter As in the eternal city of Sion; Where peace reigns and happiness laughs Because God’s angel keeps diligent watch; Where Christ rules and is triumphant And leads the whole world to the Father.

J.Kentenich, Milwaukee, May 1965

IV. Craft “My Room is your Shrine” card Go briefly through the prayer, explaining that Father Kentenich wrote it when he was living in Milwaukee in May of 1965. Have the girls cut the prayer out and glue it onto a piece of card stock paper of the same size. They may decorate the card as they please – with colored pencils, glue pens, etc. Punch two holes in the top; string a piece of cord or yarn through the holes. Suggest that they hang this card somewhere in their room and pray it often as they prepare to dedicate their room shrine.

V. Closing Prayer—the prayer on the card could be used for a closing prayer

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Chapter 2: What Does the Blessed Mother Expect of Me?

• Capital of Grace

• My Room a Beautiful Place

Goal: - introduction into the expectations that the Blessed Mother has of us from our room shrine

- understand the meaning of grace and the importance of their contributions to the

capital of grace

- see that when Mary is invited into our room, she helps us keep it in order

I. Opening Prayer:

Mother, you are beautiful, gladly my heart turns to you.

My greatest joy shall ever be to form your image within me,

Until your features one by one are reflected in my being.

So the Father happily, sees your image within me

And full of joy at my life’s end calls me his child by your name, Maria!

II. Introduction Puzzle: What does the Blessed Mother expect of me?

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

E T O L I E V E A T H R M E O

T V H R H N E E P T E R A O B

M I E O S T E S O H T F S O L

U R L R M E A R T I A E S N I

A Y P O Y R S O T L E S N D G

E D I C A T M T I O N S U D A

A Y R S U A I T X D U Q C K T

K X H Z M I N E R N O B P N I

V W L M V N M W D P S N V L O

X T Y Y A M A A K H I A S X N

B M A W E E Y O K X O W B H U

P D A E X N E E U Q B S O X Y

S H O W S T S E N I Z A G A M

D A Y S S R E Y A R P V R D O

Z N R H D I Q M M Q Z P C W F

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III. Capital of Grace—Our Three Promises as Marian Apostles

A. We will be speaking of the expectations that the Blessed Mother has of our room shrine.

The hidden message in the puzzle give us a clue as to what the Blessed Mother expects from us.

1. She expects that we live the promises we made to her at our Marian Apostles dedication.

Looking at the words in the word puzzle see if you can remember those promises.

We promised to:

• Attend holy Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.

• Pray the dedication prayer, My Queen, My Mother, every day.

• Choose appropriate magazines, shows, and entertainment which correspond to the ideals of

a Marian Apostle.

•

2. She expects our contributions to the capital of grace.

Do you know what grace is?

B. Grace Game

Give each girl a card with a word on it that starts with the following letters: G, R, A, C, E. If

the group is bigger than five persons divide the group into five groups and give each group one

card. All the members of the group should participate in the drawing. Each girl makes a

drawing of the word she gets. They girls can’t tell each other their word they got. When all

finish their drawings, the leader shows the drawings to the group so that everyone tries to guess

the words that were drawn. The girls must build the word “grace” from the starting letter of

each “drawn word.”

Example:

• Girl

• Rose

• Altar

• Cathedral

• Egg

C. Discussion

We have just built the word grace. Grace is as important for our supernatural life as is food for

our bodies. Grace is the greatest gift God has given us. Christ merited all the grace we need for

our redemption without our having to do anything. We can’t increase the grace Christ has

merited for us. It is enough for every person until the end of time. However, Christ does not

force us to accept his grace. He makes himself dependent on us. This activity should help you

understand what I have just said.

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D. Application: Contributions to the Capital of Grace

Because God likes to distribute his grace through the Blessed Mother, we bring all our prayers,

sacrifices, and studies to her in the shrine. Through our contributions she helps others to come

closer to God. As Marian Apostles, the Blessed Mother expects that we offer contributions to

the capital of grace. We can do so by putting into practice what we promised on our dedication

day.

How can we do it in a way that will help us not to forget it very easily?

We can do so by keeping a record of it. (See worksheet pages 14 & 15)

Each time we offer a contribution to the capital of grace by living our promises we can color

one of the squares.

Discussion:

In our everyday life we have many opportunities to offer our contributions to the capital of

grace. Let us look at the worksheet Filling the Capital of Grace and see the many ways and

possibilities we have to offer as contributions to the capital of grace. After looking at these

examples each one should think of a contribution for each different area and write it down.

E. Craft: Decorate the capital of grace sheet using construction paper, hole punches, crayons , colored pencils ,etc.

IV. Mary helps us to keep our room clean. We offer this also as a contribution to the capital of grace. (See the monthly chart on p. 16)

V. Closing Prayer: Teach the morning offering. This prayer was written by Father Kentenich. Suggest that we try to pray it every day in the morning. Since we wake up in the morning this is

a way to offer to the Blessed Mother the day to come for the capital of grace.

Morning Offering

What I bear and endure,

what I say and what I dare,

what I think and what I cherish,

all the merits that I gain,

what I direct and what I conquer,

all my joys and all my sorrows:

what I am and what I have,

I give to you as a gift of love.

Use it so that the holy stream of graces

flowing richly from the shrine

may fill the souls of those

who have given their hearts to Schoenstatt

and gently lead there

all those whom you wish to choose in kindness.

Accept everything that our efforts may be fruitful

which we dedicate to the Trinity. (Heavenwards, page 16)

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• Attend holy Mass on Sundays

and holy days of obligation.

• Pray the dedication prayer, My

Queen, My Mother, every day.

• Choose appropriate magazines,

shows and entertainment which

correspond to the ideals of a

Marian Apostle.

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Through my Schoolwork:

• Completing my homework well and on

time

• Making an effort to do well and finish

those subjects that I don’t like

• Saying a little prayer in my room shrine

before major projects, quizzes and

tests . . .

Through Family Life:

• Helping out with a joyful and willing

heart when I am asked

• Keeping a watchful eye, so that I

can be of help even before someone

asks me

• Making efforts to get along and

promote peace within my family

• Doing deeds of kindness for those

who are sad or having difficulties

• Praying for my family members

Through my Prayer Life:

• Faithfully praying my morning and eve-

ning prayers each day

• Remembering to pray meal prayers

• Taking “time out” for quiet prayer or

spiritual reading

• Greeting the images of Jesus and

Mary when I enter my room

• Receiving the sacraments of the

Eucharist and Confession regularly

• Praying the prayer, My Queen, My

Mother, each day

•

Among my Friends:

• Setting a good example for them

• Being a good listener, and giving

good advice

• Encouraging my friends in their

faith

• Sharing my faith with others when

possible

• Praying/attending Mass together

• Inviting my friends to Schoenstatt

In my Personal Life:

• Being modest in the way I dress

• Choosing only appropriate TV shows,

magazines, books, etc.

• Offering little sacrifices during the

day out of love for Christ

•

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Mark with an X when you do the activities on the left side of

the chart. Write the month and the dates across the top.

If my room is to become a Schoenstatt Shrine,

a special dwelling place for Mary, our Mother Thrice Admirable,

I need to make it worthy of such great guests!

So how does my room look?

Is it usually clean and orderly, or . . . ?

Could I use some help in cleaning my room

to make it ready for the Blessed Mother?

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Chapter 3: Visit the Blessed Mother

in my Room Shrine

Goal: - to understand how important it is to visit the Blessed Mother in our room shrine - to see the room shrine as a place of prayer

- to explain various definitions of prayer

- to encourage us to pray in our room shrine

I. Opening Prayer (written by Father Joseph Kentenich as a youth)

Hail Mary for the sake of your purity, keep me pure in body and soul,

Open wide to me your heart and the heart of your Son.

Implore for me deep self knowledge and the grace to persevere

and remain faithful until death.

Give me souls and keep all else for yourself.

II. Introduction

Today we will speak about one more expectation that the Blessed Mother has of us from our

room shrine. She would like us to visit her in our room shrine. Why does she want this? She

wants us to visit her and bring her all our concerns. She wants us to bring her all we experience

during the day, our joys and sorrows. She simply wants us to speak to her and to her Son.

What do we call this conversation? We call it prayer.

III. What is Prayer?

A. Prayer Definitions (Sheet on page 18) Look at the definitions of prayer. Read the definitions and then “vote” on one your group likes the best. If you like more than one, write a

new definition of prayer using all the ideas. This will be the “group definition of prayer.”

B. From the Catechism

Let’s take a look at what the Catechism of the Catholic Church has to say about prayer:

Prayer is the raising of one’s mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God.

[CCC #2559]

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Phrases (aphorisms) taken from You and Your God, Father Joseph Kentenich,

translated from Du und Dein Gott:

1. “The easiest explanation to the question, ‘What is prayer?’

is: a personal talk with God.” (p. 15)

2. “A personal prayer! I bring God my personal intentions and

do it in my original personal language.” (p. 15)

3. “Whatever interests us, that’s what we should talk over with

God in our own simple way. We talk things over with him

just as we would with a person. Of course that presupposes

that God is a personal you for us.” (p. 16)

4. “What should prayer be for me? It’s having an audience

with the King of Kings. All of heaven, the angels and saints

take part in the audience.” (p. 19)

5. “Whoever prays lives in another world. Whoever prays has

contact with another world, whoever prays lives out of the

inspiration of another world.” (p. 35)

6. “Lift up your hearts to God! This is the God who surrounds

us, who is closer to us than the water is to the fish. This is

the God who is closer to us than the air is to the birds. ‘In

him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:28).

This God is also in us, he dwells in us. We want to lift up

our hearts in prayer to this all-present God who lives in us.

We want to unite our inner faculties to this great and all-

powerful God.” (p. 19)

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C. Types of Prayer

From hearing the definition of prayer, we can see that Father Kentenich and the catechism have

basically the same idea of what prayer is all about. There are also five different types of prayer.

It’s important for us to know these five types so that we can honor God as he wishes to be

honored. The five types of prayer are: (Write on the chalkboard)

1. Adoration: returning to God the love we receive from him, and giving him the

worship he deserves as our King and Creator.

2. Petition: asking God for every need, especially for forgiveness and the coming

of Christ’s Kingdom, but also for every personal need, small or large.

3. Intercession: praying on behalf of others, even enemies.

4. Thanksgiving: thanking God for all good things and in every situation.

5. Praise: giving glory to God not because of what he does, but because of who he

is.

Activity:

On the worksheet, write out the Scripture quotations given below. Identify which prayer form

the verse describes or is an example of. Write the name of the form next to the verse.

1. Luke 18:13

2. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

3. Psalm 8:1

4. Ephesians 1:3

5. Psalm 9:1

6. 2 Thessalonians 1:11

7. 1 Peter 1:3

8. Revelation 19:1

9. Acts 7:59-60

10. James 1:5

(Taken from 100 Activities Based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, p. 71)

D. Application

How can I pray in my room shrine?

“How can I pray?” Five points — the five points of a star that can fill our lives with much light!

Make a star after explaining the five points. Write the points on the star so that they won’t be

forgotten. (See Star pattern on page 20.)

(See the following website:.http://www.enchantedlearning.com/permissions/)

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5-Pointed Star

Make a five-pointed star by folding a piece of construction paper a few times and then making one cut. This

type of 5-pointed star was made by Betsy Ross (or more likely, Francis Hopkinson, a tailor and signer of the

Declaration of Independence), for the first flag of the United States of America.

For each Star you will need:

• a piece of paper

• a pencil

• scissors

Fold a piece of paper in half (an 8 1/2 inch by 10

inch rectangle will work - just cut off the lower

inch of a piece of standard typing paper). Write

the letters "A", "B", "C" and "M" on it as shown

in the picture. "A" and "C" are the edges along

the fold. "M" is the mid-point of "A" and "C";

"B" is the vertical mid-point of the folded paper.

Fold corner "A" to the line extending through

"C." Mark this newly-formed corner "D."

Fold corner "C" over the paper edge running

from "B" to "D" (along the dotted line).

Make another fold along the dotted line D-C.

Cut the paper along a line from a point near one

edge to a point about halfway to the point

"D" (the dotted line illustrated on the left).

Unfold the star.

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E. Make a routine for yourself:

1. Pray morning consecration in the room shrine

2. Evening consecration in the room shrine

3. Bring your contributions to the capital of grace and say a short prayer to the Blessed Mother

(in the room shrine)

4. Choose (or make up) a practice of prayer that fits best to your circumstances and to who you

are! St. Bernadette loved to pray the rosary, but St. Therese of the Child Jesus had a hard

time praying the rosary. They both still prayed it! But it was much easier for St. Bernadette

to pray this way. St. Therese had a preference for quiet, meditative prayer — she started

practicing this already as a child when she went fishing with her father! (And do your

prayer practice in your room shrine)

5. Think of someone in particular for whom you want to offer your prayer — there is always

someone who needs our prayers! Offer the time of prayer for that person! If you are

distracted during your prayer because you are thinking about someone else, make this

person, with their needs, part of your prayer (pray for them in your room shrine).

E. Something Important to Remember!

Persevere in prayer! Every great athlete who wants to win the gold medal has to practice and

train in his sport every day. It is similar with prayer: Our goal is to become filled with God, to

become one with him, to bring him, his love into our world. This will not happen overnight,

because there is much self-love in us due to original sin. God the Father knows this. We cannot

take our feelings as our point of reference. I don’t pray only because I feel like praying, but

because I need to pray if I want to be filled with God — to be holy, as our Father in heaven is

holy. There is so little of heaven on earth because we spend so little time in prayer!!! So, just

like athletes will train no matter how they feel, I pray, on good days, on bad days, on days that I

am happy, on days when I am upset or sad or tired or busy or...

If I do not eat for one whole day, I will be very hungry the next. If I don’t eat for a few days, I

can become very sick. If I stop eating all together, we know what happens. Apply this idea to

prayer. Prayer is the nourishment for my soul. How hungry is your soul right now? Remember

that to pray is to love. And we may love God because he has loved us first! Each beat of our

heart is a proof of his closeness, his love for us. He tells each one of us: N, you are precious to

me and I love you. The proper response to this gift of love is to love in return! Father, you are

precious to me and I love you! Show me what you want of me, and help me that I may give you

what you ask of me!

III. Craft (page 22)

On the worksheet with the praying child write out your favorite prayer. Decorate the prayer

with colored pencils and markers.

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IV. Closing Prayer:

We give ourselves to the Blessed Mother and ask her to teach us how to pray. Her entire life

was a prayer; heaven touched earth through her. May we become masters of prayer after Mary’s

example. We pray :

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

Prayer

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Chapter 4: What Can I Expect of the Blessed Mother?

Goal: - to show how the Blessed Mother will establish her throne in our room shrines

- to make us aware that the Blessed Mother will distribute graces from their room shrine

- to review and deepen their knowledge of the three pilgrimage graces

I. Opening Prayer (Room Shrine Prayer written by Father Joseph Kentenich, May 1965) My room is your shrine,

Where you work to the glory of the Father. There he transforms my entire being

Into the Trinity’s most beloved shrine, Where the sanctuary light constantly burns

And the glow of love never dies; Where the fire of sacrifice upon sacrifice Banishes all selfishness from the heart;

Where roses adorn the altar And lilies never cease to bloom;

Where paradisal breezes waft And raise heart and mind to heaven;

Where the spirit of the world cannot enter As in the eternal city of Sion;

Where peace reigns and happiness laughs Because God’s angel keeps diligent watch;

Where Christ rules and is triumphant And leads the whole world to the Father.

II. Introduction

We looked at what the Blessed Mother expects from us, from our room shrine.

We said that she expects:

• that we live what we promised at our Marian Apostles dedication.

• that we offer contributions to the capital of grace.

• that we keep order in our rooms.

• that we visit her in our room shrine and pray there.

Today we want to look at what we expect from the Blessed Mother. We expect that she

establish herself in our room shrine and that from there she distributes graces.

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III. Our Room Shrine, the Dwelling Place of Mary

Divide the girls into small groups if possible. Hand each group a dictionary. Each group is to

look for the word “dwelling” in the dictionary and find two synonyms. They are to write a

sentence with each synonym that has to do with the dwelling of the Blessed Mother in their

room shrine. Then within the group discuss the answers. (If possible write the synonyms and

sentences on a blackboard or big poster board.)

A. What Does Dwelling Mean?

When we look in the dictionary we can find various synonyms like: a house, a

home, an abode, a residence, etc.

We want to stick with the synonym a home. We expect the Blessed Mother to find a home in

our room shrine and stay there. We want her to have a dwelling place there as she did in St.

Elizabeth’s and St. John’s homes, as we discussed in our first meeting. During our first

meeting we recalled the founding of Schoenstatt and how Father Kentenich and the boys

(young seminarians) invited the Blessed Mother, the Mother Thrice Admirable, to come and

dwell in the little chapel. They wanted to give her a home there. Father Kentenich says that we

can do the same in our rooms! We can invite the Blessed Mother to come and dwell there – to

be with us in a special way. Isn’t this a great gift?! Yes, we want to invite the Blessed Mother to establish her home in our rooms. Then our room will become a Schoenstatt Shrine, a place of grace. From our room she will fulfill what she promised when Schoenstatt was founded: She will come to dwell in our midst, work miracles of grace, and bestow upon us gifts and favors in abundance. In our room she will do exactly what she does in any Schoenstatt Shrine throughout the world. She will distribute graces. Which graces? Do you know what grace means? Graces are gifts we receive from God. “Grace is a favor, the free and undeserved help that God gives us to respond to his call to become children of God, adoptive sons, partakers of the divine nature and of eternal life.” [CCC #1996] The Blessed Mother wants to intercede special graces for us! B. The Three Pilgrimage Graces

Discussion:

Discuss the meaning of each of the graces, using the worksheet The Three Pilgrimage Graces

on page . Emphasize the importance that these are the miracles that the Blessed Mother works

from our Schoenstatt Shrine and also from our room shrine. Then discuss their answers to the

question: How can these graces affect us? Compare and contrast with the miracles worked at

other pilgrimage places.

25

TTTT he grace of being at home

What does it mean to be at home?

TTTT he grace of inner transformation

What does it mean?

TTTT he grace of apostolic fruitfulness This means...

26

C. Explanation of the Three Pilgrimage Graces

1. The Grace of Being at Home

We all need a place where we feel at home, where we feel secure, where we feel loved and

accepted. This is a basic need for our society today. There is no one who doesn’t want or need

this. The Blessed Mother wants to give this to us in our room shrine.

2. The Grace of Inner Transformation

The Blessed Mother accepts me as I am, but she wants to ennoble my positive qualities and

help me with my weaknesses. She wants to transform me! She wants me to be interiorly

strengthened to love God even more and to give my life completely to his service in all I do.

Schoenstatt was founded not so much for miracles of a physical kind, but for the renewal of the

person — the new person, the holy person. From our room shrine the Blessed Mother wants to

give this grace to you and the members of your family.

3. The Grace of Apostolic Fruitfulness

It is not enough to believe in our faith, we also must live and give it on to others. This is what it

means to be apostolic. Each person is different and has a different way of being apostolic. From

the shrine the Blessed Mother gives us the grace to find our way of being apostolic and the

strength to do it. To really be fruitful for other people is a grace that the Blessed Mother gives

us in our room shrine. We call it the grace of apostolic fruitfulness. It is apostolic because

through it we become little apostles.

Discussion (Worksheets on pages 27 & 28)

Questions for Reflection:

1. Which of the graces do you think would be the most necessary, valuable, and important for

you?

2. How can these graces help us to become holy — true Marian Apostles?

IV. Craft

(See worksheet for instructions.on page 29. )

Prepare a gift box and on a sheet of paper write the name of the grace you want to pray for

during the coming month. Place this in the gift box. Put the box in a place where you will see it

often. Ccolor and decorate the box as you wish.

V. Closing prayer

* One possible idea for a resolution would be to pray daily for these graces. The Blessed

Mother has many graces available, but we must ask for them.

27

How can these graces affect us?

A)

B)

C)

D)

E)

28

Melissa is a Marian Apostle who recently had her room shrine dedication.

When the Blessed Mother took her place in Melissa’s room shrine, she

began to distribute her graces of HOME, TRANSFORMATION, and

APOSTOLIC FRUITFULNESS. Melissa opened her heart to receive these

graces. Read the following examples from Melissa’s life, and decide

whether they are examples of the grace of home, transformation, or apostolic

fruitfulness by marking them either H, T, or AF.

_____1. By nature, Melissa tends to be a little lazy. Since she dedicated her room shrine, however, she has been able to overcome her laziness by offering to help her

mother with the household chores, even before she is asked.

_____2. Melissa is friends with two girls who do not get along very well. They often

disagree and argue when they are together. They have noticed that Melissa is very

joyful, and tries to be friends with everyone. When Melissa is with them, they

make a special effort to get along and be joyful.

_____3. Melissa has always liked her room, but now that the Blessed Mother dwells there,

she likes it even more! When she went away for a family vacation, Melissa

missed her room shrine, and looked forward to being able to pray there again.

_____4. One summer afternoon, Melissa’s family invited their cousins to come over to

their home. Melissa took her cousins to see her room, and when they walked in,

they noticed her room shrine. Melissa took the opportunity to explain the meaning

of her room shrine, and to invite them to a Schoenstatt youth weekend that would

take place in a few weeks.

_____5. In her sixth grade class, there is a girl who is very hard for Melissa to get along

with. For an upcoming project, Melissa and this girl were assigned to work

together! Melissa prayed every morning in her room shrine that she would be kind

and patient with her new partner, and by the time the project was finished, the two

girls discovered that they got along pretty well!

_____6. Each time Melissa went into her room, the picture of the shrine in her room shrine

made her think of the shrine closest to her home. The next time she visited the

shrine, she felt a special connection to her room shrine, and she felt like the

Blessed Mother was welcoming her in a special way.

_____7. Melissa was looking for a little gift she could offer to the Blessed Mother in her

room shrine. The next Sunday, when her family attended holy Mass, she made a

special effort to pay attention at holy Mass. A little girl sitting behind Melissa was

impressed by her good example, and thought to do the same.

29

Trim all outside edges following heavy black line and any additional graphic

outlines. Cut dotted lines. Fold at all thin lines. Glue tabs to inside of box.

30

31

Chapter 5: The Essentials for a Room Shrine

• Crucifix

• Picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable

• Connection with the Schoenstatt Shrine

• Connection with Father Joseph Kentenich—the founder of Schoenstatt

Goal: - to explain the essential elements of the room shrine - to explain the importance of the crucifix

- to understand the MTA picture as a picture of grace

- to understand the connection to the network of Schoenstatt shrines

- to understand the importance of Father Joseph Kentenich as the founder of Schoenstatt

I. Opening prayer: (Excerpt from Heavenwards prayers page 90)

Let me present the cross and the picture of Mary

to the nations as the sign of redemption

So that the two who stand as one in the Father’s plan of love

May never be divided.

II. Introduction

Essential elements of the room shrine

Look at the “essential elements” sheet on page 32. In the room shrine there are two essential

elements that must be present in order for your room to become a genuine Schoenstatt Shrine.

They are:

• the crucifix

• the picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt

Besides those two things, there are several other parts which are very meaningful to put in one’s

room shrine. They are:

• a picture or symbol of the Schoenstatt Shrine

• a picture of the founder, Father Joseph Kentenich

• sacramentals (other religious items)

32

The MTA Picture

The Crucifix

A Picture or Symbol

of the Schoenstatt Shrine

A Picture of the Founder

Sacramentals

(Other religious items)

What kind of

crucifix do I

want?

What do I want

my MTA picture

to look like?

Which picture of

the shrine and of

Father Kentenich

do I like best?

What other

objects do I want

to place in my

room shrine?

Where can I give

the MTA a home

in my room?

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III. Essential Elements

A. Crucifix

1. Explanation: Father Kentenich tells us that we should love Jesus like Mary and with Mary! Mary and Jesus are always united. Jesus became man because of Mary’s yes, and when

Jesus died on the cross, he spoke the words, “Woman, behold your son. ... Behold your

mother.” Jesus wants Mary to help him! Just like he came to us through Mary, he wants us to

come to him through Mary. According to Father Kentenich, Mary’s mission is to help Christ to

redeem the world. She is always at his side; she, like a true mother, wants the best for all her

children and wants to help them reach eternal happiness in heaven. She wants to lead us

straight to Jesus.

That’s why in our room shrine, the crucifix cannot be left behind. The MTA picture symbolizes

that we invite Mary into our rooms to make them a true Schoenstatt Shrine; the crucifix

symbolizes that as our Mother Thrice Admirable she shows us how to love him and gives us

graces to come closer to him every day.

How do we love Jesus like Mary? How did Mary love Jesus? (Give answers.) She loved him

more than anyone or anything else. This means that:

• she loved him to the point of being able to sacrifice for him.

The Seven Sorrows of Mary tell us of times in the Blessed Mother’s life when she was able to

sacrifice out of love for Jesus. (Go through them briefly puzzle is optional on page 34.) She

loved Jesus so much that she was able to give up things she cherished – even Jesus himself.

She wanted to give absolutely everything to him. She had to leave her home and flee to Egypt.

She had to accept it when he told her that he had to “be about his father’s affairs.” She stood

painfully under the cross and watched her child die in pain while the crowd and soldiers

mocked him. Love, when it is genuine, is capable of making real sacrifices. We have to think:

Do I love Jesus enough to sacrifice what I like for his sake? For example, if there is one cookie

left and I know my little sister would like it, do I eat it, telling myself that she’ll never know if

it’s gone, or do I take it and offer it to her? Or, if my mom has had a hard day at work, do I let

her do the dishes or do I offer to let her go to bed and do the dishes myself? Our love for Jesus

is proved in our love for others! Or, do I take time to pray every day? Is spending time with

Jesus worth sacrificing doing other things I like to do? Mary certainly spent time praying!

And we should love Jesus with Mary. What do you think that means? Whatever we do

together with Mary is much, much more valuable because she is loved so much by her Son. So

when we pray to Jesus, we should ask Mary to pray with us. When we make a sacrifice, we do

it together with Mary, and it will please Jesus even more.

34

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Complete the following puzzle by starting with the bolded square in the middle and going to the right, reading in circles counterclockwise, writing down the letters in order below and crossing them off as you go along. There are numbers in between to help you separate the seven sorrows. When you are finished, unscramble the bold letters to find out how Father Kentenich tells us we should love Jesus!

Love him like Mary and with Mary!

1. The prophecy of S_______________________________. 2. The flight into E________________________________. 3. The three days separation from J_________________________. 4. Her meeting with Christ on the way to C_________________________. 5. The C_______________________________________. 6. The removal of Christ’s body from the C____________________________. 7. His b_____________________________________.

34

35

Dear Jesus,

As I prepare for my room shrine dedication,

I would like to invite you to dwell in my room

in a special way . . .

_____________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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B. Picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt

1. The Title of the MTA

What does “Mother Thrice Admirable” mean? How do we see the Blessed Mother as thrice

admirable? We honor Mary as Mother of God, Mother of the Redeemer, and Mother of the

Redeemed.

2. Discussion

The MTA picture is a “picture of grace.” What do you think that means? It means that God has

chosen this particular picture for Schoenstatters as the sacramental through which we receive

graces. It is this picture that identifies a Schoenstatt Shrine and lets one know: Here dwells the

Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt; here I can receive graces,

especially the three pilgrimage graces of the Schoenstatt Shrine (being at home, inner

transformation, and apostolic fruitfulness). Therefore it is very important that if we want the

Blessed Mother to come and dwell in our rooms and make them into Schoenstatt Shrines, not

just any shrine, we enthrone the picture of grace of Schoenstatt, the MTA picture.

The MTA picture is a symbol of Mary. It is Mary that we want to invite to come and dwell in

our rooms; we symbolize her presence in our room shrine with the sign of the MTA picture.

3. Symbolism of the picture

Have the girls look at the MTA picture. There are several important and meaningful parts to

the picture.

What do you see that makes the picture special?

• Mary is holding her child, Jesus, with both hands. But she is holding him loosely

which symbolizes two things. First, she holds him loosely because she wants to

give him to us. Secondly, artists have pointed out that it would be impossible for

a person to hold such a big child so loosely without the child falling. This

symbolizes that Jesus is also carried by his heavenly Father.

• The veil (a symbol of virginity) that covers Mary’s head appears to be the same

piece of cloth that is wrapped around Jesus – a symbol of Mary’s unity with

Jesus which came about because of her virginity.

• The hearts of both Mary and Jesus are united – another symbol of their unity and

their love for each other.

• The clouds are a symbol of heaven where Jesus and Mary reign as King and

Queen.

37

• The light surrounds Mary and Jesus. It is brightest around Jesus, the “Light

from Light.” This is a symbol that Mary leads us out of the “darkness” of sin

to the “light” of her Son.

4. Where to erect the picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable.

It is very important that we choose the right place in our room to put up the MTA picture and

all the parts of our room shrine. Would I like to have my room shrine above my bed, where

I feel protected? Would I like to have it above my desk, where I can look to her when I work

there? Would I like to give her a special corner where I can kneel before her? Would I like

to place her picture on top of my dresser where there is room for my whole family to gather

around? You see, there are lots of different places! Since each room is unique, each room

shrine will be in a unique place – but make sure you choose the place that is most effective

for you. We are talking about this already now so that you can start thinking about it!

1. The picture of Mary came into the shrine after the founding of Schoen-

statt on October 18, 1914. It was given to the boys by a _________________.

2. The picture frame was in an __________________________ shaped frame.

3. The original title for the picture was Refuge of ________________________.

4. Before the MTA picture was erected, this statue was in the center of the

shrine:_________________________________.

Word Box

Sinners St. Michael

Teacher Octagonal

38

POPE JOHN PAUL II AND THE MTA

On October 20, 2001, Cardinal Francisco Javier Errazuriz of

Santiago, Chile visited Schoenstatt, where he told the following story

about Pope John Paul II: “One day someone brought him an MTA

picture to bless. He said, ‘This picture has accompanied me since my

childhood.’ Much later I asked him why he said this. He answered, ‘I

grew up in a Pallottine parish. They brought the MTA picture to

many families. It was also in my home.’ From this statement we

realize that the pope (born 1920) grew up knowing the MTA picture

and even having it in his home. From other witnesses we know that

there is an MTA picture in his papal apartment as well.

MOTHER TERESA AND THE MTA

She marveled at the communication between Mother and

Child — Mother Teresa’s reaction to the gift of an MTA

picture just months before her death.

ROME, "Vínculo," Chile (schoenstatt.de). When the

Holy Father beatifies Mother Teresa in Rome this

Sunday, October 19, many Schoenstatters will be among

the more than 200,000 faithful in St. Peter’s Square.

Diego Barceló, a member of Schoenstatt from

Argentina, recalls a special moment with Mother Teresa just months before her death:

“It happened after the New Year’s Eve Mass on December 31, 1996. At that time the health of

Mother Teresa was very fragile. In the photograph one sees that she is in a wheelchair. A few

months earlier she had insisted on being released from the hospital to share the fate of the poor,

without any extra care.

“After Mass that evening I had the chance to present her with a picture of the Blessed Mother of

Schoenstatt. It was an interesting situation, for when I gave her the picture, she paused for a few

seconds, lost in the gaze of the MTA. She expressed her astonishment at the expression of unity

between Mother and Son, the deep communication between Jesus and Mary in this picture.

After a while she said, ‘Thank you,’ and gave it back to me. I explained that it was a gift. But

she said that she could not possibly accept such a beautiful picture. As she said that, she gave it

back to me a second time. Finally she accepted the gift. She was happy and seemed like a little

child who had received a precious gift. The whole episode lasted only a few minutes. The next

day one of her sisters told me that she liked the picture very much. She asked that it be hung in

her room. I later heard that it hung there until her death on September 5, 1997.”

39

C. Connection to the network of Schoenstatt Shrines

1. Shrine Symbol: Lay pictures of many different shrines out on the table. Look at them and decide which one you

like best. Fill in the space below, “Why is the shrine special to me?” Using the pictures to

help visualize the shrine, write down at least one reason why the shrine is special.

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SCHOENSTATT SHRINE

1. Mary dwells there – The Schoenstatt Shrine is a pilgrimage place where Mary dwells. She has taken up her home in the shrine and is really present there! Just as the sun is always

shining but is especially effective in certain places, so Mary is always with us, but in a very

special way in the shrine.

2. Mary is fruitful from there – Mary dwells in the shrine and from there she wants to renew the world. She does that by giving us special graces!!

3. The shrine is unique to Schoenstatt – In most well-known pilgrimage places, Mary appeared to someone and then a shrine or church was built in her honor. In Schoenstatt, there

was no apparition – Mary was invited to come and dwell in this little shrine and to intercede

miracles of grace from there. Secondly, the shrine is unique because there are over 180 replicas

of the Original Shrine all over the world! The Blessed Mother wants to give a home to her

children in all countries and renew every part of the world from the shrine.

40

D. Connection to Father Joseph Kentenich, founder of Schoenstatt

1. A picture of Father Kentenich is another meaningful part of my room shrine!

Look at the three pictures below and explain what this tells you about Father Kentenich.

2. Father Kentenich is the founder of Schoenstatt. What does it mean to be a founder?

This It means that he founded Schoenstatt. He began it; he was the instrument God used to

begin Schoenstatt. But Father Kentenich wasn’t a founder in the ordinary sense. He didn’t sit

down and draw up plans for what Schoenstatt should be and then put it into being. No, he

simply followed God’s lead. That is called “divine providence.” Whenever God seemed to

wish something of him, he said yes and tried to carry it out. That is why we can really believe

that Schoenstatt is a work of God.

3. Father Kentenich is also a father. What does it mean to be a father? It means to love his children, to care for their well-being, to want what is best for them, to lead

them to God the Father ... Father Kentenich did all of this and still does all of this from heaven.

He loved all the people who belonged to Schoenstatt and really took them into his heart. There

are lots of stories (we call them “mosaic stones”) told about Father being introduced to someone

and then many years later seeing them again and remembering their concerns from that time.

And you can imagine how many people told Father Kentenich their intentions, their wishes,

their concerns. Yet he, like a true father, loved each one personally. Father Kentenich also

loved his Schoenstatt “children” so much that he offered many great sacrifices for them. He

went to the concentration camp of Dachau voluntarily for the sake of his children!

A picture of Father Kentenich is very meaningful for my room shrine for two reasons. First, it

reminds us that we should be thankful to him for founding Schoenstatt and saying yes to God’s

will. Secondly, since we belong to Schoenstatt then we are also “children” of Father Kentenich,

and we want to grow closer to him as a father and he can help us know God the Father better.

41

Chapter 6: Sacramentals in my Room Shrine

Goal: - understand the difference between the sacraments and sacramentals - find the sacramentals they would like to have in their room shrine

I. Opening Prayer: I trust your might, your kindness Mother dear, I do believe that you are always near,

Schoenstatt’s great Queen, O Mother mild,

I blindly trust in you and in your child.

II. Definitions: What is a Sacrament?

A. Sacraments are “visible signs of invisible grace.” Grace refers to God’s life in us. The sacraments include actions, words and symbols that make the Lord’s friendship present so we

can perceive it. For example, when two people exchange their promise of love and fidelity in

marriage, Jesus enters their relationship. His friendship guides their lifelong commitment to

love each other and raise a family. The couple is a sign to each other of the love Jesus has for

them.

B. The traditional definition of sacrament is “an outward sign instituted by Christ to give

grace.” Jesus gave his church external signs as ways to meet him. For example when a priest

says, “I absolve you,” we can be sure Jesus forgives our sins. The sacraments are power signs;

sacraments bring about what they point to. For example, the water of baptism brings about

death to an old life of sin and a new life in Christ.

See Catechism of the Catholic Church:

1084 "Seated at the right hand of the Father" and pouring out the Holy Spirit on his Body which is the Church, Christ now acts through the sacraments he instituted to communicate his grace.

The sacraments are perceptible signs (words and actions) accessible to our human nature. By

the action of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit they make present efficaciously the grace

that they signify.

1116 Sacraments are "powers that come forth" from the Body of Christ, which is ever-living and life-giving. They are actions of the Holy Spirit at work in his Body, the Church. They are

"the masterworks of God" in the new and everlasting covenant.

1131 The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are

celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in

those who receive them with the required dispositions.

42

Review in a brief way each one of the sacraments using the chart below:

SACRAMENT SIGN WORDS

Baptism The pouring of water “I baptize you in the name of the

Father, and of the Son, and of the

Holy Spirit. Amen.”

Confirmation Anointing with oil “Be sealed with the Gift of the

Holy Spirit.”

Eucharist Bread and wine The Eucharistic prayer in the Lit-

urgy with the words of institution:

“This is my body…this is my

blood…”

Reconciliation Contrition and confession “… God, the Father of mercies,

through the death and resurrection

of his son, has reconciled the

world to himself and sent the Holy

Spirit among us for the forgive-

ness of sins; through the ministry

of the Church may God give you

pardon and peace, and I absolve

you from your sins in the name of

the Father, and of the Son, and of

the Holy Spirit.”

Anointing of the Sick Anointing with oil and laying on

of hands

“Through this holy anointing may

the Lord in his love and mercy

help you with the grace of the

Holy Spirit. May the Lord who

frees you from sin save you and

raise you up.”

Matrimony Mutual consent of husband and

wife to live a covenant relationship

Priest witnesses on behalf of the

church the intentions and consent

of the couple to live as a Christian

couple.

Holy Orders Bishop laying on of hands The “Prayer to the Holy Spirit” in

the preface of the ordination Mass.

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What are sacramentals? (See the difference.)

How do sacramentals help us?

1.

2.

List the seven sacraments:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

What are sacraments?

44

III. What are sacramentals? (See the difference.)

• Sacramentals are sacred signs instituted by the Church. They prepare men to receive the

fruit of the sacraments and sanctify different circumstances of life. [Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1677]

How do sacramentals help us?

• Make us ready to receive grace.

• Help to sanctify every event of our lives.

Among the sacramentals blessings occupy an important place. They include both praise of

God for his works and gifts, and the Church's intercession for men that they may be able to

use God's gifts according to the spirit of the Gospel. [Catechism of the Catholic Church, #1678]

Blessings

Can you list some of them?

Actions

Can you list some of these actions?

Blessed Objects

Can you list some of these objects?

Words

Can you list some of these words?

45

Do you already have some sacramentals in your home? In your room? What are they?

What sacramentals will you put in your room shrine?

46

Chapter 7: Extra Touches to my Room Shrine

• My Personal Symbol

• A Unique Name

Goal: - understand the meaning of a symbol - explain about the different symbols of the shrine

- think about a personal mission and to choose an appropriate symbol from the

shrine

I. Opening Prayer: With heartfelt love, I thank you Mother dear, With you to guide me, I need have no fear,

When all around seemed dark and drear and grey,

You stood as a beacon for a brighter day,

Your smile illumined every wakeful hour.

You did uphold me with your gentle power.

Thanks, a thousand thanks, to you to God shall be,

Now and for all eternity. Amen.

II. My Personal Symbol—

Game—Draw the shrine on page 47.

Is that really the shrine on your paper? Is it really the sun or a tree or a path? No, they are

symbols! A symbol is something that represents a reality. The shrine is a real thing; the

drawing you made is a symbol of the shrine. The sun and tree are real things; the draw-

ings are symbols.

For our room shrine we have learned about the MTA picture, the crucifix, the symbol or

picture of the shrine, and the picture of Father Kentenich. These are all symbols that rep-

resent a reality. Now we get to choose something entirely our own – our own personal

symbol for our room shrine!

Father Kentenich once spoke to families who were preparing to dedicate their home

shrines. He invited and encouraged them to become living shrines by choosing personal

symbols from among the things in or on the shrine. We also as a group can form a living

shrine!! Each one of us is invited to look for a symbol from the shrine that we want to

strive to become. Of course, a symbol represents a reality: We will not really become a

door, or St. Michael, but we strive to represent them by the way we live and act.

Let’s learn a little about what the different things in the shrine could mean for us, so that

we have some ideas ... of course, we can also be creative and come up with our own!

47

Begin by drawing the ground and path.

Take turns rolling the die.

1 = Shrine building

2 = Door

3 = Window

4 = Tree

5 = Sun or three rays

6 = Bell tower

You cannot add a door, window, or bell

tower without a shrine building first, but

once you have the shrine building they can

be added in any order. The tree and the

sun can be added any time.

If you cannot draw something or already

have it, you lose your turn.

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The altar is the place of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. We offer our hearts to Christ as a sacrificial altar so that he can re-live in us his

sacrifice of redemption. The Father demands many sacrifices from us

throughout our entire life. As the altar we strive to accept cross and suffering as special gifts of his Father-love because they will be made

fruitful for the redemption of many people.

The sanctuary light indicates the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the tabernacle. With

its everlasting, uninterrupted flame, it lights our way to eternity. As the sanctuary light we are called to be a brightly shining light which radiates the love of the Father and always points

toward Christ who is alive among us. This special light also reminds us to view everything in

our lives in the light of God, as a part of his divine providence.

The crown symbolizes Mary’s queenship; it is a sign of her power over the evil one. Mary

must lead us to victory over the devil. As the crown we want to become noble in word and deed. Our being and acting should speak of our special mission in life: to belong to the troop of

our Mother and Queen, those whom she has chosen to help her conquer the world for Christ.

Like the gold of the crown we want to be genuine in our being, honest and pure, faithful and

sacrificial, filled with true love. We strive to trust unshakably in the power of our Queen, in her

responsibility for us and in her victory.

St. Michael defeated the devil and hurled him into hell. He is our defender in battle against the

devil. As St. Michael we are called to fight the evil influences around us and courageously defend our faith. We wish to take St. Michael’s position in the shrine, next to the tabernacle,

and become faithful guardians of the Blessed Sacrament.

The Father eye is the symbol of God the Father, of his loving care for us and his sure

protection. He guides all his children homeward to eternal glory. As the Father eye we have the mission to live a life of endless love, of kindness toward others, guiding them homeward to

the Father. We strive to be always watchful so that we do not stray from the right path, the path

to the Father. We want to be open for God’s loving care in our daily life. If we look to the

Father with childlike trust, we will find courage in his constant love. We want to be ever aware

of the fact that the Father’s kind, warm, and merciful eyes rest upon us with delight and that he

is always with us. He sees us at all times; we can never hide from him.

The tabernacle conceals Christ, the Most Holy One, he who is present among us in the form of

bread. As the tabernacle we are specially called to acknowledge the presence of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and to adore and revere him. We strive to become a worthy dwelling place

for Jesus – pure and noble, welcoming Christ with a pure and childlike heart. We foster

reverence and respect for every human life because God is present in everyone.

The key locks and unlocks the entry way to the shrine and the door of the tabernacle. As the

key we are called to open ourselves to God’s will, to the things he loves, and to be closed to

Some Ideas for my Personal Symbol

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everything that is evil or not from God. We must strive to be firm and courageous enough to

say no to the things that tempt us to sin. As the key we can be quiet and hidden, yet carry out

an extremely great task: We can help to open the hearts and minds of others to love God and

come closer to him.

Holy water is used to give God’s blessing to objects and to people, placing them under his

special protection. As the holy water we want to become a blessing for our surroundings. Through us, others should be blessed and experience God’s presence in a tangible way. By

using holy water often and consciously, we are reminded of God’s blessing which accompanies

us on our journey to heaven and leads us to perfection. We are never alone.

The window brings in the sunlight from outside and allows the fresh air to fill the room. As

the window we want to be clear and clean so that through us the fullness of light, Jesus, can reach the people around us. We long for God’s light to shine upon us so that in his light we can

see things more clearly and make good judgments. We are called to bring an uplifting and

positive attitude, letting God’s light come into our life. Then we can be like a window for

others, showing them the true light, giving them hope.

The cross is the sign of redemption. As the cross we want to be aware of the great value of our own suffering. If we bear our cross heroically, we can help Christ redeem the world and bring

many people to heaven. Like Simon we want to become a cross-bearer and help others carry

their heavy burden. Father Kentenich once said, “The cross blesses the world.” We learn to

accept the cross as a great blessing.

The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier who descends upon us with his seven gifts. The symbol of

the Holy Spirit reminds us that we have to be open to his inspirations. Our hearts must become “empty vessels,” empty of everything that leads us away from God, so that he can fill

us with his gifts and graces and transform us into saints. He will make us holy so that we can

lead others on their way to God.

The sword of St. Paul indicates the instrument by which he died. It is also a symbol of “the

sword of the spirit, the word of God” (Eph. 6:17). As the sword it is our task to proclaim God through our word and example, and to fight to build his kingdom. We should be a sword in the

hand of God, not in the hand of the world. With the sword of God we can help defeat all that is

evil in our world.

The bell proclaims God’s message to us. We are called to announce to others that God loves them, to bring them joy, and to lead them toward heaven.

St. Joseph lived the life of an everyday saint together with Mary and Jesus. We want to follow his example by being pure and by serving those around us.

The flowers on the altar bloom for the glory of God. We want to give glory to him and bring joy and happiness to others as a reminder of the paradise that awaits us in heaven.

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The foundation of the shrine gives strength to the entire building so that it does not sink into the ground. Our lives should be built on firm rock – on Jesus and on the truths of our Catholic

faith. As a firm foundation, others can rely on our strength and support.

The candles on the altar burn in honor of Christ. We want to give all our strength to bring light and warmth to others, always keeping the flame of our love burning brightly.

The door welcomes visitors and friends and opens so that they may enter. We want to strive to welcome and accept others, even when other people don’t. But at the same time as the door we

want to be closed to the devil and everything that leads us away from God.

The chalice, the paten, the bread and wine, or other items used at Mass could be our personal symbol.

A certain part of the MTA picture – Mary’s hands, her eyes, her mantle, her smile, etc. – could also be an idea.

What else is there? The pews, St. Peter, St. Paul, the light frame ... be creative! Think about what you would like to bring to those around you, and then choose a symbol that fits it. Do you

want to bring joy? Strength? Peace? Truth? Love? A home? Light and warmth? Kindness?

Sacrifices for others? Victory over evil? Purity? Leadership? Prayer? Blessings? Wisdom

and understanding?

- Ideas taken from My Home, A Shrine, compiled by Sr. M. Thomasine Treese

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Imagine you are in a newly-developed town in Alaska. There is lots of snow and ice there; it is dark much of the time; there is lots of interesting wildlife running around. The town is on the coast, with mountains on the other side. The town developed around a

Catholic mission site.

This little town has grown enough to be eligible for a post office, and needs to submit a name. All citizens living in the town are asked to think of ideas.

They want to have hometown pride! What would you name the town?

Imagine you are starting a business. You would like to sell toys of all shapes and sizes, for all ages. Your store would include

games, puzzles, dolls, model cars, baby rattles, etc. -- everything to make boys and girls happy!

You need to pick a name that would draw customers to your store, something very attractive to both kids and parents.

What would you name it?

You are going to invite the Blessed Mother to come and dwell in your room and make it a Schoenstatt Shrine! She will have a very special mission from

there, a mission that fits to you and your surroundings -- your family, your friends, your world.

It is time to think of a name for your shrine. Whenever you think of this name it will remind you that she is being and doing for you just what you

have asked her to be and do. She gives you lots of special graces that have to do with the name

you have given her shrine. What name will you give it?

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III. A Unique Name for my Room Shrine

A name describes a place and tells what it is like! It might tell what the surroundings look like

(e.g., Lakeview or Shoreline), or say a little about its culture (e.g., Santa Fe or Oconomowoc),

or reveal its history (e.g., New York or New Ulm). A name for a place is very important

because it helps people to identify it and it gives a certain pride and sense of belonging in the

knowledge, “I live in _________, and I’m happy here!”

When we think about giving a name to something or somewhere or someone, there are many

things we have to consider, depending on what we want the name to accomplish. We usually

want the name to be attractive. We want it to have a meaning. We want it to help fulfill the

purpose we have for it.

What about the name you would choose?

We are preparing to dedicate our rooms as Schoenstatt Shrines. Now we have the opportunity to

give our shrine a name that is uniquely ours! It can be a name we are familiar with or a name

that we create, (look on page 53 for examples) but it must:

1. Be attractive to me! It should be something that makes me proud to have a room shrine,

something that I really like and that sets my heart on fire with love for the MTA.

2. Have a meaning! The name shouldn’t be just something chosen out of the blue just because it

sounds pretty. In time that will not be enough. It needs to speak to me! How do I see the

Blessed Mother? What qualities do I admire most in her? In what ways do I want to be like

her?

3. Fulfill the purpose I have for it. What do I want the Blessed Mother to do specifically from

my room shrine? What mission would I like her to take up for me and for my family? What

special graces would I like to ask her to give from there?

VI. Closing Prayer: Pray the room shrine prayer on page 23.

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The name of your room shrine will describe the mission of the Blessed Mother from there. It describes certain graces that she will give you from there -- and not only to you, but to your whole family. But it also means a task for you! If you receive certain graces from your room shrine, you are then sent

out from there to pass on those graces to others.

For example, if you choose the name, “Cause of our Joy,” you are asking the Blessed Mother to give you many graces of joy. Then, after receiving that gift from her hand, she asks you to pass on that joy to

others.

Here is a list of names for you to consider. You can also choose one that is not here -- this is just to give you ideas!

Biblical Places:Biblical Places:Biblical Places:Biblical Places: Tabor Bethlehem Nazareth Cenacle or Upper Room Calvary Mysteries of the Rosary:Mysteries of the Rosary:Mysteries of the Rosary:Mysteries of the Rosary: The Annunciation The Visitation The Nativity The Presentation The Finding in the Temple The Baptism in the Jordan The Miracle at Cana The Proclamation of the Kingdom The Transfiguration The Institution of the Eucharist The Agony in the Garden The Scourging at the Pillar The Crowning with Thorns The Carrying of the Cross The Crucifixion The Resurrection The Ascension The Descent of the Holy Spirit The Assumption The Coronation

Virtues or Titles Virtues or Titles Virtues or Titles Virtues or Titles of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother: Cause of our Joy Morning Star Comforter of the Afflicted Queen of Peace Thanksgiving Heroic Trust Gate of Heaven Everlasting Love Lily of Life Peace Holy Springtime Faithfulness Harmony Rainbow of Hope Flame of Love Refuge of Sinners Queen of Martyrs Queen of Apostles Queen of My Heart Queen of Heaven and Earth Full of Grace Sacrificial Love Mother of my Lord Handmaid of the Lord House of Gold Tabernacle of the Most High Miracle of Grace Blind Trust Instrument of Love

Lily of Purity Sacrificial Rose Queen of the Rosary Particular ActivitiesParticular ActivitiesParticular ActivitiesParticular Activities of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother:of the Blessed Mother: Safe Harbor Heavenwards Intercessor Guiding Light Hearts Afire Light of my Life Yes, Father Comfort and Strength Adoration Magnificat Mediatrix of Grace Total Surrender Guiding Hand Other Names:Other Names:Other Names:Other Names: Holy Ground Behold Your Mother Here I Am Lift Up Your Hearts Spirit of Love Glory of the Father Nothing Without You, Nothing

Without Us Divine Providence Shadow of Mary

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Chapter 8: Room Shrine Dedication & Erection Celebrations

Goal: - to go through the celebration for the room shrine dedication - to go through the erection ceremony that can be done with your family

I. Opening Prayer Pray the prayer, My Room Is Your Shrine on page 23

II. Review Time:

1. My room shrine is:

A) a place of grace

B) a dwelling place

C) a pilgrimage place

D) all of the above

2. There were three people who took Mary into their homes. Who were they?

A) St. Peter, St. John, and Veronica

B) St. Joseph, St. Elizabeth, and St. Martha

C) St. John, St. Joseph, and St. Elizabeth

D) St. Elizabeth, St. Peter, and St. John

3. What are the three pilgrimage graces from the shrine?

A) grace of inner transformation

B) grace of apostolic fruitfulness

C) grace of being at home

D) all of the above

4. What are the Blessed Mother’s expectations regarding my room shrine?

A) To live the three promises of my dedication

B) Contributions to the capital of grace

C) To keep order in my room

D) To pray there

E) All of the above

5. Examples of contributions to the capital of grace are:

A) praying and making sacrifices

B) taking out the garbage when asked by a parent

C) doing your homework well

D) all of the above

6. What is the title of the picture of Mary that we have in the shrine?

A) Our Lady of Divine Grace

B) Our Lady of Mount Carmel

C) Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt

D) Mary Mother of the Poor

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7. How is Father Kentenich known in Schoenstatt?

A) As the founder

B) As the president

C) As father and founder

D) As the president and head

8. Which of the following are part of the seven sacraments.

A) Baptism & Confirmation

B) Holy Orders & Matrimony

C) Reconciliation & Anointing of the Sick

D) All of the above

9. What should our room shrine name be like?

A) Attractive

B) Have a meaning!

C) Fulfill a purpose

D) All of the above

10. Why is October 18, 1914, an important date for the Schoenstatt Movement?

A) Date of the first room shrine

B) The founding day of Schoenstatt

C) The first day of fall

D) The birthday of Father Kentenich

11. What year was the first home shrine dedicated?

A) 1962

B) 1914

C) 1943

D) 1949

12. What are the essential elements of the room shrine?

A) Crucifix

B) Candle

C) Picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt

D) A & C

III. Room Shrine Celebration

Go through the dedication and erection celebrations. If possible the room shrine items may be

blessed either at the Schoenstatt shrine or at the parish church by the parish priest. The

following celebrations can be modified to fit the situation.

We want give the Blessed Mother a throne in our rooms. Therefore what does the Blessed

Mother promise?

I will take my dwelling among you with delight. I will bestow gifts and graces in abundance and

I will draw youthful hearts to myself from here and educate them to become useful instruments

in my hand.

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What does the Blessed Mother ask us to do?

Prove first by your deeds that you really love me and take your resolutions seriously...

IV. Room Shrine Dedication Check ListIV. Room Shrine Dedication Check ListIV. Room Shrine Dedication Check ListIV. Room Shrine Dedication Check List

� Crucifix Optional

� MTA picture � Personal symbol

� Shrine picture or symbol � Room shrine Name on a card

� Father Kentenich picture � Personal prayer

� Any sacramentals they wish to be blessed

� Invite your family to attend the room shrine dedication

Room Shrine Dedication

(at a Schoenstatt shrine or at a Parish Church)

Song: (Optional)

(Blessing of the room shrine items)

Priest: Our help is in the name of the Lord. All: Who made heaven and earth. Priest: The Lord be with you. All: And also with you.

Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, you do not forbid us to

represent your saints in stone or paint, so that as often as we look on them, we meditate upon their holiness and are led to imitate their deeds. In your kindness, we beg you to bless and sanctify these crucifixes and these pictures that honor our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt. As we humbly serve and honor her may we gain from you grace in the present life and eternal glory in the life to come, through her merits and intercession. This we ask through Christ our Lord.

Reader2: “We could not accomplish a greater apostolic deed, than to urge our Mother and Queen to erect her throne here in a special way, to distribute her treasures and to work miracles of grace.” (Founding Document, October 18, 1914, Father Joseph Kentenich)

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L: The following girl(s) (Names of girls are read) L: from the group (____________________) would like to erect their room shrines. Please explain your symbols. Reader 1: In our room shrine, we erect a picture of the Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt and invite her to dwell with us. Reader 2: We erect a crucifix in our room shrine to show our love for Jesus after Mary’s example of love for her Son. Reader 3: We erect a picture of the Schoenstatt shrine because our room shrine will become part of the network of graces flowing into the world from all Schoenstatt shrines. Reader 4: We erect a picture of Father Kentenich, the founder of Schoenstatt, who encouraged many people to give Mary a home in their heart.

����������������������������� (Optional)

Reader 5: We have chosen a personal symbol to show our love for Jesus and Mary. (The girls may say what symbol they have chosen.) (Optional) Leader: The girls would now like to present the names of their room shrines. (The girls may say what name they have chosen for their room shrine.)

����������������������������� Leader: Please pray your Room Shrine blessing prayer: (Room Shrine Dedication Prayer) Girls: Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt, from our

room shrines, be our Mother, our Queen, and the Educator of our hearts. Through this special dedication, you will come and transform our rooms into places of grace. The covenant with you shall form our daily lives; through the power which draws you here, help us in all our future joys, sorrows, and happenings. Come and stay with us—reign over us as our Mother and Queen. Amen.

Song: Optional

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Erection of the Room Shrine with Your Family (The family gathers at the place where the room shrine will be erected.

Family members can carry the different symbols.) Girl: Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt welcome to

my room where you will receive a new throne of grace. All: Thank you for coming to bless this room with your presence. Girl: I offer, you dear Jesus, a place in my room. In the sign of the crucifix, help me to grow each day in love for you and for our holy Catholic Church. (Crucifix is placed in room shrine.) All: Jesus, our Savior, thank you for coming to dwell in this room. Girl: Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress come into my room and make it a place of grace for me, for my family, and for all who are part of my life.

(Picture of the MTA is erected.) Reader: “We could not accomplish a greater apostolic deed, than to urge our Mother and Queen to erect her throne here in a special way, to distribute her treasures and to work miracles of grace.” (Founding Document, October 18, 1914, Father Joseph Kentenich)

Girl: I place a picture of the Schoenstatt Shrine into my room shrine to remind me of the network of Schoenstatt shrines throughout the world. May the three

pilgrimage graces of: inner transformation, being at home, and apostolic fruitfulness flow into the world from my room shrine.

(Picture of the shrine is placed in the room shrine.) All: May we experience these graces in our family. Girl: I place a picture of Father Joseph Kentenich, the founder of Schoenstatt in my room shrine to remind me of his encouragement to invite people to erect your shrine in their homes. (Picture of Father Kentenich is placed in the room shrine.) Girl: (Optional) I also place my personal symbol in my room shrine. (Explanation can be given about the symbol.) Girl: (Optional) I invite Mary to dwell in my room shrine under the title:

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(Title of room shrine may be given at this time.) Girl: Dear Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen, and Victress of Schoenstatt, from my room

shrine, be our Mother, our Queen, and the Educator of our hearts. Through this special dedication, you will come and transform my room into places of grace. The covenant with you shall form my daily life; through the power which draws you here, help us in all our future joys, sorrows, and happenings. Come and stay with us—reign over us as our Mother and Queen. Amen.

(Family is invited to join in praying or singing the prayer “My Queen, My Mother.”) All: 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.

Father: We ask for the blessing of our heavenly Father, in the name of the Father and of the

Son and of the Holy Spirit. (All make the sign of the cross.) All: Amen. Song: Optional

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Answer key

Answers to page 5

1 down—Dwelling for Mary

2 down—Prayer

3 down—Grace

4 across—Pilgrimage

5 across—Miracles

Answers to page 8

1. October 18, 1914

2. South America

3. Madison

4. Families

5. 1962

Answers to page 11

The message on the bottom of the page:

To live the three promises of our Marian Apostles Dedication

Answers to page 34

1. Simeon

2. Egypt

3. Jesus

4. Calvary

5. Crucifixion

6. Cross

7. Burial

Answers to page 37

1. Teacher

2. Octagonal

3. Sinners

4. St. Michael

Answers to pages 54-55

1. D

2. C

3. D

4. E

5. D

6. C

7. C

8. D

9. D

10. B

11. A

12. D