Across the United States, the Schoenstatt Family gathered with deep joy and gratitude to mark the opening of the 100th Jubilee Year of the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary. Each celebration was unique, and yet reflected the same spirit: God has done great things for us, and we are grateful!
New York – Jubilee Opening at the Shrine of Light
On October 26, more than 400 pilgrims visited the the Shrine of Light before celebrating a festive bilingual Mass with Bishop Peter Byrne at Blessed Sacrament Church. Joyful encounters, historical videos, and the shared gratitude of the Schoenstatt Family made the day a beautiful beginning to the Jubilee Year.
Madison, Wisconsin – A Pilgrimage of Hope
On October 8, Bishop Donald Hying led a diocesan pilgrimage to the Schoenstatt Shrine in Madison, one of the sites designated by the diocese for the Year of Hope indulgence. A bilingual Mass, candle procession, renewal of the covenant of love, and presentations—including the Jubilee video series Faces of Hope—highlighted the celebration of both the diocesan Year of Hope and the sisters’ centennial.
Lamar, Texas – A Three-Fold Celebration
On October 11, the Schoenstatt Family in Lamar joyfully combined three jubilees:
- the Year of Hope,
- the 75th anniversary of the Pilgrim Mother Apostolate, and
- the opening of the sisters’ centennial year.
The day included a festive Mass, adoration in the shrine, shared meals, and afternoon presentations—including a moving portrayal of the life of Dcn. João Pozzobon. Volunteers, families, and long-time friends filled the grounds with joy, gratitude, and a renewed sense of mission.
Sleepy Eye, Minnesota – A Jubilee for Families
The Schoenstatt Family of Minnesota celebrated the opening of the Jubilee Year with a weekend full of life:
Family Retreat – October 18
Thirteen families gathered for a retreat filled with activities, a scavenger hunt, a rosary walk led by the children, holy Mass in the Jubilee Family Shrine, and plenty of joyful family time. The day concluded with a BBQ supper and an evening movie. The retreat beautifully honored the mission of the Jubilee Family Shrine.
Opening of the Jubilee Family Shrine Anniversary – October 19
The next day, around 70 participants celebrated the opening of the Golden Jubilee of the shrine and the 100th anniversary of the Sisters’ family. Highlights included a presentation on Schoenstatt’s Marian spirituality and the Year of Hope, a skit performed by young people recounting the shrine’s early history, and Mass at the shrine, followed by the renewal of the covenant of love.
Each month during the next 12 months, the Minnesota Schoenstatt Family will reflect on one symbol of the shrine. The first is the Holy Family statue, highlighting the shrine’s mission to strengthen family life. A monthly meditation invites families to renew their covenant and strive to become “little domestic churches.”
Nebraska – Opening at Cor Mariae Shrine
On October 18, around 100 people gathered at the Cor Mariae Shrine in Crete, Nebraska, for a bilingual Mass celebrated by Father Dominic Winter. The celebration included:
- Presentations on the 111th anniversary of the founding of Schoenstatt and the gift of the covenant of love, with practical advice for daily life and the importance of the capital of grace.
- The opening of the Sisters’ Jubilee Year and the showing of their Jubilee trailer in English and Spanish.
- The announcement of the Holy Year gift: the plenary indulgence granted by the Holy Father for the shrines and house chapels under the care of the sisters.
- The presentation of the new crowning title of the Blessed Mother: Cor Familiae – Heart of the Family, with reflections on its meaning and the history of crownings in Nebraska.
The day concluded with an outdoor lunch under large tents and a Jubilee pilgrimage, where participants renewed the covenant of love and were sent forth on mission from the Cor Mariae Shrine. Each participant received a keychain with an MTA medal, reminding all of the motto: “Anchored in the Covenant – Queen of Hope, lead us.”
A Year Filled With Gratitude and Hope
From New York to Texas, from Wisconsin to Minnesota and Nebraska, the Schoenstatt Family has joined the Sisters of Mary in opening their 100th Jubilee Year with joy, gratitude, and renewed zeal. United with our MTA and inspired by our Father and Founder, we enter this year strengthened in hope and ready for all the graces that God has in store for us!