A Marian Spirituality

Our way of holiness is a Marian way. A Marian spirit marks all aspects of our life – our prayer, our work, our living together. In this Marian atmosphere, each sister strives to form a deep, childlike relationship to Mary as our Mother, Queen, and Victress.

Schoenstatt’s spirituality has three main elements which give life and direction to our Marian striving for holiness:

The Covenant of Love

Schoenstatt’s covenant of love is the foundation for our relationship with Mary. When we enter into the covenant of love with the Blessed Mother, it’s not just a one-time act, but something which we renew daily. It gives us strength and grace for the challenges and adventures of everyday life.

Instrumentality

When God wants to perform his works in the world and in souls, he often doesn’t act directly, but chooses human instruments to carry out the work on his behalf.

“For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47)

Schoenstatt’s instrument spirituality is a natural consequence of the covenant of love with the Blessed Mother. Placing our hearts completely at her disposal means allowing ourselves to be used as her instruments. It means remaining ready and available for the wishes of our Queen. She needs our hands and hearts in order to reach many people and lead them in Christ to the heavenly Father.

Everyday Sanctity

Holiness is not something reserved for a select few, nor is it something abstract and disconnected with life. Rather, the Church teaches that each one of us is called to be a saint according to our personal, God-given mission, and in the circumstances in which God places us. Striving for this everyday sanctity means doing the ordinary things of life extraordinarily well and with deep love. Mary, in her oneness with God’s will, is our model and teacher of everyday sanctity.

The covenant of love is an exchange of hearts with the Blessed Mother. We place our hearts – the symbol of our entire personality – completely at her disposal. She, in turn, places her motherly heart – a heart full of grace – completely at our disposal. As our motherly educator, she molds our hearts into likenesses of her own. She helps us to reflect her fine, noble, womanly features to those around us.

The covenant of love with her strengthens and deepens our fundamental covenant relationship with God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.