Today, September 15, 2022, the liturgical calendar invites us to the Memorial of Our Lady of Sorrows. One day after the Feast of the Exaltation of the Cross, we also think of her who stood beneath the cross and in John received all of us as her spiritual children. Today, the Schoenstatt Family also commemorates the death of Father Joseph Kentenich (1885-1968), father and founder of the Schoenstatt Work. His life’s charism was to proclaim the two-in-oneness of Jesus and Mary which is especially prominent on Golgotha.
The process for the beatification and canonization of Father Kentenich was opened on February 10, 1975, in Trier, Germany. Of his published and unpublished writings (letters, notes of presentations, personal writings, etc.), which comprise almost 100,000 pages, about 32,000 documents, have been catalogued. Research was carried out in 111 ecclesiastical and civil archives in different countries. About 200 people who knew Fr. Kentenich personally and worked with him were heard as witnesses. His “call of holiness” is widespread. People from over 90 countries have so far contacted Father Kentenich’s secretariat in Germany. Almost two million answers to prayer are documented.
On May 3, 2022, the Bishop of Trier, Stephan Ackermann, in whose diocese Schoenstatt is located, issued a communiqué in which he announced that he was suspending the diocesan beatification process for Father Kentenich. The suspension of Father Kentenich’s beatification process does not mean that the case is closed and over. “Suspension” in this context means that the bishop and those who act responsibly on his behalf are not actively advancing the process at this time.
Therefore, on the part of the Schoenstatt Family, the “call of holiness” of Fr. Kentenich can be spread as usual. The Church’s judgment on the holiness of Fr. Kentenich should not be prejudged.
What can we do? The Father Kentenich secretariat recommends the following:
- Prayers for a favorable process
- Living the charismas of Father Kentenich and proclaiming them
- Passing on to others informative materials and prayer texts
- Reporting testimonies, answers to petitions and intentions to: JKSecretariat@schsrsmary.org
- Financial support through donations
Gratefully remembering you in the Confidentia Shrine,
Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary