The Pilgrim Home Shrine is the late Gene Raulie’s home shrine in Austin-Cedar Park. Gene is remembered as the Schoenstatt pioneer in Austin. Together with his wife Marion, he was loyal to the Schoenstatt Movement all his life following a daily prayer schedule inspired by Father J. Kentenich whom he honored with all his heart.
For many years, Gene worked tirelessly to make Schoenstatt known in Austin by establishing several wayside shrines, bus trips to Lamar, and in 1976 he attended the first Men’s retreat there. Since then, he never missed the Men’s retreat which is held annually in early December. He made his Covenant of Love in 1980 and his Blank Check in 1997. In 1988, he became one of the first Rosary Campaign coordinators and brought the first traveling shrine to Austin. Gene received one of the first 3 Pilgrim Shrines that were made in Corpus Christi by Joe Rodriguez. Laredo and Corpus Christi received the other ones. He led several Rosary groups, provided numerous people with MTA pictures, held monthly 18th devotions at the wayside shrine at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Cedar Park, was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus, and organized the prison ministry taking the MTA to the local prison every month.
Gene’s home shrine was erected and blessed in 1983 and for many years, it became the place of prayer and devotion for him and his dear wife Marion. Eventually, the home shrine was moved to. one of the spare bedrooms after their 6 children, 5 boys, and 1 girl had grown up and left the home. His son David made the huge frame where the MTA picture resides and it served many people and friends as a place of grace and peace. Gene’s home shrine always radiated its mission ” Pilgrim Home Shrine” as it was often filled with prayer groups, friends, fresh flowers, and pictures of loved ones. Holy Family Catholic School in Cedar Park, TX received an MTA picture for each classroom so that the young students could look at the Blessed Mother during their daily prayers. Holy Family also enjoys a wayside shrine on their school premises that was dedicated by the late Father Jonathan Niehaus. Gene was a true servant of Mary and never stopped bringing Christ into the life of other people. He passed away unexpectedly and peacefully on May 28, 2021, at his home surrounded by friends and family close to his beloved home shrine.
