Right here stands the Santuario Schoenstatt. It is more than just a chapel. It is a symbol of faith, struggle, and victory. The Santuario Schoenstatt’s story is deeply intertwined with the history of the Schoenstatt movement in Argentina.
The sisters in Argentina saw Father Kentenich’s time in Dachau as God’s profound mark on Schoenstatt. A deep bond grew between Father Kentenich and them. He gave up human ways to avoid the concentration camp. This allowed his spiritual children to gain the freedom of God’s children.
The first Santuario Schoenstatt in Argentina has words on its cornerstone. They ensure that the spirit of January 20, 1942 will live on in the Family. That same day, sisters in Schoenstatt, Germany learned of the founder’s separation by the Holy Office.
Father Kentenich blessed this Santuario del Padre on January 20, 1952. Now, Nuevo Schoenstatt in Florencio Varela is getting ready to celebrate its 70th anniversary. This Buenos Aires location is home to this national Schoenstatt shrine.
This Santuario del Padre wasn’t the first built like the original. It took time to be longed for. Father Kentenich consecrated it and blessed it with his tears.
January 20, 1942 is key to Schoenstatt’s history. It solidified the bond with its founder. His choice to avoid the concentration camp deepened it. Missionary sisters felt it when Father Kentenich visited after Dachau.
He arrived in Nueva Helvecia, Uruguay. It was the temporary headquarters for the sisters of Argentina-Uruguay. The Sisters of Mary first saw letters and secret texts from Father Kentenich’s time in Coblenz prison. The founder told of those months, leading to his January 20 decision. His visits from 1947 to 1952 added to this.
In 1943, while Father Kentenich was in Dachau, the first daughter shrine was built in Nueva Helvecia, Uruguay. On his first trip to South America, he liked the idea. He suggested it to other South American countries. Daughter shrines were built in Santa Maria, Brazil in 1948. Others followed in Santiago, Chile in 1949 and in Cathcart, South Africa.
Divine Providence made it hard to find the right place. This further showed the shared fate of the family and the founder. In May 1948, Father Kentenich asked them to find a spot for the shrine. It took three years and eight months to find and buy it. This was the same time he spent in prison and the concentration camp. The struggles to win the land were linked to his efforts. He wanted Schoenstatt’s charism understood as God’s gift to the Church and world.
He had booked a flight to bless the Santuario Schoenstatt on January 20, 1951. But it did not happen. On August 15, the sisters laid the cornerstone in Nuevo Schoenstatt. Mater ter Admirabilis finally settled in Argentina for the first time.
The founder promised to bless this Santuario Schoenstatt from anywhere in the world. Could he keep this promise while bound by decrees? Doubt clouded the joy of this reality.
The growing Schoenstatt Family helped build the Santuario Schoenstatt. January 20, 1952 became the ideal date for its blessing. But could Father Kentenich be there?
On January 11, 1952, a telegram arrived. It read: “Arriving Thursday at 8 am with SAS 923”.
Father Kentenich was coming to Argentina. But new rules forbade the sisters from speaking to him. It was a grave sin.
Father Josu00e9 Kentenich arrived at Ezeiza International Airport on Thursday, January 17, 1952. He said, “It is a miracle, a miracle of trust that I am here”.
On January 20, 1952, ten years after the second milestone, flowers decorated the altar. They formed a “v”, a symbol of victory. The Father knelt and traced a “v”. He showed he understood the message. Sister M. u00darsula prayed with tears. She asked how the Virgin could allow this suffering after waiting so long.
Father Kentenich turned. Tears ran down his face. He blessed them. It was all he could give. Then, he left the Santuario Schoenstatt. This Santuario Schoenstatt is a symbol in Schoenstatt’s history. Its struggles made it strong. It represents the shared destiny that binds its walls.