Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers

The Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers (ISch) is a Catholic religious institute founded by the German Pallottine priest Josef Kentenich, as a part of the Schoenstatt Movement.[1] It was canonically erected on 18 July 1965.[2][3] It is a secular institute of pontifical right.[4][5]

Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers
AbbreviationISch
NicknameSchoenstatt Fathers
FounderJosef Kentenich
Founded atSchönstatt (Vallendar), Germany
HeadquartersBerg Sion 1 - Vaterhaus, 56337 Simmern, Germany
Coordinates50°23′51.1362″N 7°39′9.7812″E
General Superior
Alexandre Awi Mello
Parent organization
Catholic Church
Websitehttp://www.schoenstatt-fathers.org

History

The Schoenstatt Movement arose at the beginning of the 20th century in the Pallottine Seminary in a place named Schönstatt (Vallendar). It initially consisted mainly of Pallottine students (seminarians). The Pallottine Fathers and the Schoenstatt Movement remained closely connected for almost 50 years. Pallottine Fathers held spiritual functions in the Schoenstatt Movement.[6] However, in the 1940s and 1950s tensions arose between Schoenstatt and the Pallottines, which finally led to the legal separation of the Schoenstatt Work from the Pallottines in 1964, as decided by Vatican authorities. As a result, the following year the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life established the Secular Institute of Schoenstatt Fathers for the priestly service of the Movement.

The Institute was international and multicultural from its beginning, as groups of former Pallottines from Latin America, the USA, Australia, South Africa and several European countries joined the newly founded community. Soon young men from different countries applied to be admitted to the Institute and began their formation in Münster, Germany in the late 1960s. In the 1990s, further formation houses were created in South America (Paraguay, Chile), India (Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu) and Africa (Burundi, Nigeria), as the number of vocations rose.[7]

When the Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary (de) moved their generalate to Mount Schoenstatt in Vallendar, Germany in 1967, the Schoenstatt Fathers took over their former house called "Haus Sonneck" as the seat of the generalate. In 1992 the Schoenstatt Fathers' generalate moved into the newly built house on Mount Sion(Vallendar, Germany).[8]

Spirituality

Schoenstatt Fathers live their priesthood in the spirit of the founder Josef Kentenich, who was himself a priest. The nucleus of their spirituality has two main aspects: a covenant of love with Mary, the mother of Christ,[9] and an ongoing search for the guidance of God in their lives ("practical faith in Divine Providence"). Furthermore, the founder has given the Schoenstatt Fathers a biblical image as their main source of identity: Mount Sion[10] ("It is thus the seat of the action of Yahweh in history."[11]), the place where the historical jewish main temple was built in Jerusalem, meaning that Schoenstatt Fathers aspire to be persons who help others to experience the presence and the action of God in their lives.

Organization

As of July 2022, the institute is divided into a total number of 12 provinces, regions and delegations. It has 444 members in 21 countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Costa Rica, Mexico,[12] United States,[13] Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Paraguay, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria and India.[14] Currently, there are 4 bishops, 377 priests, 2 deacons and 61 professed brothers (candidates for priesthood) in the institute. Additionally, there are 38 novices in the first stage of formation towards priesthood. Some of the most prominent members are the Chilean Cardinal emeritus Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa; Fr Alexandre Awi Mello, Secretary of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life[15] from 2017 to 2022 and advisor to the Pontifical Commission for Latin America;[16][17] the Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Encarnación, Paraguay, Francisco Javier Pistilli Scorzara, Bishop emeritus Manuel Vial, Fr Déogratias Maruhukiru,[18] the founder of Rapred-Girubuntu - African Network for Peace, Reconciliation and Sustainable Development[19] and the late Church History expert Fr Joachim Schmiedl.

Mission

The members of the Institute work to a large extent in pastoral functions in the various branches of the Schoenstatt Movement. Many are also active in parish ministry, in social projects, in school ministry or entrusted with other tasks by the local authorities of the Catholic Church. A few members live a contemplative life in community or as hermits.[20] Some notable projects started and supported by the Institute are the Mariya Arafasha Foundation in Burundi;[21] the María Ayuda Foundation in Chile;[22][23] Sunrise Children's Village in southern Tamil Nadu, India,[24][25] among others.

General superiors
Period in office Name
1965–1968Wilhelm Wissing
1968–1974Bodo Maria Erhard
1974–1991Francisco Javier Errázuriz Ossa
1991–2003Michael Johannes Marmann
2003–2015Heinrich Walter (Catholic priest) (de)
2015–2022Juan Pablo Catoggio
2022–2028Alexandre Awi Mello[26]

Abuse and prevention of abuse

Some members of this Institute have been accused of Catholic Church sex abuse cases in Chile and the USA. Some of these cases have been or are still under investigation.[27][28][29] In some countries, the Institute has made available the contact of people in charge of receiving reports about abusive behaviour by its members (Chile, Germany).

References
  1. Höfer, Josef and Rahner, Karl (1986). Lexikon für Theologie und Kirche, vol. 9 (2nd ed.). Freiburg im Breisgau: Verlag Herder. pp. 457–458. ISBN 3-451-20756-7.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Annuario Pontificio 2021 (in Italian). Città del Vaticano: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. 2021. p. 1405. ISBN 978-88-266-0599-9.
  3. Cheney, David M. "Institute of Schönstatt Fathers". Catholic Hierarchy. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  4. Jiménez Mejía, Luís Arturo (2003). "El movimiento y el santuario de Schoenstatt. Una nueva oferta religiosa al interior del catolicismo mexicano. Algunas pistas para su estudio" (PDF). Graffylia. Revista de la Facultad de Filosofía y Letras de la Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla. Año 1 (Número 2): 93–101.
  5. Croell, Benedict (2019). A Living Sacrifice. Valdosta, Georgia: Vianney Vocations. p. 197. ISBN 978-0-9896212-9-8.
  6. Sánchez Gaete, Marcial (2017). Historia de la Iglesia en Chile, vol. 5. Santiago de Chile: Editorial Universitaria. pp. 476–479. ISBN 978-956-11-2543-8.
  7. "Brief History". Schoenstatt Fathers. 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  8. Schmiedl, Joachim. "Schönstatt, Ort". JKI - Schönstatt-Lexikon. JKI Josef-Kentenich-Institut. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  9. Niehaus, Jonathan (2003). "The Marian Dimension of Christian Spirituality, III. The 19th and 20th Centuries. Aspects of Schoenstatt's Marian Spirituality. Marian Studies, vol. 54". Marian Studies. Mariological Society of America. 54 (1): 88–101.
  10. "Our source of spiritual life: Mount Sion". Schoenstatt Fathers. 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  11. Encyclopaedia Britannica (July 18, 2022). "Zion (hill, Jerusalem)". Encyclopaedia Britannica.
  12. "Vida Consagrada". Arquidiócesis de Monterrey. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  13. Kenedy, P.J. (2020). The Official Catholic Directory 2020. United States. p. 859.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. "Where we are". Schoenstatt Fathers. 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  15. Radio Vaticana (31 May 2017). "Nominati segretario Dicastero Laici e Famiglia e presidente Accademia Mariana". Radio Vaticana. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  16. Zenit Staff (13 November 2020). "Pope Appoints Advisor to Pontifical Commission for Latin America". Zenit - The World seen from Rome. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  17. Awi Mello, Alexandre (2018). Maria-Iglesia: Madre del Pueblo Misionero - Papa Francisco y la piedad popular mariana en el contexto teologico-pastoral latino-americano (Mary-Church: Mother of the Missionary People – Pope Francis and popular Marian piety) (Thesis) (in Spanish). Dayton: Doctoral dissertation, University of Dayton.
  18. "Maruhukiru Déogratias". Academia. 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  19. "Afrikanisches Netzwerk für Frieden, Versöhnung und nachhaltige Entwicklung". Rapred-Girubuntu. 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  20. "Working anywhere, out of the Covenant of Love". Schoenstatt Fathers. 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  21. "Mariya Arafasha Foundation". Peace Insight. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  22. "Protejamos la infancia para un mejor futuro". María Ayuda. 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  23. "UCN apoyará a menores en riesgo social de Corporación María Ayuda en Antofagasta". Noticias UCN al día. 2 May 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  24. "Sunrise Children's Village". The Schoenstatt Fathers Mother Thrice Admirable (MTA) Region - India. 2018. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  25. "Unterstützung im Englischunterricht und Freizeitbetreuung in einem Kinderdorf in Südindien". Sofia - Soziale Friedensdienste im Ausland. 2022. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
  26. "Brasilianer neuer Generaloberer der Schönstatt-Patres". Vatican News. 21 August 2022. Retrieved 21 August 2022.
  27. Carmona López, Alejandra (10 October 2018). "La noche también cae sobre Schoenstatt tras acusaciones de abuso sexual y protección". El Mostrador. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  28. Winkle, Kate (19 August 2020). "3 women settle lawsuit against Austin Catholic priest accused of abuse". KXAN News (Austin, Texas NBC affiliate). Retrieved 24 July 2021.
  29. Varela, Lionel (13 August 2020). "Acusado de cinco abusos en Chile y Alemania. Sin enfrentar a la justicia, muere el exarzobispo Francisco José Cox". Diario El Día. Retrieved 24 July 2021.
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