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Happening ... in the Local Church
Come
and share Schoenstatt's gracesBy Janine Reklaitis
Did you know that you can make a pilgrimage to a small but lovely wayside shrine just outside of Delphi? You can choose to drive right up to it. Or, you can walk and pray your rosary until you reach it along a scenic trail.
At the wayside shrine of Mary, Our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt, you’ll find several kneelers and benches. The small shrine is an inviting oasis for reflection and rest. Why go? It’s almost springtime and a time for exploring. “Schoenstatt” means a “beautiful place,” and refers to the beautiful Marian movement which originated in Germany during the first World War. Its founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, a teacher of young seminarians at that time, was inspired to call upon Our Blessed Mother to “settle” and make her home with the young boys. The movement quickly flourished and spread throughout various parts of Europe and South America. In the latter part of his life, Father Kentenich spent time in Milwaukee. This period proved fruitful for the movement to take root in the United States. We now have a local chapter, the non-profit Schoenstatt of Indiana, Inc. In time, in great hope and trust, we plan to build a replica or “daughter shrine.” Alongside this chapel, we also want to build a retreat center to be available for use by our diocesan parishioners and organizations.
So, come and see! Come and share the graces of this shrine. That’s the real and truly powerful secret. The Schoenstatt image of Mary, Mother Thrice Admirable, is a picture of grace. The graces that Mary wants to bestow on us are threefold: the grace of being at home, the grace of being transformed, and the grace of apostolic zeal. We believe that if we bring our offerings to her at this source of her graces, she will bless us in turn. One Schoenstatt motto that sums this beneficial transfer is: “Nothing without you, nothing without us.”
The shrine at Delphi is certainly worth the drive. It is no more than 15 miles from the juncture of I-65 and Indiana 25 North. As you approach Delphi on State Route 25 and turn north at its intersection with Routes 421/18/39, less than a half a mile up the road, there’s a tall billboard on your right with an enchanting picture. It’s Mary holding Baby Jesus. This marks the spot for parking and paying a visit to the shrine.
If you choose to proceed into Delphi, and turn north on Washington Street, driving past St. Joseph’s, past the bridge and railroad tracks, on your left there’s the parking lot for the Interpretive Center. To the left of this complex, you can walk a trail all the way to a marker indicating you should turn right and head for the shrine. The walk is about 10 to 15 minutes.
We invite you to take this walk along a portion of the canal trail to the wayside shrine. As always when we offer our heartfelt prayers, Our Blessed Mother and her Son offer us a channel of graces.
Janine Reklaitis is a parishioner of the Church of the Blessed Sacrament, West Lafayette.