On May 18, we gathered at the
Founder Shrine in Madison,
Wisconsin, to offer a crown of flowers to our Queen of May!
Bishop Donald Hying (bishop of the Diocese of Madison) and Father Mark Niehaus (superior of the Schoenstatt Fathers in the USA) joined us as we prayed the rosary and brought all our petitions before Mary’s throne.
Together, we crowned her anew as
QUEEN OF FAMILIES.
“As we lift our prayers up to you, Mother and Queen, teach us to love and serve our family and all of our brothers and sisters in Christ… Teach us, O Queen, to put our charity into action so that there can be peace on earth in our homes, in our hearts so that you can be victorious from your shrine …”
(Crowning Prayer, May 18, 2023)
Following the rosary and crowning, we processed back to our house, where Bishop Hying and representatives of the Schoenstatt Movement spoke to us.
Among other things, the Bishop encouraged us to believe in Mary’s intercession and to honor her as our mother and queen. When our Lord was nailed to the cross, he had nothing, not even his own clothing. His mother was the only “possession” he had. And he gave her over to us! He gave us all he had, his most precious possession.
The moderator of the Schoenstatt Mothers Branch, Sr. M. Deanne Niehaus, spoke on the history of women in Schoenstatt.
Members of the Schoenstatt Mothers Branch, Michelle Amend and Ann Ayala, spoke about their ideal, their apostolate, and the influence Schoenstatt has had on their own lives.
Connie Mota, a Pilgrim Mother missionary, told about how our Mother Thrice Admirable’s image has visited the diocesan Hispanic families and how her presence has impacted many people’s lives, saving marriages and helping youth overcome despair, among other things.
The sharing was followed by fellowship and refreshments.