History » 1934 - 1939 » 1939 Crowning the MTA
1939 – The Jubilee Crowning
and the Third Crown
For the 18 October 1939, the 25th anniversary of the shrine as the Blessed Mother’s place of grace at Schoenstatt, Fr Kentenich wrote “Words Befitting the Hour” in Switzerland and sent it to Schoenstatt. He looked back into the past to ssurvey the history of the Blessed Mother’s wonderful work and the co-operation of the people since then. At the same time he dared to take a look into the future that probably lay ahead. This document came to be called the “Second Founding Document”, although it would be necessary to add that it is the second founding document of “new Schoenstatt”. So, when speaking about the First Founding Document, we have to exclude that of the Convent of Schoenstatt in 1143. In the text of the Second Founding Document Fr Kentenich announced a crowning.
“So we are also ready to accept the cross and suffering for the Blessed Mother and her work, and even if necessary also death. As proof and expression of this attitude, and as a permanent memorial to all that our Mother and Queen has wrought in Schoenstatt until now, our Sisters of Mary will give our Mother Thrice Admirable a crown on 18 October (1939) on behalf of the whole Family.”
This crowning of the Blessed Mother, and the presentation of the crown, only took place on 10 December 1939. Later Fr Kentenich noted that the inner (and outward) involvement of the Schoenstatt Family in this crowning had not been very profound, and had essentially been borne by himself. So during and after the Second World War it needed to be deepened. This took place in the individual communities and forms part of the second major period of the shrine’s history and function.
