The Feast of Corpus Christ 2025

on Mount Schoenstatt, Germany

The motto for this year’s Corpus Christi procession was chosen to correspond to the motto for the Holy Year: “With Christ, Pilgrims of Hope.” As special “pilgrims,” many sisters and a large number of volunteers were out and about after Corpus Christi Day itself, enjoying the sunshine and bright blue skies as they prepared the flower carpets on Mount Schoenstatt.

Pilgrims and interested visitors from near and far also gathered on Saturday afternoon to enjoy the carpets being created and the cheerful atmosphere.

To the festive sound of bells, many of the faithful flocked to the Adoration Church on Sunday morning. They came from near and far and from various countries, among them, two large groups of pilgrims from France and Croatia. The priests, too, represented several continents

Life in Fullness

In his sermon, the main celebrant, Father Theo Breitinger, invited us to walk our path in life in the power of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus himself is the Bread of Life. God knows what we need and gives us what we need in every situation: life in fullness, eternal life. Especially in uncertain times like ours, we need this assurance. Three examples from life illustrated the strength that Christ in the Holy Eucharist provides: a priest in a concentration camp, Mother Teresa and her sisters, and St. Nicolaus of Flue.

We, too, are invited to the table of the Lord. The encounter with Christ, the Bread of Life, gives us life in fullness, eternal life. Whoever lives out of this assurance, lives differently and has hope that does not die—hope that radiates and inspires others. In this way, we can venture out onto the streets of life, traveling with Christ as pilgrims of hope, as a living monstrance, on our way to the people.

With the choir “Stimmvoll,” Sister M. Tabea Platzer provided musical accompaniment for the festive Holy Mass. Following this, the Niederwerth 1922 Music Association was ready to accompany the singing during the procession with brass band music.

On the Road with Many People

A large group of children had a special place in the procession; this time, there were also numerous altar servers who normally serve in the pilgrimage church.

The flags of nations reminded us that we are an international group of pilgrims and people who represent others in many countries. This internationality was expressed in numerous prayers and songs in various languages. “My experience is this: I am not in a small place in Germany, I am here in the middle of the world, united in faith with many nations,” said one pilgrim.

We prayed for a special intention at each altar: for the Church, for families, for youth, and for children. Four children were dressed in the colors of the pilgrims of hope on the Holy Year logo and carried the cross with an anchor so that we saw the logo not only on a flower carpet but also live in front of us. In contributions and petitions, the concerns of people worldwide were taken up and brought before Christ in our midst in the monstrance.

Holy God, We Praise Your Name!

 The grand finale consisted of the solemn “Te Deum” performed together with the brass band.  A pilgrim from South America said that this moment touched him deeply.

 Something for Everyone

 Like always, there were numerous offerings in the afternoon of Corpus Christ Sunday: a meditation in the Schoenstatt Shrine, a devotion in the House Chapel of the Training center, the opportunity for confession, worship songs sung in the church by the novices of our community. The Father Kentenich House offered a program called “Father Kentenich – Pilgrim of Hope.”

Refreshments were available in and around Café Plus, as well as in the Pilgrim House.

Again and again the visitors expressed their joy and gratitude for the experience of this day.

It was simply “magnifique,”

as the French pilgrims enthusiastically assured us.

Some Impressions in Photos

Photos: Sister M. Maritta Zell, Sister Francine-Marie Cooper

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