Schoenstatters are ‘little Mary’s’ in the midst of the world. Through their commitment to their ‘Covenant of Love’ with the Blessed Mother, they actively aspire to holiness through spiritual smallness, Childlike joy and trust and everyday sanctity. Schoenstatt’s mission is to build a ‘New Community’ of these ‘Marian Christians’ to passionately renew the church from the bottom up.
In Schoenstatt, we recognize the church’s teaching that the family is the natural design of God to make his Love known in a real and practical way to humanity. If we seek to strengthen and renew the church, we must necessarily strengthen and renew the families which form her. As such, a great emphasis is placed in Schoenstatt on the formation of holy families… in particular on the formation of holy dads. The role of the fathers in their domestic churches is profound and has lifelong implications on their children’s view of Fatherly Love. As such, we seek to inspire fathers to radiate God’s love to their families (through the practice of the Schoenstatt spirituality). Crafting this image of the Loving Father for their children, is the ideal method for children to grow comfortable with our Loving Father in heaven and is a mission that husband and wife (equally yoked in the call to spiritual smallness and self-less giving) should actively collaborate on in the great mission of the domestic church. In Schoenstatt we aspire to strengthen and renew the church of tomorrow, by strengthening and renewing the families of today.
Beyond just families, there is a place in Schoenstatt for everyone. With branches to serve religious, mothers, professional women, fathers, college-aged and children, there is a dedicated space in Schoenstatt for everyone (no matter there place in life). All members of Schoenstatt are united through the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother and the daily work of growing in the Schoenstatt Spirituality. Formation is accomplished through small groups (Schoenstatt has a heavy focus on growing in community with others) and through lectures and retreats at parishes and beyond.