The former Mariengarten Shrine
Ohio Schoenstatt - The Beginning
Downloadable PDF of Schoenstatt's beginnings in Ohio
Gordon and Carol Lis, members of the couples league of Schoenstatt in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, brought their home shrine entitled, “Jesus and Mary are the Pillars of the Church” to Sidney, Ohio, when they moved here in 1984. Ladies were visiting the Lis home and saw their Schoenstatt home shrine. The ladies wanted to learn more about Schoenstatt and the first Schoenstatt group was formed in Ohio.
The first Ohio covenant of love with our Blessed Mother was made on March 25, 1985. FatherJohn White sealed his covenant of love during holy Mass at Holy Angels Church in Sidney, Ohio. The first group covenant of love took place on May 24, 1986, in the "Two Pillars" home shrine in Sidney, Ohio.
Ohio Schoenstatt - The Growth
The first home shrine in Ohio was dedicated on May 6, 1988, and is entitled, "The Strength of the Holy Spirit". Ohio is blessed with approximately 483 home shrines.
Schoenstatt includes members from all areas of the state plus Corbin and Walton, Kentucky, and Weirton, West Virginia. The largest number of Schoenstatt members in Ohio reside in Auglaize, Darke, Mercer, Miami, and Shelby counties. From 1985, to the present time, approximately 1100 people have sealed their covenant of love with the Mother Thrice Admirable.
There are four larger outside wayside shrines in Ohio.They are located at St. Bernard's Church in Springfield, at the Maria Stein Spiritual Center in Maria Stein, St. Mary's Church in Greenville, and Transfiguration Spiritual Center in Ludlow Falls. There is one MTA Blessed Sacrament Chapel inside Transfiguration Spiritual Center in Ludlow Falls. There are approximately 157 garden wayside shrines and over 200 Pilgrim MTAs "on the move" in Ohio.
History of the Original Ohio Schoenstatt Mother Thrice Admirable Picture and Crown
This picture is not the same Schoenstatt Mother Thrice Admirable picture that the Ohio Schoenstatt family received in 2018 from the closed Schoenstatt Daughter Shrine in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and that is currently housed in the St. Philomena Chapel at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Anna, Ohio.
In 1988, the Ohio Schoenstatt family’s great desire for a Schoenstatt Daughter Shrine lead to a Schoenstatt Brother of Mary in Schoenstatt, Germany lovingly crafting the Ohio Schoenstatt Mother Thrice Admirable (MTA) picture and frame. The Ohio MTA picture spent time in the Original Schoenstatt Shrine in Germany and was laid on top of the tomb of Father Joseph Kentenich, father and founder of Schoenstatt. The Ohio MTA picture then went on pilgrimage to some of the Schoenstatt Daughter Shrines in Germany and Switzerland. On July 12, 1989, the Picture of Grace came to the USA with returning pilgrims and was taken to the International Schoenstatt Center in Waukesha ,WIsconsin. This occurred during the 75 th anniversary Jubilee Year of Schoenstatt (1914-1989). While at the International Center, the picture was placed in the Schoenstatt Daughter Shrine where it was blessed. Then on July 12, 1989 the Ohio Schoenstatt MTA picture came to Sidney, Ohio to the home of the Ohio founding couple Gordon and Carol Lis. Since that time the Ohio Daughter Shrine picture has been traveling to Covenant of Love ceremonies, Membership dedications, Catholic Churches, meetings, conferences, and the private homes of Schoenstatt members.
In the great Jubilee year of 2000, a crown for our Ohio MTA was fashioned and made in Sidney, Ohio. On August 6, 2000, our Ohio Mother Thrice Admirable was crowned Queen of the United States of America in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, DC.
Symbolism in the Ohio Crown:
Red Heart: the Heart of our Mother and Queen united with the heart of Christ and our heart
White Glass behind Heart: Holy Spirit
33 red stones at bottom edge: 33 years of Christ life on earth
Father’s Eye: the all watchful eye of our Heavenly Father and a symbol of Divine Providence, God’s merciful fatherly love
USA pin: United States of America , colors for 5 continents
3 Crystal Stars: Trinity, Mother Thrice Admirable, 3 Shrinegraces
7 stones within USA: 7 Sacraments
18 stones on the left side: our Covenant and with our MTA
18 stones on the right side: our MTA’s Covenant with us
2 clusters on either side: Archangels Michael and Gabriel.
14 stones ( 7 on each side of USA): Father Kentenich’s 14 years of exile in USA.
To bring the Ohio Schoenstatt Mother Thrice Admirable picture to your Catholic Church, Covenant of Love ceremony, Membership dedication, Schoenstatt meeting , etc. please contact your local Schoenstatt leader. Our Ohio Picture is meant to travel throughout our state and our Mother bring favors, gifts and graces.
Ohio Schoenstatt Home Shrine - The Dedication
The Ohio Schoenstatt family has been striving for many years, through offerings of prayer and sacrifices of love to Our Mother Thrice Admirable, Queen and Victress of Schoenstatt, for the blessing of a Schoenstatt daughter shrine in Ohio. The Ohio movement is working closely with the Schoenstatt Sisters and we continue to pray to our MTA and Father Joseph Kentenich, our founder, that our Ohio family will continue to grow in our spirituality and many more people will be drawn to become a part of our family. We pray many will say "yes" to our Mother Thrice Admirable when she invites them to learn more about the Schoenstatt way of life and also when she invites us to grow more deeply into this way of life.
Ohio has been blessed, our Ohio Schoenstatt home shrine was dedicated on September 15, 2018. The Ohio home shrine is one of the first steps in the process of building an Ohio Schoenstatt daughter shrine. The crowned MTA Picture, light frame, and St. Joseph stature in our Ohio home shrine all come from the closed Mariengarten Shrine of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Father Joseph Kentenich, our founder, blessed the MTA picture, crown, light frame, and St. Joseph statue. This makes them very special. All are invited to please visit the Ohio Schoenstatt home shrine in St.Philomena Chapel in Sacred Heart of Jesus Church 9733 State Route 119 W Anna OH 45302.
Striving to Build Our Daughter Shrine - Join us!
The Ohio Schoenstatt movement is striving to build the Ohio daughter shrine, both spiritually and financially. Please help to build the Ohio daughter shrine through offering your prayers and sacrifices of love to the capital of grace.