Communities

Stylised Tree What is Schoenstatt?
Schoenstatt is a movement within the Catholic Church. It is made up of ordinary people seeking to live their faith in the modern world. Like a tree with many branches it supports individual communities for families, priests, sisters, youth, lay men and women and many others. In all there are about 26 communities working together to build up the Church in our own times.

What does it do?
There is a strong educational dimension within Schoenstatt which seeks to help inform and support people to live their faith effectively where ever they are.


Within Scotland several of the Schoenstatt communities are present:

The Schoenstatt Sisters
In Scotland the first contact people have with Schoenstatt is often through the Sisters’ community who run the centre at Campsie Glen. As Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, called to be the soul of the Schoenstatt Movement, we see it as our special task and mission to embody the image of Mary and to offer our lives in selfless service for the fulfilment of her mission from Schoenstatt and our shrines. In this way we want to serve the Church in our founder’s spirit of faithfulness and love, and lead many souls homeward to God the Father.

Family Movement
It is the aim of the community to support couples in their marriage and Christian life and make it fruitful. Families are formed where children can grow to be free Christian personalities and families who can become an oasis for others, a spring of living water for their relatives and their neighbours. Marriage is a way to holiness, it is a sacrament, a realisation and school of Divine love.

Schoenstatt Priests
The founder Fr. Kentenich saw the critical importance of the diocesan priesthood because of their work and presence serving the people of God. He saw Our Lady as their model and guide who brought Christ into the world. In the present world climate priests often end up working alone so Fr. Kentenich sought to bring priests together supported by a shared spirituality in the covenant of love through the Schoenstatt shrine.