Our church musician Josef Laming came out on top in an exciting final (28.9.24) at the 8th International Daniel Herz Organ Competition in Brixen (South Tyrol).
The organists played anonymously and in random order. An international jury evaluated partly predetermined works and works chosen by the candidates themselves. Of the numerous applications submitted, 20 participants were admitted to the organ competition after an anonymous pre-selection by means of sound recordings. 15 organists from 10 nations took part in the competition on Saturday, September 21 and demonstrated their skills. After a first selection round on September 24 and 25, six participants made it to the final, which took place on Saturday, September 28 on the main organ in Brixen Cathedral. Three young talents prevailed in a resounding final: Josef Laming, (GB), Hanna Schulte, (DE) and Theresa Heidler (DE).
Listen to the prize concert from September 29, 2024 (RAI South Tyrol)
(music from minute 24:30)
“When we lose our love and respect for each other, we really die.”
(Maya Angelou)
Respectful or disrespectful?
Storytelling café in the monastery library with Kerstin Lau
Saturday, November 23, 2024, 3.30 – 5.00 pm
Admission free. Assembly from 15.15 at the monastery gate
Limited number of places. Please register by November 15, 2024:
sekretariat@kloster-mariastein.ch, Tel. 061 735 11 11
Contents
Respect is regarded as a key to humanity.
What role does respect play in everyday interaction?
How is respect expressed, including respect for nature?
Does respect have to be earned or is it due to everyone?
Are there limits to what you consider to be respectful?
We tell each other about our experiences with respectful and disrespectful behavior in the storytelling café. After a moderated part, you can continue to exchange ideas in an informal and relaxed atmosphere.
Volume four of the Mariasteiner Schriften series has been published with the title “Schön bist du, Maria”. The main part of the book contains two major articles: One by Father Lukas Schenker on the historical depictions of the image of Our Lady from around 1500 to the present day. The art historian and textile restorer Regula Schorta, director of the Abegg-Stiftung, Riggisberg, documents and describes the 33 garments of the image. Further articles present the crowns and the decoration of the miraculous image and introduce the special year 2026. It will then be 100 years since the monastery church of Mariastein was elevated to a papal basilica minor and the image of grace was crowned in the rock grotto.
The book will be presented on December 8 at 3.30 pm in the Esso Hall of the monastery. Ines Schaberger will talk about “Mary Magdalene and her (legendary) connection to pilgrimage”. The event is open to the public. Registration is necessary: sekretariat@kloster-mariastein.ch.
Image © Lorena La Spada for Fadegrad Podcast
Ines Schaberger (1993) studied religious education and theology in Vienna, Fribourg and Chur. Since her school days at Stiftsgymnasium Melk (Austria), she has felt connected to the Benedictine way of life “ora et labora et lege”. In 2022-2024 she spoke the ” Word for Sunday” on the SRF. Since August, she has been a pilgrim pastor for the city and region of St.Gallen.
The government of the canton of Solothurn honors Father Lukas Schenker as a historian with the 2024 Recognition Award for his contribution to the history of the canton. The bibliography of Dr. Lukas Schenker OSB, compiled in 2015 by the Solothurn Central Library, comprises several hundred works on 115 pages that he has written or co-authored as author, editor and co-editor. His most important works include the history of the beginnings of Beinwil Abbey around 1100, the exile period of the Mariastein convent 1875 – 1970 and the co-edition of the Ecumenical Church History of Switzerland, 1994/1998. He has published his works in particular in the journal “Die Glocken von Mariastein”, now “ZeitSchrift Mariastein”, in the Solothurn Yearbook of History, in the Journal of Swiss Church History and in Studien und Mitteilungen zur Geschichte des Benediktiner-Ordens und seiner Zweig. Our warmest congratulations.
Pater Lukas Schenker zum Anerkennungspreis: «Einer muss halt den Kopf hinhalten» – Bericht auf Kath.ch vom 1.10.2024
Invitation to meet Mary
2026 marks the centenary of two important events in the history of Mariastein Monastery: on August 15, 1926, the monastery church received the honorary title of papal basilica minor and the image of grace was solemnly crowned. 100 years later, the monastic community feels the need to look back on these events. Even more important than looking back is self-assurance: what does Mary mean to us today and how can we lead the pilgrimage site of Mariastein into the future?
“The crowning of a picture of Mary wants to point out in a simple, almost childlike gesture the supernatural truth of Mary’s unique distinction by the Most Holy Trinity. The remarkable painting by Torriani in the Basilica of Mariastein, “Coronation of Mary”, shows us in a vivid way the wonderful relationships of Mary to the individual persons of the Most Holy Trinity: the heavenly Father hands his beloved daughter the crown of glory, the divine Son holds the queen’s crown ready for the mother, and the Holy Spirit wants to adorn his purest bride with the blossoming wreath of his love.”
(Fr. Hieronymus Haas: 50 Jahre seit der Krönung des Gnadenbildes, in: Mariastein : Monatsblätter zur Vertiefung der Beziehungen zwischen Pilgern und Heiligtum, 53 (1976) Heft 5, Seite 120 [Link to the article on E-Periodica]).
The Benedictines have set up an organizing committee for the planning and implementation of events in 2026 under the title “Invited to Mary”. This includes Philipp Staub, from Kleinlützel, technical consultant and church volunteer; Kilian Karrer, Mariastein pilgrimage employee; Annette Jäggi from Basel, legal service of the BS regional church; Carole Imboden Deragisch from Riedholz, theologian and federal president of Jungwacht Blauring; Mariano Tschuor, Mariastein 2025 project manager and Father Ludwig Ziegerer, pilgrimage director. Mariano Tschuor is the project manager of the OC.
Construction work on the pilgrims’ car park has begun
On September 2nd, 2024, the Benedictines of Mariastein, along with monastery guests, the core team for the area design, and contractors from Ernst Frei AG Kaiseraugst—Oliver Felber, Petrit Muqai, and Patrick Winkler—marked the start of construction work with a small blessing ceremony.
As part of the Mariastein site development, the large parking lot at the entrance to the village is being redesigned in the first phase. Around 40 new parking spaces, additional green spaces and trees as well as discreet lighting will be created in the south. The pilgrims’ parking lot will be managed. The parking fee is Fr. 1.50/h (as is currently charged by the municipality of Metzerlen-Mariastein on Klosterplatz); Fr. 6 for a day ticket and Fr. 50 for a monthly rental. The parking spaces on Klosterplatz will be removed in the course of 2025. The new obstacle-free public transport stop “Mariastein-Kloster” at the Flüh- / Metzerlenstrasse junction will be in operation by the timetable change in mid-December 2024 – later also for articulated buses. The stop on Klosterplatz will be closed.
