SCHÖNSTATT, APOSTOLIC MOVEMENT OF. — The movement arose at the shrine of “Mater Ter Admirabilis” in S., diocese of Trier, through the initiative of Joseph Kentenich, during the war of 1914–18, for the formation of lay apostles and Catholic Action.
It has a distinctly Marian character and is directed by the Society of the Catholic Apostolate and by secular priests. It is also spread abroad, has a rich ascetical and pedagogical literature, and has made a valuable contribution to the Catholic revival in Germany.
In the feminine branch of the movement, the Marian Sisters work; they were founded in 1926 by Kentenich himself, and in 1948 were approved by the Holy See as a secular institute without vows. They are spread through central Europe, America, and South Africa, numbering 1,856 with 202 novices in 154 houses or stations.