GERMANY, fma. Pope Benedict XVI ‘s visit to Germany was the main subject of all the media. Vatican Radio, Zenit, the official information service of the Vatican and innumerable ecclesial and secular media gave detailed reports. The official site of the German Episcopal Conference published up to the minute reports, photos, videos, live transmissions, and the original texts of all the papal speeches in several languages of the papal visit. Therefore these are only a couple of flashes from the Schoenstatt perspective compiled from media reports and from testimonies.
The Pope’s apple
Badische Zeitung and kath.net, among others, reported about the “Pope’s apple” from Oberkirch: “Pope Benedict XVI spent the few free hours of his visit to Freiburg at the Borromean Seminary. If he needed a vitamin shock after the strenuous schedule he had, he could be very happy with a very special apple. In the seminary’s fruit shop, there are golden apples from Oberkirch decorated with the silhouette of the Pope. On Saturday afternoon, those who walked through the Cathedral Square also enjoyed the delicious treat. The Schoenstatt youth distributed 1,200 red and golden apples in front of the Freiburg Cathedral with a petition for a donation.” In the same article, it stated that it was Georg Zimmerer’s idea; he is a seminarian of the Diocesan Schoenstatt Fathers.
The report can also be found on the official page of the papal visit to Germany.
Torch race to Freiburg
Eighty youth from the parishes of the Steinachtal region and its surrounding areas held a torch race to Freiburg in two stages. This was not merely a copy of the torch race between Schoenstatt and Rome in 2009, but as the newspaper Neckar-Chronik“ – Südwestpresse stated: “The fire that arrived here in the torches was lighted in the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt. The torches had already been in Rome, (highway from Koblenz to Rome) at WYD in Madrid, and now in Freiburg. Consequently the Pope is going to recognize the torches.”
Speaking of Freiburg: The German Schoenstatt Youth conducted the third missions in Endingen, near Freiburg, and on Saturday, September 24th, they were completely beneath the sign of the papal visit.
Papal flag in Erp
“Saint Pantaleón Parish, of Erfstad, Erp hoisted a large poster with the papal coat of arms and the pope’s name on the occasion of the Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to Germany. It was the initiative of the Pastor, Father Willi Josef Platz, a Schoenstatt Father. “For two weeks during all the Holy Masses, Father Platz prayed for the Pope’s intentions and for the success of his trip,” the report continued.
The surprise in Berlin
But the great surprise was in Berlin during the Holy Mass in the Olympic Stadium. The representatives of the foreign missions in the city prayed the prayer of the faithful. Almost 20% of the Catholics in Berlin are not German. The Schoenstatt MTA is in the All Saints Catholic Community of Berlin Zehlendorf working silently and strongly in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament and through the witness of the Schoenstatters. And even when the conclusion of this idea had not happened, Konrad Giersdorf, a Schoenstatter, who is lay person in charge of this parish, appeared to pray one of the petitions. A small gesture and a great sign for the small English speaking Schoenstatt Family that resides in Berlin…
Also in Erfurt and Freiburg
Then in Erfurt ad in Freiburg, the very large Schoenstatt presence waved their little flags. Radio Kirchenrdio Munich interviewed Father Stefan Strecker, who brought three hundred Schoenstatt youth, who had traveled to Freiburg. During the Freiburg vigil, there was a large picture of the Blessed Mother in the background; a Schoenstatt girl gave a testimony about Mary; Pilgrim MTAs were always seen in between…And, the Covenant of Love in the midst of the Church is more than a representation.
Celina M. Garza: Spanish/English translation – Melissa Peña-Janknegt: English edit
