We will inflame the Faith – as witnesses of your love: 22 missionaries go forth for the first missions in Germany

mkf. “I only want to say a few things at this exciting moment. First: I love the missions. Second: The Blessed Mother loves the missions. Third: I wasn’t present here in our Original Shrine at the moment Father spoke the words of the Founding Document. But I can say: I was present at the moment of the sending forth of the missionaries for the first missions in Germany. This is a tremendous gift,” said Fr. José Melo. On the night of August 28th by candlelight and torches at the tombs of those who gave their lives for Schoenstatt, twenty-two young Germans along with three Sisters, a seminarian, and a Schoenstatt Father received their Pilgrim MTA’s and their crosses for their mission in the shadow of the Original Shrine and presence of the International Auxiliary that accompanied them. Immediately afterwards they left for Ginsheim, near Mainz, the place of the first missions in Germany.

It had all been planned: At eight o’clock that evening, they were going to gather at the Original Shrine at the time reserved for groups and communitites – for the missionary sending forth. Meanwhile, the first ones arrived; then they received the news: among the missionaries coming from Munich was one of the leaders of the mission and they were bogged down. It would be impossible for them to arrive before nine o’clock at night…The Shrine closes at nine…

What should be done? There was only one thing to do: We will wait at the Original Shrine…we will wait until everyone is present…and so they remained in front of the Shrine.

Two youth searched for the Auxiliary MTA- blessed by John Paull II at the World Youth Day in 1987 (when I was not yet born”, said Tobias), and they took Her to the Original Shrine; everyone placed their Pilgrim MTA’s and the missionaries crosses (a precious gift from the missionaries in Spain) on the altar. There were songs, silence, prayers…

A group from the Girls’ Youth from Wurzburg gathered, as well as the participants of a retreat for adults, several pilgrims…A few minutes after nine there was a noise-applause. Those who were missing arrived! “Now at last that we are all together we want to pray…” said one of the boys, amid smiles and overflowing emotion. Marianne entered the Original Shrine praying: “Blessed Mother, I am so happy that the doors of the Shrine are still opened, I pray that you open the doors of Ginsheim.”

Missionary spirit

Next, everyone took their Pilgrim MTA’s, crosses, guitars, tambourines, and the Auxiliary MTA, and they went to the tombs of the heroes. The youth from Wurzburg illuminated the stage with candles; it was like reliving the Night at the Shrine, but now with a missionary flavor. These first missions in Germany were born for life. Those who impelled the missions in Germany with all their youthful enthusiasm, are the young people who experienced the missions in Chile, in Argentina, in Mexico, in Spain, in Brazil…”We have to do it in Germany; we also have to make it possible for Germany to experience what we experienced in the missions,” said Marianne. “We want to be missionaries for Germany.” Their motto: We ignite the Faith anew – as witnesses of Your love.

They overcame many obstacles from “this does not work in Germany” to changing parishes just a few weeks before starting the missions, because they were not given permission to go on mission door to door. “This is the heart of the missions, and we will do it as they are, or we will quit,” was the decision. Within a short while another door opened…

Simple, heartfelt prayers, songs, testimonies, and finally the highlight: Father José Melo presented a mission cross to each missionary, and he gave them the Pilgrim MTA with the words that have been said thousands and thousands of times throughout the world: “She is the Great Missionary.” With a strong voice yet one broken with emotion, the youth responded: “She will work miracles.” Yes, She will work miracles in Ginsheim, in Germany, in Schoenstatt, and around the Original Shrine. “How exciting it is to present the missionary cross here in Germany to a German Sister of Mary,” said Father José Melo when he presented it to Sister Anastasia, the National Adviser.

Then with the Pilgrim MTA in their arms and the crosses around their necks, everyone went to renew their Covenant of Love at the Original Shrine that even though it was closed seemed more open than ever.

Father Penners gave the final blessing, there was one more song – and then they got into the cars that would take them to the site of the first missions in Germany… while trusting in all the world’s missionaries’ prayers.