Who will help to pray? Healing through the intercession of Joseph Engling

Victoria*, a German student, has a special connection to Joseph Engling. She tells the readers of schoenstatt.org how this happened and what she wants to achieve for Joseph Engling •

Dear brothers and sisters in the covenant of love,

I am Victoria, live in Germany, and am studying history and Catholic theology. From birth I have been spastic. Since 2006 I have been asking Joseph Engling, one of the best-known Schoenstatters of the Founding Generation, to intercede for my healing, but so far without success. I am sure it is not because he can’t or doesn’t want to, but because he has not yet receive permission form above to use Jesus’ healing power.

I ask myself why this is so. In the past Jesus reacted immediately when he was asked for a miracle, and also his disciples, who were sent out to heal the sick, did not have to wait for years to answer the requests of those who turned to them for help.

Now, in my case there is probably more than one reason why Joseph has not yet been allowed to act. One thing is certain, and that is why I am writing this article, my brothers and sisters in the covenant of love: The faith in Germany and in many countries in Europe is weak. Very weak. You won’t find many people here who could imagine that God could heal me. You will find many who read successful academic books on the subject of how the Bible came to be, how it can be correctly interpreted, and according to which criteria people can know which sayings in the Gospels really come from Jesus. There are also events that were inserted for symbolic reasons in order to explain truths. The marriage at Cana, which we all know well, is one of these.

A God who acts very concretely

Yet here in Germany, when someone comes along and says, “I believe he can heal me!” they will be met with annoyed looks. A God who can respond to human beings in such practical ways, and who acts concretely, is seen as creepy by many in this country. It can even happen that people who have studied theology consider this faith as unrealizable, and try to argue you out of it. Or they relativize it somewhat, because the think that this is the only way they can explain Jesus’ miracles to healthy people who don’t need healing. If a paralyzed person in Germany wanted to be brought to Jesus in order to be healed, it wouldn’t be surprising if he didn’t find enough men to carry his stretcher.

 A green light for Joseph Engling

 In my case it is fortunately not so bad. There are people who pray with me. But it could be that we aren’t able to lend enough weight to this petition because there aren’t enough of us.

That is why I am asking you all over the world, who dare to think God capable of healing someone: Please help us! Joseph Engling really deserves to be beatified! This country where Schoenstatt originated needs visible proof that there is a God who can act extremely concretely!

For me life would be significantly more simple if I didn’t have to depend on support and accompaniment. Here in Germany it isn’t possible for the extended family to do this. My brother is living too far away, my parents are getting older, and our relatives are also either no longer young, or they live too far away. I have to pay the people who help me to cope with everyday life. I have to pay for my medication. The German social system only partially carries these costs. I can only study slowly, because I am paralysed. I cannot do as much work as the other healthy students. I can’t do as much for Schoenstatt and other people as I would like to, because my body prevents it. If Joseph Engling were to be given the go ahead from above, all these worries and problems would be sorted out.

A family through prayer

So if any of you would like to join us in prayer, please do so. If you would like to let us know, or if you want to get to know me, please contact the Joseph Engling Secretariat at englingsekretariat@schoenstatt.net. This is where the answers to prayer for Joseph’s intercession are collected, journeys organised and publications about Joseph Engling distributed. I would love to hear from you!

And if someone else would like to be healed either through Joseph Engling’s intercession, or one of the other Schoenstatters, please write to the corresponding contact address provided below. We are one family and we help one another with our prayers!

Viva Schoestatt, viva Joseph,

Victoria

Father Joseph  Kentenich: sekretariat@pater-kentenich.org
Joseph Engling: engling-sekretariat@schoenstatt.net    
Mario Hiriart: mario.sekretariat@schoenstatt.net  
Gertraud von Bullion: gertraud-von-bullion@s-fb.org
Sister Emilie Engel:  info@sms-ppr.de
Father Franz Reinisch: sekretariat@franzreinisch.de
João Pozzobon: sionmari@terra.com.br     

Original: German. Translation: Mary Cole, Manchester, England