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Maria Hölscher, 10 de agosto de 2005, con chicas de Alemania, después de la Alianza por la juventud del mundo Maria Hölscher, August 10, 2005, with girls from Northern Germany after the Covenant of Love for the youth of the world Maria Hölscher, 10. August 2005, mit Jugendlichen aus den norddeutschen Diözesen, nach dem Liebesbündnis für die Jugend der Welt |
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Maria Hölscher Maria Hölscher Maria Hölscher |
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Maria en el Santuario Original, Alianza de Amor Maria at the Original Shrine, Covenant of Love Bei ihrem Liebesbündnis im Urheiligtum |
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Despues de su Alianza de Amor After her Covenant of Love Nach ihrem Liebesbündnis |
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La Alianza fue muy importante para ella This Covenant was very important for her Das Liebesbündnis war ihr sehr wichtig. Fotos: Schönstatt-Mädchenjugend Köln © 2006 |
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Misa de difuntos, para Maria Hölscher Funeral of Maria Hölscher Bei der Beerdigung von Maria Hölscher Fotos: Schönstatt-Mädchenjugend Köln © 2006 |
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GERMANY, mar. This Easter Season has taken on a very different character for many of the Schoenstatt Girls Youth in Germany, as they mourn the tragic death of Maria Hoelscher, 17, of the Girls Youth of Cologne. In a photo from the Youth Festival, which shows some of the Northern German Girls Youth standing on the stage in front of the glass Shrine, Maria is up in front, with a bright smile on her face. She was so happy to have the chance to be there as the Schoenstatt Youth sealed the Covenant of Love for the youth of the world on August 10, 2005. She was also able to be at World Youth Day for a few days afterward, before flying to the USA to study for a year as an exchange student. Several of her friends regularly received emails from her from the USA, and she told them about her experiences there. On March 21, 2006, she wrote, "Somebody has to say hi to Schoenstatt and the Blessed Mother for me!"
On the morning of Palm Sunday, April 9, she was on the way to an academic event with four other young people from the Rehoboth Christian School, her school in New Mexico. A heavy gust of wind hit the car on the road between Gallup and Santa Fe, and Maria was thrown out of the car. She died immediately from severe head injuries. The other young people were brought to the hospital severely injured.
This sad news soon reached some of the youth in Sonnenau, in Schoenstatt, where 67 girls were taking part in the Grund- und Baukurs. Many of them knew Maria well. They reacted to the news with great sorrow, with many questions. It was truly a blessing that they were all together, so that they could talk together, and that they were all together in Schoenstatt, where they could unite in prayer for Maria and her family. And it happened that this news came on April 10, the day before 17 girls were to make their Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine. The tragedy brought a new view of the Covenant they were about to enter.
"Missing Maria"
A year before, Maria had been at the Baukurs in Sonnenau. At that time she had expressed her great longing to make her Covenant of Love before going to the USA. She said that then she wouldn't be alone, that the Blessed Mother would be with her. On March 23, 2005, she made her Covenant of Love in the Original Shrine. Here is a quote from her personal Consecration Prayer: "So I ask you, lead me on my way and teach me how to 'draw' people along with me. Amen." And in a testimony her host family recounts, "She was on Cloud Nine when she got here, full of experiences from World Youth Day in Cologne and the meeting with Pope Benedict." In the USA, the local newspaper printed an article titled "Missing Maria", about the school's memorial service. We miss Maria.
On Good Friday, Maria's coffin returned to Germany. And in the casket, she carried her Covenant Medal with her.
One of us.
On April 19, on the anniversary of her First Communion, Maria was buried in Odendorf. Many young people, friends, and acquaintances from far and near had come to be with her family, as they said goodbye to Maria. After Holy Communion, the Girls Youth sang the song "Du hast ganz leis mich beim Namen genannt" - "you have so gently called me by name". They brought a colorful bouquet to Maria's casket, and gave thanks for the many experiences they'd shared with her. Among the prayers was that of the diocesan leader of the Girls' Youth of Cologne: "Good Father, I thank you for my last meeting with Maria, during World Youth Day in Cologne. On the 18th of August, in the human chain that linked the Shrine of Cologne with the Cathedral (Kölner Dom), we renewed our Covenant of Love with the youth of the whole world. You and me for them."
Then all who were in the church were invited, with the young people and with Maria, to renew the Covenant of Love. What a beautiful moment, in view of Maria's coffin and a Pilgrim Mother standing watch nearby, as they prayed the little consecration together.
Indeed, she has drawn many along with her.
[The school's obituary for Maria can be found at www.rcsnm.org.]
Translation: Andrew Arriage, Austin, TX, USA