You called us from many nations and peoples; You’ve called us from all walks of life…

A Berlin Dream: God’s beautifully different people gathered in thanksgiving for 50 years of "All Saints"

Procesión de entrada Entrance procession Festlicher Einzug
Coro Choir Chor
Llamados de todas las naciones y culturas... Called from many peoples and nations... Aus allen Völkern und Sprachen gerufen
Encuentros Encounters Begegnungen
Una fiesta maravillosa... It was a beautiful feast Es war ein wunderbares Fest Fotos: POS Fischer © 2007 Album de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

GERMANY, mkf. A German, two Africans, three Filipinos, and two from Sri Lanka sat filling one pew at All Saint’s on June 3, Trinity Sunday, in Berlin. The diversity of God’s beautiful people, the true mirror of the Triune God, was celebrated. "Let us bring the gifts that differ and in splendid, varied ways, sing a new church into being, one in faith and love and praise," resounded from over 400 voices in the chapel filled to capacity on this the day of the celebration of the 50^th anniversary of its dedication. A young church in that rarely ever do you see so many children in a Sunday Mass in Germany! A colourful, vibrant church called from many nations and peoples from all walks of life – a truly catholic, universal church. It felt a bit like St. Peter’s in Rome, or like the Original Shrine in Schoenstatt in 2014. But this was Berlin, and this was hope and joy.

Berlin, Sunday, June 3, 9.30 AM. Bus 285 rumbled through the streets of Zehlendorf. It was fuller than usual - two German Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary, several African women in colorful dresses with babies on their back, a Filipino family, a group of Filipino youth, and a young man from Sri Lanka... at each stop more were boarding the bus. But this did not feel strange or even threatening, as so often described in gloomy articles on migration problems. They all left the bus at the same bus stop, heading towards the same place, a place that all of them not only call home, but also make a home for each other and for God in the middle of this big city of Berlin. How many words of the church crisis in Berlin have been said of a dying church and dwindling numbers of faithful, a lack of money, and closing churches…? How many gloomy comments concerning the almost "German-free" quarters like Kreuzberg, school violence, poverty, and the problem of migration have been made? On the eve of the G8 summit and hours before the protests in Rostock turned violent and bloody, there was an experience of the people of God united in singing and praying with joy on their faces, promise in their hearts, and at home in their – our - church. Did we believe that the Air Lift would save Berlin? Did we ever believe the Berlin wall would fall? Do we believe that we can "sing a new church into being, one in faith an praise"? In 1950, Father Kentenich wrote on the back of an MTA picture: She is the great missionary; she will work miracles – also in Berlin. A word that also seems to be written on the MTA picture that was enthroned some time ago, in the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament at All Saints. This new church of young people, babies, children, teens of all cultures, and nations sang and prayed and shared the joy in their faith…

Bring the hopes of every nation; bring the art of every race…

The festive Mass in commemoration of the 50^th anniversary of "All Saints" began with the presentation of the flag. Boy scouts carried the US flag and the flag of their group to the altar. This Chapel’s celebration has links back to its origins. "It is the "Fiftieth Anniversary of the Inauguration of the United States Military Chapel -- All Saints Catholic Community", Dr. Konrad Giersdorf, chairperson of All Saints Council, expressed in his speech. "In 1957, this American Community Chapel was built to be a "spiritual home" and ecumenical place of worship for the various religious denominations -- predominantly Roman Catholic, Protestant and Jewish -- serving in the United States Military." The beginning of busloads of US Military staff coming to Schoenstatt for retreats was here in Berlin. Konrad Giersdorf, of the Schoenstatt Movement, invited Sr. Jean Frisk and Sr. Jessica Swedzinsky to come to Berlin and serve the pastoral needs of the US military families. Many of those who spent time in Berlin brought the ideas of Schoenstatt and especially the MTA picture back home or to the places where they were assigned.

Several representatives of the US military came to celebrate this 50th anniversary with the All Saint’s Community, although with different faces but with the same spirit of providing a home away from home, a home in songs, of language, and a beautiful place of belonging as Fr. Dr. Herbert Gillessen, of the English speaking Roman Catholic Mission of the Archdiocese of Berlin, stated later in his sermon.

Holy Mass began with the Mass servers and priests: Father Dr. Herbert Gillessen, Fr. Klein S.J., along with several other priests serving in the English Mission in Berlin or in the military communities. A special joy was that Fr. Finlay, the first priest who served the community after the withdrawal of the US Military, came from New York to celebrate with "All Saints".

A devoted choir of Americans, Germans, and Filipinos accompanied by piano and flute, added to the festive, joyful atmosphere of the Holy Mass. The chapel had been beautifully decorated the day before with flowers sponsored by Rothe Gartenbau in nearby Clay Alley, Friends of All Saints. All Saints Catholic Community is based on the principle that the community takes on all responsibilities of running their community and supporting their celebrants – a model pretty well unknown in the German tax-supported church (but pretty well known in Schoenstatt and other Movements). Members of the community paint the buildings, repair the roof, teach German to those new to Berlin, clean, decorate, care…

During the offertory, non-perishable food was brought forward. All Saints supports the soup kitchen of the Sisters of Charity in Kreuzberg. Food is badly needed there.

In his sermon, Father Dr. Herbert Gillessen pointed out the characteristic of offering people a place of feeling at home. Built fifty years ago by people with a migrant background, people facing the challenges of a different language, the sometimes strange customs of a new country, and the difficulty of keeping contact with friends and family back home found it important to have "a place where you can feel at home, meet people with similar situations, and where your songs are sung". The name of this Chapel and Community, "All Saints", is appropriate: it is a place open to all, open to richness of variety, open to "all saints" of God’s people from Asia, Africa, Europe, Africa, Australia, the Americas…

At the end of the Mass, the Boy Scouts "46 Berlin", also celebrating their 50^th anniversary, renewed their commitment and a speech was made, then, it was time to prepare the chapel for the service of the Baptist community.

A time to share

The celebration continued in the Community Centre next to the chapel. The day before, the hall was prepared by several members of the Community. The Nigerian Embassy was left picture-less that weekend; they were placed in All Saints’ hall as well as big pictures from Sri Lanka and the Philippines. Posters on the walls gave a visual account of the history of the Chapel, but mostly they revealed the connections that exist in the letters and mail received for the 50^th Anniversary. This connection was displayed by country, together with photos: Singapore, Philippines, China, Sri Lanka, India, Canada, USA, Austria, Russia, Byelorussia, Chile, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Eritrea… Again and again, familiar names from the Schoenstatt Movement were among those who wrote, and: the MTA picture. The MTA picture was in chapels in Singapore, Jordan, Russia, India, and Sri Lanka. Those who leave from Berlin take an MTA picture home or bring MTA pictures to their new places of destiny. Some Filipinos spread hundreds of them in Jordan and demand even more. MTA pictures are in homes and chapels in countries that are still waiting for the Schoenstatt Movement to come in like Sri Lanka, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Ground is being prepared, graces given, hearts opening. A home away from home and the grace of having a home has been made a reality.

Food was prepared by Filipino families, Africans, families from Sri Lanka – beautifully displayed on long tables in the hall. In the background, the kitchen team excels cooking coffee, offering drinks, warming food, doing dishes. Outside in the garden, at the playground, in the entrance hall and the main hall, you see small groups chatting, laughing, and enjoying each other. Meeting and greeting, sharing memories, introducing new and old friends… A professor from Canada, embassy personnel from Nigeria, representatives of the military, priests from USA and Germany, Sr. Irmtraud from the Schoenstatt Center in Berlin, students, workers mix and share…

Classical songs from the Philippines, a German song from the seventies, a Filipino flute piece open the cultural program. A Filipino Dance group masterly performs a dance with burning candles, then a bamboo pole dance that puts feet (and nerves of the spectators) at risk, especially, as they invite some of the guests. How ever they do it – nobody is hurt and it is a big fun! Little girls from Sri Lanka, dressed in golden and yellow dresses, giggling shyly at the views of the many, perform a beautiful dance that brings Asian culture close. A group o girls and young woman follows with a professional performance of a Sri Lanka Elephant dance…

Music, laughter, sharing, joy make for a beautiful fest for all…

In love with Berlin

"Madison? A mail from Madison? This is where I was born!" a US-American says while reading the congratulation notes from Sister Jessica and the Gmeinder family. Madison is the cradle of Schoenstatt in the USA, he learns. The networking works…

"In love with Berlin" is the title of well-know German Telenovela. This celebration in All Saints leaves many of the guests "in love with Berlin". Berlin is full of Christians, full of Catholics with spiritual longing…Among Polish families; several Pilgrim MTA’s are circulating.

"With all the embassies in Berlin and the university, there are so many Africans in Berlin, one could set up a church just for them", one of the visitors said. "Imagine one or two Schoenstatt Fathers from Nigeria working in Berlin, in service of the Africans in Berlin!" someone ponders. "What a potential for the n this city…" – For the second time, a group a Chinese teachers and students, participating in an exchange program, will have their meals at the small Schoenstatt Center in Berlin Frohnau. The last group visited the Shrine, prayed, and took a number of MTA pictures back to China.

Some Filipino women hand out invitations to the "Asia Feast" next week. "Imagine, one or two Filipino Schoenstatt Sisters being there and making contacts..."Together for Berlin? Did we believe the wall would fall? Do we believe, that "she will work miracles, also in Berlin?" "The catholic migrants in Berlin can be become missionaries for the church in Germany, for Schoenstatt in Berlin..." She will work miracles, also in Berlin. Maybe she already had begun.

• Audio: Holy Mass and speeches
• Video 1
• Video 2