Merville, the place where a hero gave himself totally

Impressions, memories, encounters: The memorial of a great Schoenstatt hero, Joseph Engling, has been rebuilt

Encuentro con jovenes de Francia Encounter with young people from France Begegnung mit französischen Jugendlichen Fotos: POS Fischer © 2007
El Padre Kentenich con José Engling Father Kentenich with Joseph Engling Pater Kentenich mit Josef Engling
Capilla conmemorativa en Merville Chapel in Merville Memorial in Merville
A las orillas del rio Lys At the shores of Lys Am Ufer der Alten Lys
Herr Hannappel Herr Hannappel Herr Hannappel Fotos: Aleida Montalvo © 2007 Albúm de fotos – photo album – Fotoalbum

FRANCE, Aleida Montalvo. It was a great privilege to go to France to the two places where our hero, Joseph Engling, was at two crucial moments: his total giving of self and his death.

It has been a great gift to be at the place where on May 31, 1918; Joseph Engling offered his life and mission to the Blessed Mother, in that same location, the curve of the Lys River. He wrote in his diary:

"Beloved little mother: Mother Thrice Admirable! Here I am again as an offering. I offer you all that I am and possess, my body and my soul with all their power, all my being and my goods, my freedom and my will. I want to belong totally to you. I am yours! Do with me as you wish. If it is your will, let me be an offering for the task you have given our Congregation. Full of humility, your unworthy servant, Joseph Engling" (Heroes of Fire Who Burned Until They Were Consumed". Father Jonathan Niehaus, p.285. Editorial Patris Argentina, 2007).

I had the great privilege of being one of the few youths and the only Mexican to take this trip along with 300 people on this pilgrimage. Joseph Engling is a very important hero for the Schoenstatt youth in my country: he is our role model. Father Kentenich described him as the "Founding Document embodied, and the pre-dating of Schoenstatt history. He is someone with who the youth can easily relate, as a teenager he struggled through the dangers and difficulties of being a soldier during World War I, with which, of course, he did not agree. Even throughout this incredibly stressful period, he painstakingly and faithfully kept his spiritual daily schedule, which contained many demands that he strived to master, which was very profound. We all can learn something from him: Joseph gave his entire life to the Blessed Mother and always trusted in Her completely. As a result of this, he attained an exemplary sanctity in a few years.

It was a wonderful opportunity to see so many people gathered with the same goal: to thank him for having given himself totally to the Movement and the Blessed Mother and as a community, to remember him. His memorial was practically in ruins and needed to be rebuilt. This was exactly what the Schoenstatt Family Federation did. In this way the people who pass through the small town, Merville, will be able to see that a hero, a saint passed through here, and how faith can truly move mountains.

"Herr Hannappel"

For many people, this name speaks for itself. "Herr Hannappel", as all the Mexican Schoenstatt Youth calls him. Mr. Paul Hannappel is a Brother of Mary who dedicated his life completely to Schoenstatt and to the life of Joseph Engling. He and other well-known people, such as Father Alex Menningen, looked for Engling’s remains for several years without success, but they did accomplish the creation of a vibrant connection between France and Germany, former enemies during the Great War, of Schoenstatt life. The fruitful outcome of these continuous trips resulted in the building of a Shrine in Cambrai, near the place where Engling died.

In Mexico, I had already heard about Mr. Hannappel, and I had also read some testimonies on the schoenstattyouth.com web page. So while I was introducing myself to several people, he ended up introducing himself to me, and when I heard his name, I could not believe it. There I was eating breakfast at the same table with him, such a simple and agreeable person. Because we did not speak the same language our communication was very basic, but he played with me by joking around with me when he passed me the bread. He seemed so happy and proud at seeing so many people during the pilgrimage. Seeing that Schoenstatters were concerned about having a memorial worthy, of such a hero. I had verified that "Cambrai is Mr. Hannappel" just as I had been informed.

United to the Blessed Mother

I heard some very interesting "Schoenstatt stories" while I was in Melville - something that is part of this special experience of family get-togethers in Schoenstatt. I met Mrs. Rosa María (from Chile), Mrs. Azucena (from Peru), and Mrs. Leonor (from Ecuador) all of whom are married to Germans. They told me how they had met their husbands, which was very interesting to me.

Rosa María met her husband right outside the Shrine at Munich. They began to talk and ended up by falling in love. Consequently, the Chilean never returned home. Today after about thirty years, the couple is still together, and they are leaders of the Family Federation in Germany. Azucena had been an Schoenstatt Youth leader from Peru when her husband Tobias went to Peru for a year to work with orphaned children. He was already in Schoenstatt. Then they met, decided to marry, and to live in Germany. The most impressive story was that of Mrs. Leonor. She was a volunteer at House Sonnenau, where she stayed for a year and a half. One day as she was praying in the Original Shrine a young man knelt to pray beside her. He told her that he would wait for her outside to talk. After communicating with gestures, he in German and she in Spanish, he accompanied her to Sonnenau –where she was staying- and when the Sister who was in charge asked who her companion was, she answered (in German): "Mein Freund" (which in German means my friend or boy friend). So Sister believed he was her boyfriend. After some confusion they continued conversing...well, eventually, they married at Mount Schoenstatt, and when she returned home to Ecuador, she already had a child in her arms.

An immediate response

The community of Merville was unaware that a person so loved by the Schoenstatt Family had been in their town. Upon seeing the group of Germans who arrived in town to work for several days rebuilding the small memorial, they began to ask, "Who was it for and why was it there?" During the pilgrimage, the life of Joseph English was the main topic, and after hearing about him they wanted to know more. As a result, there is now a group that has begun to meet to plan a pilgrimage to Schoenstatt, Germany, and in so doing learn about the force blazing in the Schoenstatt Family. It is impressive how the Blessed Mother works in people and touches hearts!

Translation: Celina Garza, Harlingen, TX, USA /amj