Some people’s lives become remarkable and significant when they leave a message of commitment and love for the mission. This is the case of the people we call “Schoenstatt Heroes.” They are personalities who inspire new generations to follow Christ, living in Covenant with Mary. Some of these personalities are recognized by the Church and bear titles such as “Blessed,” “Venerable,” or “Servant of God.” Others are popularly known within the Schoenstatt Work, internally, and all have the same characteristic: fidelity and enthusiasm in the life of the Covenant of Love. You will find articles about Schoenstatt heroes and news about their beatification processes on this page. But more than that, this page wants to be an inspiration for the emergence of new heroes worldwide.
The only priest who refused to swear allegiance to Adolf Hitler was a Pallottine and Schoenstatt priest: Franz Reinisch. He was executed for his fidelity to his conscience in the early morning of August 21, 1942. Since 1962, Schoenstatt men have gathered on the night of Franz Reinisch’s death near the place of his execution to retrace his life’s testimony.
This is what faith challenges us and enables us to do – The life testimony of Franz Reinisch, a torch of love and peace.
He is the only priest in history to be ordained in a concentration camp. But that’s not all, there are other interesting facts about the life of Blessed Karl Leisner.
Meditations on the value of the cross for a Christian. Father Kentenich said: “We must have the most heartfelt certainty that God has drawn up a plan, not only a plan for the world, but also a plan for my personal life. Who has conceived this plan? Not only God’s wisdom and omnipotence, but also his love.”
Father Kentenich said of Joseph Engling that he was the living Founding Document of Schoenstatt. He lived the Covenant of Love with Mary with heroism. The house where he was born and his school, located in Prosity, Poland, are historical places that we can visit and where one can even stay. A new edition of “Joseph Engling Info-Brief” is being published.
Sister M. Emilie had no fear of life or death. Many especially remember her radiant eyes.
Schoenstatt pilgrims gathered in the concentration camp of Dachau to pay tribute to the memory of Father Albert Eise, 80 years after his departure in this camp, and to present him as an example of an unconditional dedication to Christian values and to the mission of the Schoenstatt Movement.
The grandnephew of Father Franz Reinisch draws our attention to the importance of this priest who refused to swear an oath to Hitler, paying for such audacity with his beheading at the guillotine. Today, he says, Reinisch can be an example to follow for young people who seek to be consistent with their principles.
80 years after the execution of Father Franz Reinisch by the Nazis, his life testimony was celebrated in Schoenstatt on August 20th. He was the only priest who resisted taking the oath to Hitler. During the celebration, Reinisch’s struggle for his vocation and for making a decision according to his conscience was reflected.
This year (2022) we remember the anniversary of the death of Franz Reinisch 80 years ago. He was the only Catholic priest who refused to take the oath of loyalty to Hitler and was beheaded for this reason on August 21, 1942, in the Brandenburg-Görden penitentiary.
“Behold, I am with you every day,” even in Dachau’s concentration camp… How was the ministry and mission of the priests in a place of suffering, torture, sickness, tragedy, and death? Jesus was with them
What would Father Kentenich say to a sick person? How did he bring his charism to those suffering from illness? We will present some excerpts and messages from Fr. Kentenich to members of the Movement who were hospitalized or undergoing serious medical treatment.
A Place, a Movement, a Way of Life, a Mission
