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 Schoenstatt Sisters of Mary are establishing themselves once again next to the Unity Shrine in Cambrai, France. Sister M. Resia Käppeler and Sister Mirjam Metzler have been there since October 4, 2023.
Slowly and organically, the servant of God João Luis Pozzobon kept increasing his daily prayers. He eventually prayed 15 rosaries a day. He did this while walking with the Pilgrim Mother and also while doing his household chores. For example, he would put marks on the handle of his hoe to pray while weeding. According to him, when you love someone very much, you usually repeat their name. And John tried to say it as many times as he could: Ave Maria….
Gertraud von Bullion is an inspiration for today’s women, especially young women. This is the time of young women: to be a game-changer for something great that can change the world – like Mary.
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.
Both John Louis Pozzobon and Saint Juan Diego are humble, plain townspeople, God-fearing and devoted to Mary.
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.
A Place, a Movement, a Way of Life, a Mission
