On March 28, 2026, the day before Palm Sunday, a group of young adults, families, and other committed individuals set out from the Original Schoenstatt Shrine in Vallendar for Zülpich, near Cologne. Under the motto “Missions: Living the Faith,” they actively participate in Holy Week and consciously seek encounters with people: in liturgical celebrations, in prayer, and in the community’s daily life.

Sending forth with a sense of mission and trust

The start at the Original Shrine is marked by the sending forth. In front of the altar, mission crosses for all participants are set out, signifying that “they are not going on their own, but with Christ and for Christ.” In a simple celebration, the mission is reaffirmed with Jesus’ words: “Go; I am sending you…” (Lk 10:3). The images of the Pilgrim Mother make it clear that the Schoenstatt group wishes to undertake this apostolic project accompanied by Mary, the Mother of Jesus.

For those present, a word from Father Joseph Kentenich is particularly meaningful: “Let’s try it once with the Blessed Mother. She is, after all, the great missionary. […] The impossible becomes possible.”

Unexpectedly, at the end of the sending-forth celebration, the group received a blessing from Auxiliary Bishop Dominikus Schwaderlapp, who was visiting the Original Shrine.

Between skepticism and longing

The mission week in Füssenich begins with the Palm Sunday Mass. The parish priest, Fr. Guido Zimmermann, emphasizes during Mass: “The message of Easter […] is the most important in the world. I am very grateful that this week we have a group as our guests who help us bring this message to the people.” This mission to convey the message will shape the coming days.

During the meetings, a complex picture emerges in which statements like “I am a deeply believing atheist!” or “I am happy without God” contrast with an often palpable longing for closeness and meaning. It quickly becomes clear how much loneliness and helplessness lie behind many doors. Some express gratitude that someone reaches out to them, shows interest, and listens. It is precisely at the doorsteps of homes and on the street that conversations arise that are moving and touch the deepest parts of the soul.

Encounters that last

One of these encounters left a particularly deep impression on the mission group: a man shared his journey through alcohol addiction. A journey that ultimately led him to become an addiction counselor. He speaks of his faith, which “has always given him so much support through all of life’s ups and downs.” He also describes his marriage as grounded in this faith: “When someone is simply there for you in a moment like that and supports you, then nothing can separate us.”

A 12-year-old participant sums up the impact of these conversations: “It’s great when people share their experiences with faith because that awakens everything inside you.”

In fact, the man met the group again later and shared how deeply the conversation had moved him.

Faith in the community celebration

In addition to personal encounters, the mission group also helps organize some parish activities: every morning, before the communal breakfast, a couple from the group leads a reflection. These reflections are very spiritual and concise, and they accompany everyone each morning.

The daily vespers and the Holy Thursday vigil, organized by the mission group in collaboration with the parish, are held in the beautiful crypt of St. Peter’s in Zülpich.

The Good Friday celebration of the Way of the Cross on the “Seven Last Words of Jesus” also draws an unexpected participant: a couple spontaneously joins the gathering, saying, “We’d like to join you.”

It is a sign of blessing

The participants of the Missions group view each gathering as a gift. A visible sign of this is a jug that symbolically collects water from each gathering. At the Easter Vigil, this water is poured into the baptismal font and consecrated as Easter water, symbolizing that the week’s experiences flow back into the life of the local Church.

Father Zimmermann sums up the week’s impact this way: “You were like a thorn in our community’s side because what you did is the mission of all of us! Let’s do it too; let’s go out and tell people this Easter message, the most important one for everyone: Jesus has risen!”

Experiences that last

For the mission group, the week also becomes an intense experience of faith. One mother describes it this way: “At the Zülpich missions, I saw my children from a new perspective—deep and full of faith—, and I rediscovered them. I have experienced a joyful community centered on Christ!

The group’s comments reveal a wide range of impressions: “A wonderful community,” “an intense experience of God,” and “an adventure between rejection and openness.” What has left the deepest impression is the shared journey: “All worries faded away, and one felt like the disciples, who did not walk on their own, but for God.”

In the end, everyone shares the same conviction: “It is something magnificent to walk together on this special mission.” Holy Week in Zülpich thus becomes, for many, a lasting experience that leaves hearts “deeply fulfilled and grateful.”

Text edited by: Heinrich Brehm

Photos: Matthias and Vanessa Franke