“Recently, when I spend a few days in Schoenstatt, I heard something about photographs. The author’s intention was to place them in our chapel in order to secure the special protection of our MTA. Truly a proof of faith and trust. If I have been correctly informed, a similar practice has been introduced at a place of grace. I don’t know if the information is correct. At any rate, at first the owner of the photograph wanted to send it to Einsiedln. Since this was prevented, he thought he would achieve the same goal with us. Couldn’t we place this pious practice at the service of our caus? I personally think it would be a wonderful idea if we soldier Sodalists were to start an album with our photographs that could be placed in our Sodality chapel. I am sure Mary would see in it an act of special self-surrender on the part of her Sodalists and reward us richly, especially if we at the same time try to give our heavenly Mother’s special pleasure by our intensified spirit of sacrifice. Think about this and place it before your group for a free discussion.”

“I will naturally place your plan before my group immediately. For my part I support it. In the main I see in it an incentive to be more zealous in collecting funds for our war memorial in gratitude to our MTA. What a wonderful awareness later: We who have been perpetuated through our pictures will not be remembered for nothing. We have helped to get together the means for our chapel. Indeed, even a genuine, childlike attitude is connected with it, as well as great trust. Our MTA must see her charges always before her, and she will protect them all the more.”

“It was never my idea to erect a memorial to ourselves, the soldier Sodalists. The idea may, if at all, be mentioned last of all. The main thing is has to do with honouring our heavenly Mother, as well as our salvation as her faithful and zealous children. Haendly is enthusiastically in favour of the plan. He even suggests that we should cover all the costs arising from it for the Sodality through a one-off contribution.”

“In the meantime the plan has been discussed in all the groups belonging to Hafenth’s section and been joyfully accepted, as the partly objective, partly enthusiastic letters and monetary contributions show. So Hafeneth was able to send a circular to his group leaders on 8.1.1917 with the suggestion: Should we carry out the plan by the Feast of the Purification?”