Days when we had the most profound experiences lie behind us – our hero sodalists, Hans Wormer and Max Brunner, have been brought home and interred. These are milestones in the history of our Movement, decisive days in which will have affected the spiritual development of all who were fortunate enough to take part.
If I try to pass on to all who were unable to be here a little of what we experienced, I can only use poor and insufficient words. It is quite impossible to pass on what has touched us most deeply. But perhaps our Blessed Mother will be able to give it to you despite the poverty of my words, and let you feel the glow of self-surrender mediated by the heroes’ graves.
On the morning of Monday, 13 August 1934, 37 boys and 6 Fathers left the College by car for northern France. From my window I watched them depart with the threefold cheer: Hail Schoenstatt! It was pouring with rain as they left the shrine. For us began days of intensified prayer and sacrifice for the success of their undertaking. Again and again our thoughts wandered off to join their party. We didn’t want to miss their return.
Shortly after 5 a.m. on Friday, 17 August, the car with the Fathers returned. They told us that the boys would arrive about an hour later with the remains of the heroes. We thought we would still be able to conclude our retreat with a celebration, but the great moment had arrived. The car stopped at the entrance to House Sonneck and the Home of the Federation. The two coffins were carefully removed. The first notes of the Te Deum broke the silence in the house chapel. While we sang the boys carried the coffins up towards the Home of the Federation. The Tantum ergo was intoned. We could hear the hollow sound of feet walking in unison and growing louder as they approached. The priest sang the prayer as the boys entered the chapel that was packed with people. They lowered their burden in the conference room, which had been decorated with flowers and candles. Then came the blessing. Could we have given our heroes a better and more worthy reception?
It is impossible to describe in words what the individual felt at that moment. It was as though our heroes wanted to say something special to us at the end of our long retreat. Most probably all hearts were promising: ‘We want to be worthy of what you have done. We will safeguard your holy legacy. We have grown out of your sacrifice. Pray to our MTA in our eternal Schoenstatt that we may be given a share in your spirit, so that we can build up your work.’ Later that evening we were told about how they had looked for and found the hero sodalists. Then the coffins were opened and we processed one by one past them. It was a wordless, but all the more shattering sermon on death, of the nothingness of all that is earthly. Throughout the night and the following day we kept watch beside the coffins of our heroes. It seemed to me that in these days the new Home of the Federation was given its special Schoenstatt dedication because it was allowed to shelter the remains of two heroes of the founder generation.
In the valley on the field next to the shrine and opposite the Mother House (former Old House) a large Gothic podium was being erected. At 9 a.m. on Sunday as solemn High Mass with sermon was celebrated there. I would like to give you the main thoughts.