The war is over. Now people who have seen the heroism of the dying Schoenstatters begin to knock at Schoenstatt’s gates. They are looking for the source of strength out of which the heroes were born; they are looking for the furnace from which the fire in their souls was kindled. They ask the Schoenstatt knights, ‘Show us where you draw your strength.’ They are told:
“Mary, the pure,
created the hero in them.
Mary, their Mother,
thrice admirable,
chose Schoenstatt
that they and you and we
might proclaim to the world
that her mercy
will save them from every need and sin.”
They close their ranks like brothers and swear:
“We will be faithful to the heroes’ banner!
We will be faithful to the banner of the Thrice Admirable!
Love for love,
loyalty for loyalty,
blood for blood!
Mother from you, Queen for you!
Virgin towards you!
Loyalty, loyalty, loyalty!”
Once again we see the transfigured heroes and call out:
“Listen, wonderful people of the earth!
The Lord proclaims that something new is coming into being
from Schoenstatt ...
The first sections of the great temple
have been built
from our bodies.
She whom we trusted
called us. We die for you.
You have grown from our blood.
Return home as rich sheaves of grain…
You are the fruit of our sacrifice... ”
The play had come to an end. The procession formed for the solemn funeral of our dead heroes. The boys from the College carried their dead comrades to the graves near the shrine, which they had loved so dearly. Midnight had come and gone as with liturgical hymns and prayers we placed their mortal remains in Schoenstatt’s holy earth. The boy had drawn up and written two documents that were placed into the graves. The containers were donated by the Schoenstatt Youth; the Munster youth had theirs inscribed with the words of their regional ideal:
“We joyfully give our all for the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt.”
The families of our dear departed stood very close to the graves. They had come with all haste to Schoenstatt, and what they experienced there must have been simultaneously painful and consoling.
Now they could rest, the two soldiers, at that holy place for which they had longed and loved and sacrificed themselves. Two simple crosses proclaimed that this was their final resting place. They admonish all who visit their graces to pray:
“We died for you! You have grown from our sacrifice. Become a seed for coming generations.”