Pallottines Embark on a Media Journey into the World
Provincial Day in Limburg Dedicated to Growing Together
“Why Become a Pallottine Today?” – This Question Was the Focus of the Provincial Day of the Community on Saturday in Limburg
The event was a first for the Heart of Jesus Province of the Pallottines, spanning six countries and two continents, with its headquarters in Friedberg near Augsburg. Brothers connected via the internet from African countries and across Germany were warmly welcomed.
Thanks to modern media, they participated in a lively opening Mass in the Richard Henkes Hall of the Pallottine Church, led by Provincial Father Markus Hau. A choir of students from Nigeria, Malawi, and India, studying at the university in Vallendar, enriched the Mass with musical contributions, accompanied by drums, flute, and Father Jörg Gattwinkel, Rector of the Wasserburg in Vallendar, on the piano.
From Cape Town to Hamburg, from Vienna to Zagreb
Provincial Father Markus Hau spoke of an exciting moment of encounter, experiencing community in this way, and emphasized: “Today, we see our Province as it is—from Cape Town to Hamburg, from Vienna to Croatia. We reach out as far as Spain, Nigeria, Malawi; into the calling of our God.” He encouraged everyone to breathe in a moment of silence.
In his homily, Father Hau placed the day’s reading for the Feast of the Visitation in the context of Pallottine life today. There we find the elderly Elizabeth and the young Mary—one had been childless for years, the other is very young and unmarried. Both felt hopeless: “There will be no life here anymore,” yet each, in her unusual situation, becomes pregnant.
“There arises joy, strength, and vitality, coupled with much uncertainty. Can I handle this at my age? Am I too young? A fitting image for our Province,” Father Hau compared. The young meets the old, which has already seen much turmoil. “Both come to life, and Jesus connects them in accepting life,” the Provincial noted. Father Hau, a former Mission Secretary for the Society, added: “From this grows new strength for the future.”
Motto: “Growing Together – Becoming Disciples”
“You have chosen a great theme,” General Rector Father Zenon Hanas greeted the gathering via Zoom from Rome at the beginning of the subsequent round of discussions. The meaning of “Growing Together – Becoming Disciples” in the various Pallottine communities was highlighted in the afternoon’s statements. Twenty-four cameras connected to Malawi, South Africa, and Nigeria, especially in formation houses, with 40 brothers participating from Germany and 14 from other parts of the world.
The motto of growing together to become disciples carried a dual meaning. Clearly, the Pallottine community is growing worldwide, experiencing a remarkable influx as young people embrace the ideals of founder Vincent Pallotti. On this day, however, becoming disciples took on a theological significance, discussed by Professor Dr. Margareta Gruber.
Not Perfection, But Love is Key
For Sister Margareta Gruber, a Franciscan nun and Professor of New Testament Exegesis and Biblical Theology at Vinzenz Pallotti University, discipleship is rooted in a life-changing encounter with Jesus. It is not perfection but love that matters.
Father Peter Ugwuegbulem, Novice Master in Owerri (Nigeria), emphasized that a personal relationship with Jesus is central. Through video, he encouraged his brothers to fulfill the Father’s mission. Gabriel Yotamu, a student from Malawi studying in Vallendar, finds inspiration in Matthew’s Gospel, where Jesus is depicted as a teacher in chapters 8, 9, and 10. Given the wide variety of Christian denominations in Africa, he feels it is essential to let Jesus teach him about faith.
In the spirit of apostolate, Father Kalle Lenz and social pedagogue Nieves Kuhlmann from St. Christopherus in Berlin advocated for four dimensions of discipleship, as concretized in Pallotti Mobile: personal development, a “You” relationship with God, strengthening community, and blessing the world. The day concluded with music from all transmission locations and the song “Die Gedanken sind frei” (Thoughts Are Free), sung together in the Henkes Hall.
Report: Dieter Fluck and Alexander Schweda
Photos: Dieter Fluck
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