Holy Week and Easter – April 2025

During Holy Week, we had a visit from eight young people and their companions: one MaZ member and seven MaZ members from “Franciscans Help,” who will be going to the following countries starting in August: Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, and Kenya. In addition to our cooperation with the Archdiocese of Paderborn, we would like to further expand our cooperation with the Franciscans. We believe that young people need a spiritual place like our motherhouse to absorb and internalize Franciscan spirituality. Furthermore, Dowa, where there are Franciscans in addition to our sisters, could also be considered a future, jointly supervised placement for volunteers.

In addition to two external team members, a Franciscan, and a speaker, Sr. M. Alexa and Sr. M. Lucia accompanied these days, which focused on identity and biographical work, as well as the contracts and the content of Holy Week. The group began at the Franciscan Fountain with the stigmata of St. Francis and his relationship with Christ. On the morning of Maundy Thursday, the group visited an Easter garden depicting the Passion of Jesus. The group created crosses and reflected on their own crosses and the crosses of the people in their mission countries. They had their own Good Friday liturgy and prepared their own morning reflections. They also created their own Easter candle and celebrated the Easter Vigil liturgy with the Franciscan priest in the seminar room. Overall, they were able to engage very well with the group and demonstrated a great sense of trust and openness with one another.

Written by Sr. M. Alexandra Völzke FCJM