Apr 7, 2024 | NEWS
On March 15, 2024, a celebration was held in the convent in the St. Marien Berlin-Kreuzberg retirement home to thank Sister M. Rosa Pakosch for her more than 40 years of service in the pastoral care of the deaf in the diocese of Berlin.
This celebration, which began with a church service, was attended by the regional superior of the Sisters of Mary, Sister Cordula Klafki and the sisters’ convent in the retirement home, as well as the deputy head of the pastoral department representing the Archdiocese of Berlin, Mr. Sebastian Schwertfeger, and other full-time and voluntary staff of the deaf pastoral care, the home director and the care service manager of the St. Marien facility.
During the coffee break that followed, we talked about how Sister M. Rosa was perceived in her ministry. The statements all came down to the same point: Sister Rosa always took a back seat and did her work quietly and selflessly, preparing the celebrations and church services and when there were problems, the answer was: “You’ll manage”.
She also mentioned organizing vacations together with the deaf, which was not always easy – and she always found help from her fellow sisters. She received a lot of support from Sister M. Manuela and Sister M. Euphemia in preparing and following up the get-together with coffee and cake after the monthly services for the deaf.
In this way, Sister M. Rosa managed to give the deaf a home – a home where they felt understood and accepted. Initially, she did this ministry in collaboration with Sister Christiane Uhl, who was deaf herself, and thus familiarized herself with this work and the deaf. Due to the early death of Sister Christiane, most of the burden then fell on her shoulders.
She was the OHR for the deaf. Many home visits and visits to the authorities took her all over the city. It was important to her to stand by these people in need of help.
Now this service is being continued at another location in the diocese of Berlin.
Apr 6, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Divine Mercy Sunday (2nd Sunday of Easter)
Gospel – John 20:19-31
Today is the Sunday of Divine Mercy. The Sunday when we acknowledge and thank the mercy of God which forgives our sins. The sense of this Sunday can be explained in these words: “Jesus came and stood among them. He said to them, ‘Peace be with you’, and showed them his hands and his side. The disciples were filled with joy when they saw the Lord, and he said to them again, ‘Peace be with you”. It’s the experience of the presence of Jesus standing in our midst and He is giving His peace to us. It’s the experience of seeing His pierced hands and His pierced side which are pierced as reparation for our sins. Our sins are forgiven with the divine mercy which comes from His pierced hands and side. It’s the experience of being filled with joy. The joy which comes from the gratitude of being forgiven the sins. The joy of the presence of the Lord in the midst. It’s the new hope present in the midst. It’s the experience of listening to the Words of Jesus, “Peace be with you”. It’s the assurance of the presence of His peace in my life. Let’s reflect: Easter is experiencing the Divine Mercy of the Lord in His peace given to me.
Apr 5, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Saturday
Gospel – Mark 16:9-15
“‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation”. Resurrection is not just a spectacle. It’s the beginning of the mission. It’s the beginning of the mission of the Church. Before the reality of resurrection, you can doubt, or you can believe. If you believe you have to pass to the next phase which is the mission to preach. The mission which arises from the encounter with the Risen Christ. This area of the mission is the entire world. And the object of mission is to proclaim the Good News. The subject of this mission is the entire creation. The entire world and the entire creation is before us who has encountered Jesus Risen to preach the Good News. The Good News is that the love of God is above all things. Nothing can be stronger than this love. This love is even stronger than death. That’s why this is the Good News because nothing can change it to bad news. Let’s reflect: Easter is recognizing the mission which evolves from our encounter with the Risen Christ.
Apr 5, 2024 | NEWS
For several years now, we have been preparing a small surprise for Easter for our neighbors and people who pass our Kindergarten. In this way we want to share the Gospel, the good Word, the blessing with everyone. We want those who are around us to stop at least for a moment and accept in their hearts the gift that is the Love of Jesus. We hope that the gift we have prepared helps to accept this Gift. This year we made a Cross with a heart. In this way we wanted to show that we don’t want to stop at the Cross, but want to gaze further and deeper, at the Risen Christ. We are also sharing the joy of the Resurrection with the families of our preschoolers by preparing an Easter play and a Christmas meeting full of treats and delicious foods.
Apr 4, 2024 | DAILY BREAD
Easter Friday
Gospel – John 21:1-14
“At these words ‘It is the Lord’, Simon Peter, who had practically nothing on, wrapped his cloak round him and jumped into the water”. The moment Simon Peter hears that “It’s the Lord”, he jumped into the water. This is the kind of relationship which comes out of the heart in faith. This is not only a faith in Jesus Christ who is Risen but also a faith in the word of his brother John. This is double trust: The trust in the Lord who is Risen. It’s also trust in John who can testify the presence of Jesus. There are no more calculations or logical thinking. There is just the wish to reach to Jesus. He jumped into the water. The faith in Jesus Christ Risen is about the relationship of trust. It’s just trust, and action based on that trust. No mor questions or answers. Act according to the trust of your heart. Trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters. Let’s reflect: Easter is the trust in the love of Jesus Christ to be present in our life and trust in the testimony of my brothers and sisters.
