On the occasion of the Year of Consecrated Life Sr. Sara has joined a team of young nuns and monks in the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising. During the last months and weeks several events and impulses were initiated, e.g. visits to schools in order to tell students of secondary, vocational or grammar schools about our way of life. Questions like “Have you got computers?”, “How can you stand living without a husband?”, “Do you believe in evolution or in the creation of the world as told in the Bible?” or “Why have you become a nun?” led to the discussion of various topics and exciting talks. Further visits will follow.
Apart from that we invited young people aged 20 to 40 to join us on three tours through the surroundings of Munich. Our intention was to involve the young people in talks, to admire the beauty of the landscape together and to take a rest at several monasteries and nunneries of the area.
On Saturday before Pentecost we hiked more than 13 km on our first tour from Wolfrathshausen through the Isar Valley to the monastery of Schäftlarn. It was a wet and cold day, but at the end of the tour our small group celebrated Mass in the chapel of the convent and enjoyed the hospitality of the Benedictines with a warming meal and a guided tour through the monastery.
Two additional hiking tours followed: on Saturday, July 11, 2015 from Altomünster to Indersdorf (about 15 km) and on Saturday, September 19, 2015 from Herrsching to Tutzing (about 19 km).
A somewhat unusual event took place on Saturday, June 13. Because of the fact that music enthusiasts are among us we hit upon the idea to perform street music. In that way we could present ourselves in public. As in the city centre of Munich rules for street musicians are rather strict, we went to Freising after the rehearsal. Three nuns and four monks from three different religious orders (Jesuits, Helpers and Sisters of Niederbronn) did their best to entertain the passers-by with rhythmic songs of praise and instrument music. It was market day, so we did not only enjoy a lot of nice encounters, but could also take € 53.03 home in our ‘hat’. The money was later given to the refugee aid of the Jesuits.
“For God – For the people”: The success of many activities cannot be measured easily, yet the Year of Consecrated Life has certainly been successful in so far that monastic life has again gained attention in our church and in our society. In addition to that this year has brought religious communities together more closely at least in Munich.
Sr. Sara Thiel
