St. Anne -- Feast Day -- July 26

Franziska Notes July 09

Franziska Notes
No.6/7 July 2009

During the month of July there are many reminders of our Mother Franziska and her life. One must imagine the sunny fields of Bavaria, the fruitful farmland and the distant mountains. The little Fanni’s lifetime cheerful disposition was surely nurtured by the beautiful ripening fields of golden barley where she gathered the red, white and blue wildflowers of poppy, daisy and cornflower at the edges of the grainfield. Her bouguet was placed in front of the little shrine in the corner of the room where her family ate, celebrated and said their daily prayers.
July is the month of the Saints of Summer, including a Bavarian favorite, St. Anne. Mother Franziska brought this devotion with her to the Mother House Church which she built in Vienna, St. Anne at the side altar and St. Joseph on the other. These two saints were revered because of their relationship with Jesus. Anne, the grandmother, who surely shared her love of Sacred Scripture and devotion to the will of God with her blessed daughter, Mary and St. Joseph who provided for the child and his mother.
Mother Franziska’s devotion to her favorite saints was almost as intimate a part of her as her breathing. She stepped easily from the problems and joys of daily life into the realm where these special friends of God enjoyed his presence without interruption or distraction.
It is during the quieter days of summer that we can look again at that eternity which is our destiny. The beauty around us can call us to “minute meditations” lifting our hearts and minds to our heavenly friends, those shared with the Church Universal and those who were our friends and relatives during life. Jesus had a grandmother and a human father. His love for them shaped his human life and this joy also shapes our appreciation of all the human race beloved and redeemed by God.

www.godslovefdc.org

Vienna celebration.....

The date is June 28, 1939 and the beautiful Mother House Church, built by Mother Franziska herself is in danger to become a vicitim of Hitler's ambitions. On this date Cardinal Innitzer offically accepted the Church as a parish church for the Archdiocese. For seventy years Mother Franziska's dream of providing a place for the people of neighborhood to worship the Eucharistic Lord, praying and singing with the sisters. At the same time they honored a young, newly ordained priest, Stephan Massolle, from Paderborn, Germany who had served there during his field practice and won the hearts of Sisters and parishioners. The festive Mass contained also a renewal of vows in the 50th wedding anniversary of a couple who were very involved in the parish and the presence and performance of Mother House kindergarten children.