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 | Inspiring Thoughts Fr. John Maria Haw - A challenge for the new generation... | |
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| History |
| Rev. Fr. John Mary Haw, the Founder of our congregation, a priest of the Diocese of Trier, was a chosen friend of God. He was a clear-sighted, strong-willed and enterprising man whose life was full of love of God and of neighbor. He was a man of principles who lived an interior life of simplicity. His path was clear and consistent. He was deeply distressed about the social conditions of his time and the wide spread deterioration of faith. Over and over again, he wrestled with God in prayer in order to know the Divine will. Christ Himself was his great example. Resolutely he lived out his consecration to the Blessed Trinity. The guiding principle of Fr. Haw's life, in all his undertakings, in his prayer and in his sufferings was the greater glory of God and the salvation of souls. He was a true witness of God's saving mercy. |
| Germany at the time of Fr. Haw. |
| Towards the end of the 19th century, Europe experienced a fast development of industries and economic improvement. Unbalanced ambitions, mutual distrust, enmity and conflicts among the European nations had made the atmosphere explosive, resulting ultimately in a world-wide conflagration. The imperialistic competition, the aggressive nationalism and the arms race that had developed among European powers resulted in the outbreak of war. The war which lasted for four years had disastrous consequences. Hundred of thousands were killed. Thousands of soldiers and civilians died, the economic loss was enormous. Trade and industry came to a standstill. The picture of post-war Germany as a vanquished nation was pathetic. Germany was humiliated by the victorious nations and faced unjust treatment and exploitation at their hands. People became desperate. The common people in Germany felt crushed under the burden of taxation, unemployment and greedy landlords. Then Marx preached: "Don't believe in your priests. Religion is opium for the masses. Instead, revolt. Join the religion of materialistic comforts." His teachings added fuel to the fire in the wavering faith of the Christians. They were easily carried away from Christian faith. Many of them joined in anti-church movements and others sought consolation in drinking and gambling. |
| It is to this world of struggling, revolting and indifferent masses that the young Parish Priest Fr. John Haw, came forward to spend his early years of ministry. He was not gifted with eloquence. With a heart full of zeal and the foolishness of a radical discipleship, he went after the lost sheep: the drunkards, the homeless, the released prisoners and all those rejected by the traditional middle class Christian. |
| Our motto is…Eucharistic… Marianic… Apostolic… Prophetic… |
| Aim and Objectives |
| On 15th October – 1919, the St. John’s League was founded. St. John's League, as conceived by Rev. Fr. Haw has very specific features: It is an apostolic, people oriented work. It is deeply rooted in the spirituality of adoration and reparation. It involves members from all walks of life to build an active group of messengers of hope to prepare the way for Christ through the preaching of retreats, seminars and workshops. They live the mercies of the Lord with special priority to the marginalized. Fr. Haw was aware that good and evil will always exist in the world. That's why the St. John's League aims at strengthening the good in person and fighting the evil in the individual as well as in society.The St. John's League has been founded as an immediate solution to the social and religious ruins of a defeated country. |
| Milestones |
| The objectives of the St. John's League have been realized in various forms according to the needs of the Church. The first convent for sisters of St. John the Baptist and Mary Queen was opened in 1919 in Leutesdorf. The priests and the brothers began a community life in 1921. A retreat centre "Johannesburg" was opened in 1923 at Leutesdorf. In 1924, a home for the homeless men was opened in Berlin. In 1926 the apostolate of the sick was initiated. On 12th June, 1928 the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist and Mary Queen was canonically approved by the Bishop Franz Rudolf Bornewasser. To strengthen the apostolate already undertaken , a contemplative community was formed in the year 1933. |
| Milestones |
| The objectives of the St. John's League have been realized in various forms according to the needs of the Church. The first convent for sisters of St. John the Baptist and Mary Queen was opened in 1919 in Leutesdorf. The priests and the brothers began a community life in 1921. A retreat centre "Johannesburg" was opened in 1923 at Leutesdorf. In 1924, a home for the homeless men was opened in Berlin. In 1926 the apostolate of the sick was initiated. On 12th June, 1928 the Congregation of the Sisters of St. John the Baptist and Mary Queen was canonically approved by the Bishop Franz Rudolf Bornewasser. To strengthen the apostolate already undertaken , a contemplative community was formed in the year 1933. |
| The Crucial Test |
| God allows all His dear ones to be tested and purified in the fire of suffering. The St. John's League was no exception. On 9th September 1941, the St. John's League and its members was dissolved and banned by the decree of the secret police in Berlin. Fr. Haw was homeless. The members of St. John's League, including fathers and sisters got scattered. Many of them got killed in the war. They underwent a crucial test in the decade of the Nazi persecution. They faced the ruins of the world war II, the holocaust in the concentration camps, the tragedy of divided Germany with millions of people driven away from their homelands in east Germany by the Russian occupants. |
| The Relevance of St. John the Baptist Today |
People now-a-days are obsessed with the endeavour of accumulating material wealth and indulge in sexual pleasures which lead to public immorality and alcoholism. These are the deepest wounds of our time, which St. John, the disciple of Jesus, spoke a moving way. In the desert there is the one, who in the most heroic way practices the opposite virtues: extreme poverty, a cave in the desert as his home, his clothes woven from camel's hair, locusts and wild honey as his food - a notion of horror for a modern person of the 20th century.
St. John is filled with a spirit of humility. He rejects all temptations of power. He does not want to be the Messiah. He points to the one who is greater than himself and says: “ I am not worthy to be his slave. True humility makes great. It makes one better and leads him/her to God. The founder of St. John's League has done the most appropriate act by choosing St. John the Baptist as its patron and the path shown by him to realize his objectives. This charisma of Fr. John Haw, remains relevant for all the ages. If the world is ever to find its way out of the chaos and disorder of the present, it has to return to Jesus Christ, the Saviour of humanity. The way that leads back to Christ is no other than the one St. John has taught us at the river Jordan; it is the way of humility, atonement and renunciation. |
| St. John's League today |
| St. John's League has extended its horizons outside Germany to Portugal in the year 1956, to Africa in the year 1970 and to India in the year1971. We read the signs of time and respond to them. We, its members find our strength in the Eucharistic celebration, in the assistance of Mary the Queen, and draw inspiration from the prophetic mission of St. John the Baptist. We are instruments of the compassionate Jesus. We lead a committed life with openness for the work of the Spirit, availability at every stage of life, in day-to-day life and the events and demands of time. The members experience the unfailing presence of God every where protecting, challenging, leading and strengthening our lives. We sing of the love and mercies of the Lord. |
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