Arnold Janssen
Arnold Janssen ( born November 5, 1837 in Goch am Niederrhein, † January 15, 1909 in Steyl, Netherlands ) was a German missionary and founder of the Divine Word Missionaries (Societas Divini Verbi, SVD, ie Society of the Divine Word ), the Holy Spirit Missionary Sisters and the Divine Word Adoration Sisters. He is a saint of the Catholic Church.
Life and work
Arnold Janssen was born as the second of eleven siblings. He took over from his parents a deep, "naive" religious and characterized by conscientiousness at work. For this reason, he attended one of the first students the newly appointed Catholic boarding Collegium Augustinianum Gaesdonck, located not far from his birthplace. After graduation, he among others there together took off with the later Bishop of Münster Hermann Jakob Dingelstad, he studied theology and was ordained on August 15, 1861 Priests of the Diocese of Münster. Subsequently, it was determined to teaching at St. George's School in Bocholt, where he earned a reputation as a strict and unpopular teacher. His deep devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus quickly made him a director of the Apostleship of Prayer in his diocese. This apostolate opened Janssen himself to Christians of other denominations.
1873 - during the times of so-called " culture war " - he gave up his teaching post and soon after, a magazine under the name "The Little Messenger of the Sacred Heart " out. In this popular monthly magazine presented news from the mission and encouraged the Catholics of the German-speaking world, to do more for the " mission to the Gentiles " and their needs. In other countries there were separate centers for the training of missionaries, not only in Germany. Janssen hoped that any priest with an interest in the mission to take up the challenge and would start a home for preparing missionaries for overseas use. He himself wanted to support the project by raising awareness among the population and collection of donations with the help of his magazine.
But as time passed, without anyone having entered on his idea of establishing a "German Mission House ". Gradually, not least inspired by the Apostolic Vicar of Hong Kong, he thought he could see that it was he himself, the God in this difficult task summoned. Many felt that he was not the man to do it, or the time was not yet ripe for it. "The Lord challenges our faith, to do something new, just because so many things are collapsing within the Church," was the reply Janssens.
With the blessing of some bishops Janssen began collecting money while he looked for a suitable place simultaneously. The political situation in Germany forced him in the Dutch village of Steyl near Venlo in the Dutch diocese of Roermond, just over the German border to buy an old inn. The dedication of this house was held on September 8, 1875, a date that was later the founding of the "Society of the Divine Word " association. The living conditions in the old building were more than modest; but one began with the formation of missionaries, and already on March 2, 1879, the first two missionaries went on in the direction of Imperial China. One of them was Joseph came, born in Abbey - Oies, South Tyrol, who was later canonized together with Arnold Janssen. This shows that the " German Mission House " was designed from the start to an international community. This openness to people of other cultures and nationalities became a fundamental characteristic of the communities founded by Janssen.
Arnold Janssen had realized how important were magazines, both to awaken in young people the appeal for the mission as well as to raise the necessary funds. Therefore, he has founded his own printing company four months after the dedication of this house. Many volunteers devoted time and energy for the spread of the missionary concept in the German-speaking world, by distributing the magazines from Steyl.
The number of students grew steadily, and which required the repeated extension of the house. Many men were working for weeks, months, or even years as volunteers in Steyl, and not a few were willing to put their lives in the service of the mission, not as a priest but as a craftsman. Thus, the new company developed from the outset as a community of brothers and priests, although this was not originally planned. By Janssen brothers allowed a professional training and gave them important tasks, he helped to develop a new type of friars for the mission.
As the Mission House in Steyl soon welcome developments and filled with professions, Janssen began to think of a second founding namely in Austria, as close as possible near Vienna. However, this request was opposed by a certificate from the 1850 imperial decree, whereby the Executive Board of such an institution to be set up "usually an Austrian citizen " had to be. The former municipality Goggendorf (now cadastral seat village on the Schmida ) granted Janssen mediation of the local parish priest on 12 April 1885, national law and Janssen, who had thus received the Austrian citizenship, could proceed to do the mission house St Gabriel in the municipality of Maria Grossenzersdorf to found south of Vienna in Mödling, which opened on 14 October 1889. Later, in 1904, founded Janssen is a second mission house in Austria, Sankt Rupert at Bischofshofen in Salzburg.
At the first General Chapter in 1885 the decision, the Divine Word Community fell under the name " Society of the Divine Word" ( Societas Divini Verbi SVD) to build a religious community. Your main goal should be the service in the proclamation of the Gospel, especially among non-Christians. The chapter elected Arnold for the first Superior General. Among the volunteers at the mission included some women who worked in the kitchen, the laundry and other household chores worried completed, including the blessed Helena Stollenwerk and Hendrina Stenmanns. But their real goal was to serve as Missionary Sisters of the proclamation of the Gospel. This desire and their years of faithful dienes and the recognition that women were necessary for the mission, Janssen led to the founding of the Congregation of the "Servants of the Holy Spirit" ( Servae Spiritus Sancti, SSpS ) on 8 December 1889. 1895 broke the first Sisters to Argentina.
1896 Janssen chose some of the sisters to found a contemplative branch of the Congregation of the "Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration " ( Spiritus Sancti de Servae Adoratione perpetua, SSpSAP ). Because of their costume, these sisters are called to this day known locally as the "Pink Sisters". Your missionary service should be unceasing prayer before the Blessed Sacrament for the intentions of the Church, and especially the other two mission communities.
The three religious communities grew very quickly as they celebrated the Silver Jubilee of the mission house, was one of the Divine Word Mission 190 sisters, 208 priests, 549 brothers, 99 students of theology and other 731 students in the various stages.
Life of Arnold Janssen featured a fervent search for the will of God, a deep, unwavering faith in divine providence and hard work. The fact that his work having been successful, evidenced by the recent development: more than 6,000 Divine Word Missionaries working in 69 countries and come from 70 nations. 3500 Servants of the Holy Spirit working in 41 countries in the different areas of the proclamation of the Good News, and 400 Servants of the Holy Spirit of Perpetual Adoration in ten countries accompany the brothers and sisters with their prayer. From a community of a few priests and brothers of the seventh largest male order was the world that is characterized by its internationality.
Causes of Saints
On October 19, 1975, the World Mission Sunday was Father Arnold Janssen in Rome by Pope Paul VI. together with Eugene de Mazenod, founder of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate and Father Joseph came, one of the first Divine Word Missionaries in China, beatified.
On 5 October 2003, he was called by Pope John Paul II, together with Joseph came and Daniele Comboni, founder of the Comboni Missionaries, canonized.
Remembrance
January 15
Honors
In his native town of Goch Arnold Janssen Catholic Church and the Arnold- Janssen- community are named after Saint Arnold. In the women's road in Goch can be his birthplace are the " Arnold- Janssen- house" visited.
In New Churches ( Münster ), there is the district of St. Arnold. Here is located on a former mission house of the Divine Word Missionaries, the Arnold Janssen Gymnasium New Churches / St. Arnold, which was led by monks since 1929 and is under the auspices of the Diocese of Münster since 1996. Another school is named after him, which was founded in 1898 Arnold Janssen Gymnasium St. Wendel in the Saarland. In Goch the Arnold- Janssen- primary school in Bocholt and the Arnold- Janssen- elementary school was named after him. In Bocholt, Goch, Mosbach, Nettetal- Kaldenkirchen Bad Driburg and San Agustin streets were given his name.