Father Andreas Hönisch, dedicated his life to the German youth after Vatican 2.

January 25th, 2013 marks the fifth anniversary since this inspirational Priest left us

Dr. Edith Breburda

In 2008, on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul, Father Andreas Hönisch died.

We, his youth, were heartbroken by his sudden and unpredicted death. Just minutes before he had spoken with his fellow priests of the Servants of Jesus and Mary. 

It was the last encounter with them on earth. Shortly after an ambulance was called to bring father to the hospital. Hours later he died, strengthened by the sacraments of the Holy Church.

His funeral was packed with very devoted young people. For them he was like Don Bosco. But, instead of caring for homeless boys like the Italian Saint, Father Hönisch's life was dedicated to renewing sound Catholic youth. Under his guidance many young people found their vocations to the priesthood, religious life and marriage.

But who was he? He was born October 3, 1930. His father was schoolteacher. After the war the Russians almost captured him as a prisoner of war. Andreas Hönisch, who just finished his duty as an altar boy, found refuge in a confession chair, at the Priests side. Mother superior told him to hide there.

Otherwise- who knows where he would have ended up? Certainly not as novice of the Jesuit Order. Andreas joined the Society of Jesus after his family was expelled from Silesia. He was send to Japan, got sick and came back to Berlin, where he was ordained to the Priesthood on August 27, 1963.

In the mid 60's he came to the parish St. Albert the Great, in Giessen, a city located in the heart of Germany. The Jesuits administered one of the three Catholic parishes of the very old university city, in the diaspora of the Diocese of Mainz.

Giessen became Father Andrea’s first love, as he always explained. The duty of the new Jesuit was to teach religion at the local high schools. It did not take very long and his students met with him after school. He started to organize them in the German scout movement of St. George.

He strictly separated boys and girls. But once a year you could see up to 400 of the youngsters in the town hall of Giessen. They played theater. They were all dressed as Romans and shouted: "Ave Cesar - Christian ad Bestias". The auditorium was packed with parents-most of them faculty members at the University. In the troubled times around the 1968, the university professors where relived to have their offspring under the guidance of a Jesuit Priest.

But times changed and the scout movement lost its closeness to Baden Paul, something Father Hönisch hated to see happening. During the next Sumer camp, Father was with his scouts in Lourdes. Maybe it was the Blessed Mother of Lourdes who brought Father in touch with the Catholic Scouts and Guides of Europe at her shrine. Father started to learn French. He wanted to see what this movement was all about.

Once convinced, he founded the Catholic Guides and Scouts of Germany. He was absolutely delighted. For us it meant being true to the founder of the scouts; but also to continue to live the life of a normal Catholic family. It was totally fun, besides the daily Holy Mass, daily Rosary, daily Prayers, silent Retreats. It sounds like a lot of prayers. Still we did not miss an inch of all the freedom, teenagers have.

On our bikes we rode to Lourdes. Six girls - 600 miles in 10 days. We had regular three-speed bikes, and the summer was extremely hot. Two of the girls entered a religious order some years after our "pilgrimage". The older boys went with their bikes to Jerusalem - sold their vehicle and traveled by air back to Germany.

Just to be in time to take care of 200 mentally disabled young boys. And also here we girls have been asked to supervise the younger children. Father Andreas and his "clan" have been in charge of this very unusual summer camp organized by Catholic Charity.

No weekend passed without being around Father, even though he was transferred to other places in Germany. But his scout movement was already in many cities. And there were many occasions to meet. For example, our choir and orchestra, called Singekreis. It was no secret that Father always dreamed of having a boys choir, but that never came to be, and he needed us girls as well.  

I always felt that he never made a difference between boys and girls. He treated us all the same way. Later on, sure enough we heard complains of females, who felt disadvantaged, just because of their gender. Instead we encountered a cheerful relationship when singing with the boy scouts in Father's choir. We worked very hard and put all our energy into our performances- which were really high caliber, including Mozart, Hayden, Bach... But also the byzantine rite was not unfamiliar to us. 

And then Father rediscovered his love for the Tridentine Rite. He desired to celebrate it and we would have to know every response. Somehow, a Priest who favored the old Rite, seemed not to match so very well with the Jesuits in those days.  So many complained about him and his superior did not really know what to do with such a "rebellious Priest" who gathered the youth around him and did send them to the Seminary or into Religious Orders.

Seminarians who prayed daily the Rosary, received holy Communion on the tounge, fought against abortion, and told the youth to life a pure live where utterly suspect for many German Bishops. They decided not to ordain such seminarians. The Jesuit Order should transfer Father Hönisch far, -far away.... Africa seemed appropriate. If he would be separated from his youth they would give up such outdated behavior.

It was a hard decision for Father. He so very much loved his Jesuits. But his scouts loved him as well. So what to do? Father turned to Rome and contacted Cardinal Ratzinger. Then he waited. What would be the Cardinal's advice?

Meanwhile three scouts urged Father to found his own Congregation. They wanted to become Priests. But how? If no Seminary would take them in? Could Father Hönisch risk founding his own Religious Order in our times? He did not have a single cent to support and educate the young men. Weeks passed by. The three young men decided to come, no matter what.

Finally Father left the Jesuits and some short time later he founded the Servi Jesu et Maria. Cardinal Ratzinger gave his blessings. It was also his intention that Father continued to work for the youth. Furthermore, his Eminence allowed Father Hönisch to say Mass in the old Rite.

More and more young men came. German dioceses seemed to be taboo for them. Still there are countries like Austria, the Ukraine, Russia, Rumania and France who welcomed young orthodox priests.

But what did make Father Andreas so special? Many found it hard to understand Father's approach, and thought he only asked unconditional obedience to a worldview that was just plain uptight about sex, drugs and modern music. But what did they know? Father was always there for us. No matter what time it was- day or night, we could call him. He listened and did everything to help us. Nevertheless, we rigorously discussed some issues very emotionally. In the end it was Father who was astonished by his youth, who begged him to start prayer vigils all night long, every first Friday of the month.

His youth asked him to come to their meetings, to say Mass, to give retreats, to hear confession. Even so, it meant driving 600 miles. But we could not find a confessor, or preacher somewhere else. We knew his homilies contained three points. Later we realized this was a Jesuit practice he never put aside.

Still it was hard work. Some parishes banned our gatherings. One bishop did not allow Father to live in his Diocese, the other forbid him to work in his district. Fortunately, both dioceses where next to each other, so we suggested he should live in the diocese in which he was not allowed to work and work in the other one where he was not allowed to reside. Unfortunately Father was not amused with our well meant advice! Sadly, Father endured many trials, even from church officials. Yet, despite all these painful hardships, he held tight to the faith in all the postconciliar years.

He instructed us extremely well in Catholic teachings. Many Priests are astonished how very well I, and surely many of us, are able to defend our faith, and don't believe that we don't have Master's Degrees in Theology. He simple taught us to love the Church and its Tradition.  We have been proud and blessed to know him so extraordinary well. 

Ein 'heiliger Vagabund' in unermüdlichem Einsatz für das Gute

Ein Nachruf von Edith Breburda (USA) über P. Andreas Hönisch

vom 4. Februar 2008

Madison, WI, USA (www.kath.net/StJosef.at)
“Siehe der Herr, er wird kommen und all seine Heiligen mit ihm, und es wird leuchten an jenem Tage ein großes Licht. Alleluja” – dies war Pater Hönischs meistgesungenes Lied im Advent. Spät in der Nacht noch war Licht in der Wickstädter Kirche in der Wetterau, in der Pater Andreas Sühnenächte hielt. Die kleine Kirche war gefüllt mit Jung und Alt. Ab 13. Mai 1983 kamen jeden 13. von Mai bis Oktober Fatimaprozessionen dazu.

Die Gläubigen kamen in großen Scharen (mit Bussen). Die Muttergottes: sie war seine Stütze, auf die er felsenfest vertraute. Gewisse Bischöfe waren entsetzt über P. Hönisch – die Jugend jedoch begeistert. Ein Mann aus Giessen sagte ihm einmal, als er einen Pack wundertätiger Medaillen bezahlen wollte: “Das kostet nichts, das ist Munition”. Scharf „feuerte“ er gegen alles – die 68er hatte er hautnah erlebt in seiner ersten Liebe, wie er St. Albertus in Giessen nannte. Sein Brevier bezeichnete er als seine „Braut“, die er immer bei sich hatte.

   „Professorenkinder“ im Hinblick auf seinen Religionsunterricht hatte er unzählige. Er führte mit ihnen Theaterstücke auf (z.B. Jedermann) in einer randvoll gefüllten Kongresshalle von Giessen. Sein Sing- und Instrumentalkreis, der später zum Bundessingkreis wurde, zählte zu einem der besten Jungendchöre Deutschlands. Nur hier erlaubte er die Koedukation. Und wie sehr brauchte er ihn für all seine KPE-Hochzeiten und Primizen, Ordensprofessen, Don Gobbi-Zönakel ... Auf Singkreisfahrt war das einzige, was man vor der Aufführung reden durfte, der Rosenkranz, den er vorbetete. Er gab „Glinfos“ (Glaubensinformation) für Studenten und Schüler, als er herausfand, dass der Religionsunterricht in den Schulen nichts oder nur wenig taugte.

Seine Erziehungsmethoden hatten meist Erfolg. Aus den Pfadfindern wurden Ärzte, Tierärzte, Lehrer, Juristen, Musiker, Hochschulprofessoren, Spitzenforscher an Eliteunis der USA und und und ...Vor allem unzähligen Priestern und Ordensleuten weckte er die Berufung.

Unvergesslich bleibt, wie er uns Mut machte gegen all die antikatholischen Lehrer, die meist aus der damaligen DDR nach Hessen kamen. Er war liebenswürdig autoritär in einer Zeit, wo Antiautorität „in“ war. Wir wussten, dass man ihn bis 12 oder 1 Uhr nachts anrufen durfte. Schlafen tat er wohl nie, so hart arbeitete er für das Reich Gottes. Oder plagten ihn die Sorgen so sehr, dass sie ihm den Schlaf raubten? Z.B. die Sorgen, dass man seine Pfandfinder nicht mehr annahm als Seminaristen oder nicht mehr weihte. Die Welt braucht Priester, und wenn sie nicht mehr von der Diözese ausgebildet werden, so blieb keine andere Lösung, als die Türen für ein eigenes “Ordensseminar” weit zu öffnen.

All das, was er sich im Jesuitenorden und in hervorragender Ausbildung angeeignet hatte, ließ er uns und ihnen zuteil werden. Im Singkreis war sein üblicher Spruch, dass wir so singen müssen, dass den Zuhörern die Tränen kommen. (Gut, er sagte es etwas krasser). Der Jugend galt sein Herz: In Herbstein übernahm er die Caritasfreizeit für schwererziehbare Jungen im Sommer. Am Ende fragte er dann immer, ob sie das Fernsehen vermisst hätten die 3 Wochen.

Doch auch die Alten kamen nicht zu kurz, er hielt Zönakel, Sühnenächte, Exerzitien, Vorträge in ganz Deutschland. Er war überall dort, wo er gebraucht wurde. Er betete unermüdlich viele Jahre mit seinen Pfadfindern vor Abtreibungsklinken, bis diese die Türen schlossen. Überall war er mit seinem roten Ford – manchmal etwas zu schnell –, und dann erzählte er, dass er gerade einen Strafzettel bekommen hatte, da er noch durchfuhr bei (Dunkel-) Orange – hinter ihm eine Dame und dann die Polizei.

Da plagte ihn das Gewissen dann doch, oder er zweifelte, ob er jetzt sein Pönalgesetz geltend machen könnte; so zahlte er den Strafzettel der Dame gleich mit. Er zahlte mit einer Spende, die er kurz zuvor bekommen hatte. Er war nur auf Spenden angewiesen. Nebenbei hatte er noch die „Hungerkasse“. Seine Pfadfinder sammelten in der Osteraktion durch Arbeit und Gesang in den ersten drei Tagen der Karwoche viel Geld für soziale Projekte.

Man konnte sagen, er hatte seinen Hauptsitz hinter dem Steuerrad seines Autos. Er fuhr selbst dann, als die Autowerkstatt vergaß, seine Räder festzuschrauben, und man ihn überall in Deutschland per Notruf suchte – aber Pater Andreas fuhr mit Gottvertrauen nach Fatima, und dazu brauchte er keine angezurrten Räder.

Seine Lager-Fahrten führten ihn nach Afrika, Nordamerika, West- und Ost-Europa.

Er selber bezeichnete sich als Vagabund Gottes. Eines Nachts begegnete er einem echten Vagabunden auf der Heimreise im Zug von Rom. Es war kalt, und so gab er dem Mann seinen Mantel. Als der “Penner” dann den Zug verlies, öffnete Pater Hönisch das Fenster, um seinen Mantel zum Auslüften hinauszuhalten. Ich erinnere mich an ein Gespräch mit ihm vor 13 Jahren, wo er meinte: “Ich bin jetzt schon bald am Ziel.”

Sein Fegefeuer hat er vielleicht schon hier auf Erden abgebüßt; es war dann auf jeden Fall eine „kirchliche“ Angelegenheit. Man darf hoffen, dass er mit allen KPE-Mitgliedern, die ihm in die Ewigkeit vorausgegangen sind, im Reich Gottes jetzt vereint ist.
“Ade, auf Wiedersehn, wir ruhen all in Gottes Hand lebt, wohl auf Wiedersehn.”
Edith Breburda, Madison/Wisconsin, USA, war KPE-Pfadfinderin der ersten Stunde bei P. Andreas Hönisch