Adalbert Ludwig Balling - The Apostle of South Africa

Adalbert Ludwig Balling

THE APOSTLE

OF SOUTH AFRICA

or

God writes straight also with crooked lines

Francis Wendelin Pfanner An open-minded monk (1825–1909)

A Biographical Mosaic Portrait Of an “Adventurer in a Cowl” and an “Obedient Rebel”

Translation from the German original

ENGELSDORFER VERLAG LEIPZIG

“Der Apostel Südafrikas”

“The Apostle of South Africa”

First published in Germany in 2011

by Missionsverlag Mariannhill in Reimlingen

Bibliographical information by

German National Library:

Publication listed in German National Library

under “German National Biography”.

Detailed bibliographical information obtainable from

http://www.dnb.de.

ISBN 978-3-96008-125-8

Copyright © 2011/​2015

by Adalbert Ludwig Balling

All rights reserved

Photographs: CMM-Archive, Rome/​Reimlingen

English Edition printed by

Engelsdorfer Verlag Leipzig

Schongauer Straße 25, 04328 Leipzig

www.engelsdorfer-verlag.de

1st digital edition: Zeilenwert GmbH 2016

Cover

Title Adalbert Ludwig Balling THE APOSTLE OF SOUTH AFRICA or God writes straight also with crooked lines Francis Wendelin Pfanner An open-minded monk (1825–1909) A Biographical Mosaic Portrait Of an “Adventurer in a Cowl” and an “Obedient Rebel” Translation from the German original ENGELSDORFER VERLAG LEIPZIG

Map

Copyright “Der Apostel Südafrikas” “The Apostle of South Africa” First published in Germany in 2011 by Missionsverlag Mariannhill in Reimlingen Bibliographical information by German National Library: Publication listed in German National Library under “German National Biography”. Detailed bibliographical information obtainable from http://www.dnb.de . ISBN 978-3-96008-125-8 Copyright © 2011/​2015 by Adalbert Ludwig Balling All rights reserved Photographs: CMM-Archive, Rome/​Reimlingen English Edition printed by Engelsdorfer Verlag Leipzig Schongauer Straße 25, 04328 Leipzig www.engelsdorfer-verlag.de 1st digital edition: Zeilenwert GmbH 2016

God’s Drummer “Abbot Francis Pfanner died a saintly death. He was a self-sacrificing monk, a missionary on fire to save souls and a successful organizer. His only fault was to have believed that the Trappist contemplative life could be combined with the active life of a missionary. He will go down in history as one of the most outstanding men in a long line of missionary heroes. The Almighty chose to give him a heavy cross; carrying it with fortitude, he became a saint.” 1

I. Langen-Hub near Bregenz

II. Parish Priest. Confessor to Sisters and Convicts

III. Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

IV. Mariawald Monastery

V. The Cross and the Crescent

VI. Daily Cares. Soliciting Vocations and Support

VII. Building Projects Completed

VIII. A Promotional Campaign with a Difference

IX. Opposition from all Sides

X. Years of Struggle

XI. The Eve of an Unknown Future

XII. If No One Goes, I Will

XIII. Setting Out to New Shores

XIV. In the Semi-Desert of Dunbrody

XV. Traveler Between Two Worlds

XVI. Preparing for the Great Trek

XVII. The Ricards vs. Pfanner Lawsuit

XVIII. Mariannhill flourishes

XIX. Mariannhill – Proto-Abbey in South Africa

XX. Mariannhill Pushes Boundaries

XXI. Monks or Missionaries?

XXII. Of Marriage, Schools and various Troubles

XXIII. Missionary Vigour

XXIV. The Monastery grows and grows

XXV. A Jubilee at Mariannhill. A General Chapter in Rome.

A Promotional Tour in Europa

XXVI. Strunk and Pfanner Clash

XXVII. Abbot emer. Francis does not Give Up

XXVIII. Emaus – United in Prayer

XXIX. Monk, Missionary and Hermit

XXX. New Abbot – New Rules

XXXI. The Founder’s Magical Repertoire: Old Ideas and New Propositions

XXXII. God’s Kingdom has no Boundaries

XXXIII. Friendly Letters from the Cape of Good Hope

XXXIV. Varia et Curiosa under the African Sky

XXXV. What is the Future? What the Solution?

XXXVI. The 81-year-old Abbot rallies

XXXVII. Trials and Sufferings

XXXVIII. In Franz Pfanner’s Footsteps

XXXIX. Epilogue & After Words

THE ABBOTS OF MARIANNHILL

Mariannhill Biographies

Footnotes

“Abbot Francis Pfanner died a saintly death.

He was a self-sacrificing monk, a missionary on fire to save souls and a successful organizer.

His only fault was to have believed that the Trappist contemplative life could be combined with the active life of a missionary.

He will go down in history as one of the most outstanding men in a long line of missionary heroes.

The Almighty chose to give him a heavy cross;

carrying it with fortitude, he became a saint.” 1

A Man of the Hour – Apostle of the Zulus

“Live with your century, but do not be its creature!” was Friedrich Schiller‘s advice to his contemporaries. For Francis Wendelin Pfanner, an Austrian from the north-western part of Vorarlberg, the need to obey God was not in question. Neither did he doubt the value of qualities like commitment, valour or boldness. These enabled him to accomplish the goal he had set for himself: to advance the Kingdom of God in all circumstances and in the face of any resistance. He constantly asked himself: Is what I am trying to achieve God’s will, or am I simply seeking my own ego? Is it beneficial to others or are my wishes and expectations dictated by self-glory and the quest for approval?

In Wendelin Francis’ case, nothing at all and certainly not undue solicitude for his health and life, was allowed to stand between him and God. It will be seen that the “Apostle of the Zulus” was a non-conformist. No matter what his undertakings, his charism invariably made a powerful impression. He drew crowds of listeners and admirers wherever he went – to Tyrol, Carinthia, Vienna, Linz, Bavaria, Eastern Prussia, Silesia, Saxony, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Natal or other parts of South Africa. The vigour with which he “beat the drum for the missions” was unique. Wherever he appeared in public, people felt challenged. His enthusiasm was infectious; he swept his listeners off their feet. They realized that here was one who fought God’s battles, though his higher superiors or one or other church prelate might want to stop him. He was a man of the hour, a man of his times. Towards the end of his life he chafed under the cross God gave him. But when at the age of almost eighty-four he died, many contemporaries considered him a saint.

More than a hundred years after his death, we ask: What was so special about Wendelin Francis Pfanner? Why all the fuss about a contemplative monk, a Trappist whose rule “condemned him to lifelong silence”? Some answers come spontaneously: The monk and missionary Francis Wendelin put heart and soul into both his vocations; not only did he honour the Benedictine motto ora et labora (pray and work), but he also recognized the power of the press as an effective instrument for carrying on the work of evangelization and promoting religious and missionary vocations. Last but not least, he was known for his fervent devotion to the Sacred Heart, Christ’s Precious Blood and the Blessed Mother.

Abbot Francis Pfanner is righty credited with spearheading the evangelization of the Zulus. Therefore, he deserves to be called the Apostle of South Africa. He was an energetic advocate of the dignity of every man, woman and child, a champion of racial equality and a resounding voice calling for the Church to become socially engaged. He was the first to send African boys to Rome to study for the priesthood. But he was also, especially in his last years, a loyal monk, resigned to the Will of God and ready to accept and bear suffering, pain and sickness for God’s sake. This attitude of generous surrender made him a role model for many.