Heede, Germany (1937 - 1940)

Summary

Mary appears to four children Margaret Gansferth, Greta Gansferth, Anna Schulte, Susanna Bruns near their homes, in a meadow, and at other places. She was holding the Divine Child in her arms when she first appeared. Mary appeared to the children an undetermined number of times of which only three were recorded. After the children were forbidden by the Gestapo (and briefly arrested) to go to the place of the original apparition, Mary appeared to them in secret. Prayer, conversion, and the rosary were the primary messages.

Nov 1, 1937

When 4 girls Anna Schulte, Greta Gauseforth (11) (1926-1996) and Maria Gauseforth (13) and Susanna Bruns (+1994) went to church for All Saints Day suddenly perceive a hundred feet a "floating light" to a meter from the ground, then see a "light form" resembling a woman's silhouette. Frightened, they re-entered the church.They reported that The Blessed Virgin had appeared to them with the Divine child in her arms.

Another girl, Anna Schulte, surprised leave the church, explored the place indicated by Margaret and Grete, and "go to the Virgin and Child." The ceremony ends. Maria and Grete, accompanied by Anna and Adele Bruns, fifteen years, and her sister Susanne (died September 22, 1994), they decide to go back to the cemetery.

It's there, between the two cypresses!, Margaret exclaims.

The apparition remained silent. All the girls saw the Virgin except for Adele, who impatiently said, "go back to the house, I do not believe these stories."

Margaret and Grete told their mother and immediately alerted Fr. Staelberg, priest of the parish.

The news was received in village with predictable skepticism and amusement. It wasn’t until the girls shown a dramatic change in their way of life that villagers began to wonder. The girls switched from pleasures and amusements to long and fervent prayer, impatiently waiting for the hour when they would see the Heavenly Vision again.

Nov 2, 1937

The next day, at the same time, the "lady" appears without the Baby Jesus, hands clasped in prayer. A murmur runs through the village.

Nov 5, 1937

The third apparition takes place . She asks the four girls questions.

The Virgin appears standing on a white cloud "blue", in a "luminous halo, oval, surrounding over a width of 30 to 40 cm". She has the appearance of being eighteen or nineteen. Her eyes are blue, like the Child Jesus. Take a "golden crown richly worked", a long white dress fitted at the waist by a cord. "A" non-transparent white veil "falls on each side" doing some folds "and hides her hair." On her left hand, covered by the veil, sits the Christ Child. "She raises her arm," girls need. "

Nov 7, 1937

In the beginning of the events, most of the villagers had refused to believe in the apparitions but were finally won over. At about 6:30 pm, 4,000-5,000 people were surrounding the seers. Several priests witnessed the apparition.

Nov 8, 1937

More than 7,000 people return to the site. Civil authorities forbid Fr. Staelberg from accompanying the girls.

That day, the priest was there at Herkenhoff: "Suddenly, the girls fell to their knees, all together, without one or the other has made a signal to his companions." Posed several questions to the apparition [... ] After a quarter of an hour, during which continued to be constantly stiff, eyes fixed on a precise point unanswered even when they spoke, suddenly observed Grete alongside. I wonder how the Mother of God feels, She responded to me with a sad countenance: "Mother of God was very sad and very bright."

April 5, 1939

Margaret was alone at the apparition:
"I saw the Mother of God directly in front of me, two feet away from me and asked her:

Mother, how would you want to be invoked?
As Queen and Queen of the Holy Souls.

With what prayer would you like to be honored?
In the litany of Laurentanas."

May 12, 1939

In May, the Virgin appeared 13 times, including twice in the initial location, for a full day (6th and 12th). On May 12th, Grete asked:

" We will have diseases?
Not yet.

We come here every day?
Yes."

Then, the number of occurrences decreased.

1939

At the outbreak of the second world war, the Gestapo put a stop to this “superstitious nonsense” and began prohibiting pilgrimages and placed the four girls in the lunatic asylum at Götingen hospital. After a few weeks the children were released but forbidden to go near the place of ‘The Apparitions’.

From there they went to their houses to prove that they were in perfect health.

Thereafter the appearances were in different places, which they marked with a sign on the stone. Later the four seers had to join the German Army as nurses.

Spring 1939

Grete Ganseforth receives the sitgmata.

Jan 21, 1940

The girls returned to the place of the apparition.

October 19

The children asked about what patients heal:

"Just come to heal those with the right intention."

She gave them a "secret" intended to Pope:

"Do not say anything more except to the Holy Pope of Rome!"

The message was placed in a sealed envelope that is transmitted through Bishop Berning to Pius XII .

Nov 3, 1940

At 8:30 pm, the apparitions of Our Lady finally came to and end after 3 years. She gave them a secret Give a "secret" to each child and then added:

"Now, my dear girls, the bless me in this farewell.
Remain good and faithful God!
Pray often and willingly rosary [... ] I'm going to heaven."

1941

The investigation was extended. Two members of the committee who are dying were replaced.

July 23, 1942

Bishop Berning expressed his position during the homily delivered in situ: "From Heede came a rich blessing. I could see that Marian devotion dramatically increased [...] I checked [...] that sacramental life, in particular, has flourished dramatically in his parish. "

February 3, 1943

Bishop Berning sent a positive report to the Holy Office.

1945

It was only after wonderful cures occurred that the parish priests and other clergy supported the seers (forbidding a public dance announced for October 21, 1945). The details of the various healings are not reported.

1945

New apparitions of Our Lord and the "angel of justice" began. Jesus appeared to them and said, "Humanity has not heard My Mother. The times are serious. The angels of justice are spread throughout the world. For those who do not have grace will be scary. What will happen will be terrible, how come we have seen since the world began. The humanity is worse than before the flood. The world lies in the obscure darkness. I want to save everyone. This generation deserves to be destroyed, but looking at the right, I'll leave that my mercy eventually triumphs."

March 7, 1946

Bishop Berning appoints a new theological commission. He authorized the faithful to place in the parish cemetery statue of "Mary Queen of the Universe", made as directed by the seers.

1955

Death of Bishop Berning. Bishop Wittler, his successor, authorizing the construction of a chapel at the cemetery.

June 3, 1959

After examination of the facts, the Vicariate of Osnabrueck, a circular letter to the clergy of the diocese, confirmed the validity of the apparitions and their supernatural origin. However, there is still no formal recognition.

1973

Eucharistic adoration is permitted at night on the first Saturday of each month in the parish church. Patients are blessed onWhit Monday.

August 22, 1977

The new church "Mary Queen of the Universe" is consecrated.

Sept 22, 1994

Death of Susanne Bruns.

January 27, 1996

Death of Grete Ganseforth.

2000

Bishop Joseph Franz-Hermann Bode, diocesan bishop, raised the two churches in Heedeto the category of diocesan shrines.

Memorial of the "Queen of the Poor Souls"

The shrine burnt down in in the night of March 14th,1999 and was rebuilt again in the same year.

Catholic parish Heede
Kirchstr. 7 26892 Heede / Ems
Phone 04963/554 Fax 04963/990578
www.sankt-peter-heede.de