Tour the beautiful Monastery of Mariannhill in this 50 minute documentary telling the fascinating story of Abbot Francis Pfanner and the formation of the Mariannhill Missionaries, then travel to Emmaus Mission, the place of the old Abbot's exile. Using historic archive stock footage of Mariannhill and sound effects to match, the story of the foundation of Mariannhill is now documented as never before.
"So that the flame may burn" was one of Francis Pfanner's mottos. Whilst he "burnt himself out" for God and people, his work - like a fire - was able to take hold and spread. When Pius X declared Mariannhill an independent mission congregation in 1909, 28 of the 49 Catholic mission stations between the Cape and the Zambesi were missions that had been established by the Mariannhill missionaries. Brothers and sisters from Mariannhill went as missionaries to East Africa and Southern Rhodesia in those days.
Abbot Francis Pfanner's missions have been a driving force behind the recognition and moral influence of the Catholic Church south of the Zambesi. The type of mission schools (i.e. not only intellectual but also practical education) guaranteed the success of the Mariannhill missionaries. Their methods became the norm and, in the Natal region, they were incorporated into the Government's educational program. However, even more importantly: "The fundamental idea behind Mariannhill's work has always been to guarantee the dignity and the rights of black people and they have always tried to realise these ideals." (Josef Dahm)
The Mariannhill Missionaries live by Francis Pfanner's motto: "Social problems can only be solved through living Christianity." And another one of the founder's mottos, "Our mission is a part of Christ's Kingdom and therefore has no boundaries" has led the way for the women - the Missionary Sisters of the Precious Blood and the men who have followed him. The Mariannhill Missionaries - priests, brothers, and sisters - have become a burning torch, spreading the light world-wide. We find them in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo, Kenya, Korea, Mozambique, Papua New Guinea, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Poland, Romania, Spain, Italy, Denmark, Portugal. Canada and the USA.