The Martyrs of Zimbabwe

The Mariannhill „Martyrs“ of Zimbabwe (Missionaries murdered as a result of the violence during and after the war of liberation – 1976 to 1987)
“thanks God we do not only have martyrdom in our past history but also in the present. There are priests, nuns, catechists, and simple peasants who have been murdered … persecuted because they remained true to their faith and to their one and only God” (Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero).
Although the motives of the killers are not always clear, it can be said that the murdered mission personnel of the Bulawayo diocese in Zimbabwe belong to the modern ‘martyrs’ of the Church.
Before shooting Bishop A. G. Schmitt CMM, Father Possenti A. Weggartner CMM, and Sr. Francis van den Berg CPS, the killer exclaimed: “Missionaries are enemies of the people”. Brother Peter E. Geyermann CMM, Brother Andreas G. von Arx CMM, Br. Matthias Sutterlüty and Br. Killian Knoerl were only working in the service of others. They were aware of the danger to their lives, but remained at their mission posts. Some of them were ambushed, one of them cruelly murdered.
What were Sister Ferdinanda Ploner CPS, a midwife, and Hanna Decker, a missionary doctor, doing other than helping people in their hospital and clinics? Why were they murdered? Nobody knows. Perhaps the killers were seeking publicity with their senseless and cruel murders of defenceless people. Or was it, as in the case of Fr. Edmar Sommerreisser, just plain robbery? One thing is certain, they were all witnesses of their missionary vocation and therefore they deserve our respect.
The Archbishop of Bulawayo, Henry Karlen, at the funeral service of one of them, said: “We all have to go the way of the Cross, we all have to learn the meaning of the dying grain of wheat. This will give us new strength, to start again and to carry on”.
“If the grain of wheat does not fall into the earth and die, it remains alone. If however, it dies, it brings much fruit” (John 12.24). In these words, the death of these missionaries is explained in a Christian and Messianic perspective.

P. Possenti Weggartner CMM	Bischof Adolf Schmitt CMM	Br. Peter Geyermann CMM	Br. Kilian Knörl CMM	P. Edmar Sommerreißer CMM