By Michail Rassool 
Munich

Foto: (c) Klemens Hrovath 

Father James Manjackal M.S.F.S. is conducting a retreat in Munich from  October 1 to 4. Franziskus v. Ritter-Groenesteyn gives his report of the third day.

Munich (www.kath.net) The Indian priest Father James Manjackal M.S.F.S. is giving a retreat from October 1st to 4th in Munich. Franziskus v. Ritter-Groenesteyn is attending and will be writing a daily summary of each day of the retreat for KATH.NET.

October 4, 2007.
The third day—“Stop shedding crocodile tears over the Third World!”

It’s the third day. The third day has always been a special day in the counting of the Bible. On this special day the streets are wet, the skies are grey. It’s the Day of German Unity. In Berlin Juli is singing “I love this day” at the Brandenburg Gate. Here in Munich they are living this day. The number of participants taking part in Father James Manjackal’s retreat has doubled compared to yesterday. Roughly 1,200 persons will fill the church in the afternoon.

The organizer Hahn, an employer, is enthusiastic. “From the first day on people came to me and thanked me”, he says. “Many say they’ve been waiting for this opportunity for a long time.”
The priests are also enthusiastic. “They are deeply moved by the many confessions made by the people here. Today we have twelve priests here, hearing confessions in six languages and see for yourself – they don’t even have a chance to leave the confessionals anymore!”
It’s true, the line-up in front of the confessionals is twice as long today, young and old are standing in line. Jeane, a young lady from Brazil is radiant as she leaves the confessional. I ask her why she looks so radiant. “Because I felt the reconciliation with Jesus so deeply. He doesn’t judge me, he understands me and forgives me.”
Ulrike from Munich came because she heard about it yesterday from a girl-friend. “ I’m curious”, she says. She is waiting to be let in at the entrance. No ticket. Later on I will meet her in the church again. “I’m expecting to get new strength for my faith here.”

Yesterday I wanted to go to confession. For a long time I observed the African priest, waiting there,  sunken in prayer. A butterfly flies through the church. If it sat on my white pants, I would go, I promised. I waited in vain.

Instead, a picture was formed in my mind: a black suitcase, some time ago I took it to the cellar. But I didn’t want to give it up completely. Back home, I take some ethyl alcohol out of the kitchen cupboard, pour it over the contents and watch them being devoured by the flames.
A short time later ugly, black clouds of smoke rise to the sky in the inner court of a building in Munich. Surely a strange sight for curious neighbours. I don’t see any, though.

Now a ray of sunlight points the way to the father confessor. He is an elderly priest who came all the way from Thuringia to do this service. What made him do it? “The Holy Spirit”, he says, shortly and firmly. It was a good, honest confession. I can’t say what, but something has changed.
“We probably won’t meet again in this life”, he says with certainty. We part as friends. I ask for a new heart and his blessing. Later on, during the healing prayer, Father James will promise me exactly that. 

Today, Father James talks about two kingdoms – the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. The latter one receives its power from the hidden. Occultism means “not revealed”, something that takes place in secret. The kingdom of darkness also has a hierarchy. There are also bishops and priests there; adoration is also wanted there. “Synagogues of Satan already existed at the time of Jesus’ life. Today there are 5,600 such temples in Germany alone. They like to hide themselves behind registered associations. Many influential people in politics, business and science belong to them.”

At a youth retreat a young man came to him and admitted, “Father I have been betraying Jesus for 7 years. I took consecrated hosts and sold them to Satanists for 500 Euros each.”

During his ten years of preaching in Germany, he has met 257 persons who did this. “They defile hosts, break crosses and burn them. Some of the things they do are so horrifying that I don’t even want to speak about them, but I must. They abort children, then they roast the fetus and eat it.”

Father James laments that here in Europe many people belong to occultism, New Age or esotericism or Far Eastern Gurus, like Sai Baba. Even many priests, complete monasteries, parish council members are ignorantly practising Far Eastern practices. 
“Satan likes to disguise himself as an angel of light, he performs miracles. Reiki and Chakra come from India or China. I am an Indian. Only two percent of the people there are Christians. You must know where these powers come from: they do not come from God.”
Father James has warmed up while speaking. He takes off his red woollen sweater. “Krishna and Yoga can’t get you to heaven,” he cries. “There is only one God!” He criticizes that the European Constitution denies its Christian roots, although these are known to the whole world.
“In India we say: Go to Europe, they are Christian there! But your government  doesn’t want to admit that.” Moreover, “Many of you Europeans lament the disregard of human rights in the so-called Third World. Some of you have engaged yourselves in this regard. Stop shedding crocodile tears over the Third World, think about the millions of violations against  human rights committed in your own countries.”
“Every child in the mother’s womb has a right to life. You even make laws which undermine this right. The blood of millions of children is crying out to God. At this very second, 275 children are dying!”
One of those who works for the life of the unborn is standing at the entrance. He is helping with this retreat. The qualified tinsmith is dressed in leather, around his neck he wears a rosary. “I know Father James since 1999.” Since then he helps with retreats. And there it is again: this short but certain answer to the question why? – “The Holy Spirit!”
I admit: Some of the things Father James says are hard to take. Yet I feel it: they’re not empty words. Here is one who proclaims the Gospel with the same authority. Why? The message is accompanied by signs and miracles. Really?
Father James dismisses us for the lunch break. Organizer Hahn: Father James is fasting, he eats very little during these days. During the break he prays for people who are seriously ill, laying his hands on them.”
Later on I meet Leo, a young student, he has a limp from a  “very serious skiing accident”. He tells me, he took part in ski races. I ask him, if he has experienced healing yet, or if he knows anyone who has. Excitedly he points to himself. “I have, I did! I was in a wheelchair, skull trauma, coma, my whole left side was paralysed, epileptic fits. Three years ago, at the retreat in Garmisch, Father James said, three people will be healed of epilepsy, and I knew, that’s me. Cool, he means me. Since then it’s gone.”
Why is he here now, I ask. “Because we need places like this to get the strength to cope with everyday life,” he says. I couldn’t have said it better. Filling up on strength, something that is definitely taking place here.
Adrian, a manager is standing beside him. I ask why he’s here. “There was  call from Switzerland and there was the kath.net article about Father James. And now I’m here.” I’m a bit embarrassed, but glad that I followed the right impulse.

In the afternoon, Father James talks about the danger of cursing. “The word has power”, he emphasizes. “Jesus cursed a fig tree with his words and it withered. And with his words he cured the paralysed.”
Then he tell the story of a Croatian child that was paralysed: What we generally consider to be just scolding, could be a curse, he warns. The pain in the heart is sufficient. The mother-in-law was neglected, for three years she received no visits. She cursed the child in the mother’s womb.
After her death the child’s parents prayed for the mother-in-law, had Masses said, fasted. One and a half years later the child was healed. “You can read about it on the website”, Fr. James says.

My place is now occupied by a young family. One of the two boys is playing with a model plane between the pews. His brother sings loudly “Jesus”.

Not far from her, at the Oktoberfest, they are already dancing on the tables. Here in the church the people are crowded on extra benches that have been set up, they are singing and swaying back and forth, holding hands, singing hymns. “Praise the Lord, my soul, praise the Lord!”

Now for the highlight, the Holy Mass of the Precious Blood. Father James preaches about a young German, who gets on the plane with him. He was carrying a snake and a mouse, gifts from a Guru, his gods which he wanted to adore. Father James was on the way to the Gulf He prays for the young man, receives knowledge in the Holy Spirit, gives the young man the love he had been looking for all his life, addressing him as “my son”.
The youth is so touched that he throws his gods in the garbage bin and today he is Father James’ right hand in Riad. Since then, 32,000 Moslems have found Jesus. Father James truly became a “Dad” for him.
Father James speaks the Eucharistic Prayer in German. It becomes adoration. “Venite adoremus Dominem”. God’s presence is perceptible.
Father James sees a cloud of pure white smoke above us. Across the isles the rows join to become one for the Our Father. “Et unum sint”, comes to life here.

The healing prayer which follows lasts more than an hour. The group waiting to pray the rosary is pressing to get in. There is no time to proclaim the healings. “Tomorrow is the last day of the retreat. Tomorrow I will lay hands on each one of you. Please come, sleep well, good night!”

Ulrike, who came out of curiosity wants to be here tomorrow. So do I. On the way home I see a  Zeppelin circling about the Theresienwiese. A different spirit is circling over me. “Alleluja!”