Fr. Richard Henkes, S.A.C., A Picture of His Life A Picture of His Life | Page 36

Thanks
If you look at a life 60 years after the death of a person, questions
arise. We do not know many things, despite the meticulous research
of Fr. Dr. Manfred Probst. Still, what we know about the life and
death of Fr. Richard Henkes requires respect and admiration. The
Pallottines, Catholics, and all people of good will can be grateful for
having given him and his life witness.
This testimony begins with the perception and taking of the vo-
cation. The family and village environment made it easier for a young
man of the twentieth century to hear the call to the priesthood - the
call to a religious community. Listening is one thing; following in
fidelity the other one. Fr. Henkes was grateful for having followed his
vocation despite his difficulties in learning, despite his inner spiritu-
al needs during his student days, despite his disappointments about
himself and others whom he trusted. All who are on the way to be-
coming priests today can look at Fr. Henkes to gain courage.
He was grateful to not have resigned in the days of the disease,
when the nothing could humble his zeal. All the sick and the handi-
capped, all the old pastors, who can do nothing more, can look at Fr.
Henkes to gain courage.
He was grateful for his zeal for pastoral care, and his faith in his
vocation was strong when he experienced how wonderful the fulfill-
ment of longing for devotion by a loved one can be. All the wives
who doubt their love, all priests and religious who struggle with their
promise of celibacy, can look to Fr. Henkes to gain courage.
He was grateful for his joyful and cordial, deeply religious pasto-
ral care as a teacher and preacher, as a retreatant and pastor. Above
all, he was grateful for the fact that he quickly recognized the hu-
man-despising side of the ideology of national socialism and worked
consistently against it by promoting the outstanding roles of family
and faith. This courage cost Fr. Henkes his life. His attitude, activity,
and preaching were part of the Catholic Church’s resistance against
National Socialism and the Hitler regime. Fr. Henkes was a confessor
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