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MIZZI LEINMÜLLER

Fr. Joy Paul Manjaly

Many of us in St. Paul Province know Mrs Mizzi Leinmüller from Germany, either personally or by name. Our acquaintance with her began through Fr. Pascal Chakkalackal. When he was studying in Rome, he had a chance to help out for pastoral ministry in a parish in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Mizzi belonged to that parish and became in touch with him. As an open person with a helping mentality, she approached Fr. Pascal who was quite new to the German surroundings, culture and language. She offered to help him to improve his German language. During the time of his stay there, she not only helped him in language, but also took him around to show places and to introduce him to people. Now and then she invited him for meals too.

Through Fr. Pascal Mizzi got interested in India and our mission. So she came to India and visited our mission in 1989 for the first time. She was very much impressed by the different apostolates we are engaged in the missions for the people. Thereafter, she visited India and our mission stations seven times. With the backing of her Indian experience, Mizzi came to meet our Fathers in our gatherings in Germany a few times. We also visited her home a few times and had regular phone contact with her. Mizzi has been a benefactor to many institutions in the Sagar mission. Many Fathers and Sisters knew her, since she visited all of them, when she came to India.

Now Mizzi's health condition is very poor. She is diagnosed with tumour in the stomach. Doctors can not help her to recover from her ailment. She is mostly at home and at times her children take her to their homes. When she is at home, her children care for her, taking turns. She has severe pain which she tries to soothe by medicaments. She can hardly eat anything. As a consequence, her health is drastically deteriorating, making her thin weak.

On 15 January this year, we, Frs. Thomas Arakkaparambil, Ouseph Mandy and myself visited Mizzi. She was happy to see us and shared the old memories. Even in her advanced age of 83, she remembers every person she has met and each place she has visited in India. After spending few hours with her, we administered her the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick and the Holy Communion. Let us remember Mizzi in our prayers. Let us accompany her spiritually while she is still amidst us in the evening hours of her life.