Blessed Karl Leisner, one of us

Beatified by Pope John Paul II on June 26, 1996, in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, Karl Leisner was the first from the Schoenstatt Movement to receive the honor of the altars. Marked by an intimate love for Mary and a profound enthusiasm for Christ and the Church, he is an outstanding figure of the Catholic youth movement of the 1930s. His encounter with Schoenstatt, his attachment to the Shrine of the Mother Thrice Admirable of Schoenstatt and the community of Schoenstatt groups gave him the strength for an intense and responsible commitment as a youth leader, for sacrificial dedication to the suffering Christ in the concentration camp, and finally for unreserved witness to Christ in the giving of his life as a martyr.

Thoughts, Places and Testimonies

Karl Leisner has many friends. His devotion proves to be creative. We look at places and testimonies of his devotion. Read also the  thoughts of Dr. Peter Wolf.

International Karl Leisner Circle

An almost complete list of places and testimonies of devotion to Blessed Karl Leisner can be found on the homepage of the International Karl Leisner Circle. Click on the following keywords: Sculptures  /  Windows  /  Paintings  /  Buildings  /  Bells  /  Streets / Songs and Texts  / Liturgical Memory  /  Name Bearers  /  Relics

Biographical

Here you will get a first overview of the most important dates of his life.

A devotional image includes a description of his life, a meditation and intercessions.

The picture gallery about Karl Leisnershows the stages of his life in pictures and picture montages.

Here you can read a short biography about Karl Leisner complemented by some audio spots by Dr. Bernhard Mucha and an eyewitness account (video) of his secret ordination to the priesthood in a concentration camp.

Insights into his vocational path are given by excerpts from his diary and from letters:
 Part 1Part 2

The bronze sculpture of Johannes Potzler is interpreted in the meditation
 Victor in vinculis by Dr. Bernd Biberger.

Materials

The following materials can be downloaded, saved and/or printed:

  1. Karl Leisner texts (pdf)
  2. Karl Leisner Eucharistic celebration (pdf)
  3. The “Rosary for Priestly Vocations with Blessed Karl Leisner”, which you can also download and print out, is very popular.
  4. Prayer to blessed Karl Leisner for Belmonte
  5. Karl Leisner / Sister Emilie Engel – Pentecost novena 2008