„There is within me the great Joy of Expectation“

Chaplain Johannes Prassek to Bishop Berning

Hamburg, 10th of November 1943

Most Reverent Lord Bishop,

I thank you for all of your love, kindness and concern you have shown me. For that I cannot repay you here. But from Heaven I shall pray for you much more than I ever could from here. And I thank you for this especially: that you ordained me a priest and let me work in your diocese these few years. For what I did, despite knowing better, and thus gave you concerns, I ask you with all my heart to forgive me. Allow me, once again, to assure you of our affection and admiration, just as I promised you the day of my ordination.

There is within me the great joy of expectation of God’s grace and mercy. I think that even as He forgave on the cross, he will have pity on me. I’ll die with a profound gratitude to God for everything, nice or not, he gave me during my life. I know that everything always was a gift of His love. I’ll die with heartfelt Devotion and profound gratitude to our Holy Church, which allowed me to become God’s child and priest. I’ll die with concern for our German Fatherland. May God bless and shield it.

Please, give my regards to the priests of our diocese and especially my dear Lübeck.  My regards as well to Mr. Regens  of the seminary. I pray for you and all who enjoy your confidence. You  too, I greet in the love of Christ and in expectation of Him. Pray for us.

Your obedient Johannes Prassek

 

English Translation: Hans-Heinrich Boeker, Wyoming, Australia