Stephanie Hanich, pastoral manager of Wiesbaden’s St Boniface Parish, created a very successful Facebook account over a year ago as part of her public relations work. In an interview, she explains how the collection of miracles works in everyday life.
A year and already nearly 5000 followers: you blogging on Facebook under the name “Miracle Collector” and apparently you have struck a nerve. How come?
Hanich: I attended a workshop, that’s how it started. The question was how to use the new media for spiritual offerings. That’s where the idea for this profile came from. “I think it’s time for a miracle again.” I thought to myself and gave the project this name. In reality it had to be a test balloon, with which I wanted to find out if we could also talk about religious topics to people further away from the church. The great interest really surprised me.
How is the blog going and what are the topics?
Hanich: I always publish a text, an impulse, on weekends, with accompanying photos, which I usually took. The topics are practically at hand, in my own life. I actually discover miracles when I go for a walk, when I go shopping at the weekly market, when I visit my parents, at the outdoor pool or at a bar. Sometimes I also report what friends have told me, ranging from saving a small bee to overcoming the obstacles of the pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago. I have described the subtitle of my presentation that I want to address: All those who want to discover God, faith, meaning and MORE in their life. Discovering spirituality in my daily life is a matter that is close to my heart. Seek and find God in everything. Just like the spiritual mandate that Ignatius of Loyola gave to his Jesuit order.
So who is following you?
Hanich: After more than a year as a miracle collector, subscribers no longer come only from Wiesbaden or the diocese of Limburg. My followers can be found all over Germany, Austria and Switzerland. They belong to different Christian denominations and are of different ages. While the majority of those concerned are probably already Catholic, the small community that has emerged is a very heterogeneous group of people looking for meaning.
Your posts liked a lot, are there any contacts besides this?
Hanich: Yes, there are many people who try to talk to me as a pastor via the messaging feature on Facebook. These are very different questions about faith. People who are more critical of the Church, who may have even gone away, and who seek a new approach to God in this way, often turn to me in this way. This has also led to personal encounters and encounters with followers from nearby Wiesbaden.
What has changed for you personally in the blog?
Hanich: I feel like I’ve been through life with more eyes open since opening my blog on Facebook. I am more attentive and grateful for the big and small surprises that life holds every day. Whenever I can discover and feel this MORE in everyday life, it is also an encounter with God for me. Looking for it and finding it not only in ecclesiastical buildings, in community structures and in theological words is an enrichment not only for my followers, but also for me and my own spirituality. It helps me to think further and stay open to opening up new ways of bringing God closer to people today.
What’s next?
Hanich: Obviously I will continue the blog, it is no longer a question. Parallel we are now on Homepage of San Bonifacio the opportunity to follow my weekly impulses without an account. You can find them under my contact details. After all, not everyone is on social networks. Otherwise, I am happy for all who embark on the adventure with me on Facebook to discover the small and large miracles of God in everyday life.
