1971

Between 4th - 11th May 2025, a number of Medical Mission Sisters and Associates from across the world will travel to Steeg in the Austrian Tyrol where the Society’s founder, Anna Dengel, was born. 

Here, as part of the Centenary celebration, they will follow a special programme entitled, “Journeying with the Heritage of Anna Dengel into our Common Future.”  The Bishop of Innsbruck, Bishop Dr Hermann Glettler, will join them on 6th May 2025.

For Anna Dengel’s 79th birthday in 1971, an album of photos and memories was compiled for her by Sister Monica Neuhaus, which included three miniature watercolour paintings of Steeg. The artist is unknown, but the first view was painted on or for the Feast of the Nativity of Mary, Mother of God - known as Mariä Geburt - on 8th September 1959.

In her book, If You Love, which tells the story of Anna Dengel, Sister Miriam Therese Winter explains that the name Steeg comes from the word, “bridge”.  She goes on to describe: “The village, 1,100 meters above sea level, was distinguished by a row of estate houses along the left bank of the Lech, the river that runs through the region and beyond. The hamlet of Dickenau, a small enclave of houses on the other side of the river, was considered part of Steeg. Adjacent to this was the parish church dedicated to Saint Oswald and built on an elevation of solid rock that overlooked the valley, a presence visible to all. 

The river and the only road through the village ran parallel to one another in close proximity as they wound through the valley, their destinies entwined. Green fields and family farms lay directly behind those stately homes to the left of the river, where flocks grazed and gardens were cultivated to meet a household’s needs. Further back were the smaller hamlets, tucked into hollows and hills.  Hovering over the valley and within it were the mountain peaks of the Alps: the Biberkopf and the Hohe Licht and the Madelegabel, a ridge marking the geographical boundary with Bavaria. For the residents of Steeg, however, it was and always would be the distinctive cone of Pimig, the peak rising 2,409 meters southwest of the village that signified they were home.”

We wish all participants a memorable Centenary celebration in Steeg!