The fasting soup meal, to which the Divine Word Missionaries invited guests on Ash Wednesday, 18 February 2026, in the dining room of the St. Gabriel Mission House, was a successful start to Lent. ‘We are delighted that so many people came and joined us in sending a message of community and hope,’ said Fr. Stephan Dähler SVD, director of the Mission Office St. Gabriel

With great commitment and joy in working together, the team of the Mission Office spent the morning cleaning and cutting vegetables and cooking a hearty soup.
Not only the community of Divine Word Missionaries, but also numerous guests from the surrounding area and tenants of ‘Lebenswelten St. Gabriel’ enjoyed the delicious Lenten soup.

During the shared meal, good conversations and warm encounters took place in an atmosphere of openness. ‘The shared meal reminded us how valuable such moments of pause are, especially in our hectic time,’ emphasised Father Dähler.

Another aspect of the Lenten soup meal was sharing and solidarity with people in the countries of the Global South. Donations for the Lenten soup will benefit SVD water projects worldwide. ‘The construction of water wells gives people access to clean drinking water – a basic prerequisite for health, education and the future.’