Contemplate the Passion in Oberammergau with Father Tony Hollowell

Go on a spiritual journey unlike any other with co-chaplain Father Tony Hollowell. Here is his perspective:

Father Tony Hollowell is joining the Oberammergau Pilgrimage as Co-Chaplain, along with Father Eric Augenstein!

We’re excited to have Father Tony, a pilgrimage veteran, along with us as we celebrate the Passion of the Christ the Oberammergau way. 

 

Get to know Father Tony

Fr. Tony currently serves the communities of St. Paul in Tell City, and St. Mark in Perry County as their administrator. He was recently appointed as associate director of vocations for the Archdiocese of Indianapolis.

Fr. Tony is no stranger to pilgrimage and travel. During seminary he studied in Rome for five years, where he traveled to 35 countries and five continents, and has gone on pilgrimages to Krakow, the Holy Land, and the Camino.

As for Oberammergau, he’s been interested since his first year of seminary.

“A group from Saint Meinrad’s, who had just gone, told me about the Passion Play and it captivated my imagination, especially the fact that it only happens once every ten years,” he said. “When John Paul [Founder of Verso Ministries] asked me if I wanted to be a chaplain, it felt like a fulfillment of the desire I had to see the Passion Play ten years ago. I love being able to travel so much of the world. There’s not a whole lot of places left that I really want to go and see, but Oberammergau was at the top of my list.”

 

St. Paul and the Cross

Fr. Tony feels especially called to this pilgrimage because of his connection to St. Paul, and how the cross of Christ was so integral to Paul’s message.

“Our parish is dedicated to St. Paul. There is a verse we have hanging in our parish that says ‘It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me’ and ‘I desire to proclaim Christ and him crucified.’ These are the key phrases that I have been compelled to preach about to my own congregation from the first day that I was there. It reminds us about the cross itself, and the particular message that was unique to Saint Paul that I am continually drawn back to.”

 

The Deeper Meaning of the Passion

In particular, Fr. Tony is excited to meditate more on the cross and the passion of Christ through attending the Passion Play.

“You hear people talk about ‘following your passion’ and ‘what is your passion.’ There are a thousand ways to talk about the cross and carrying your cross, but the word “passion” is a particular aspect of the cross that you hear frequently in secular talk. This is a particular aspect of the Passion Play that I am personally interested in.”

 

Join Us on This Special Opportunity

Why is this a pilgrimage that everyone should say “yes” to? In the words of Fr. Tony, “Because you will have to wait another ten years to say ‘yes’ again!”

Join Fr. Tony, Fr. Eric Augenstein, and Verso Ministries at the Oberammergau Passion Play in July 2022. This 9-day pilgrimage lets you experience the history, castles, and culture of Switzerland, Austria, and German before ending with the grand finale: the Passion Play. Plus this package is comprehensive — including hotels, meals, tickets to the play, local guides, and more. 

Discover how Verso does pilgrimage to Oberammergau. If you’re ready to register, sign up today.

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