Gabriele Netal Backöfer from Bamberg (Germany) is a teacher of religion and music and the author of sacred music projects. In her musical ‘… hearing the voice of the beginning’, she intertwines the life story of Mary Magdalene with the biography of Mary Ward. The piece has already been performed several times, most recently at the Catholic Day in Würzburg in May 2026.
We are delighted that the author and composer has made the video recording of this performance available to us and thank her wholeheartedly for her work and her generosity.
To give those who are not yet familiar with the work a quicker introduction, we asked Ms Netal-Backöfer about the background to its creation.
Ms Netal-Backöfer, how did the idea arise to bring Mary Magdalene and Mary Ward together in a musical piece?
The catalyst was an exhibition entitled “Frauen-Taten-Werke” (Women-Deeds-Works), in which female artists created impressive works of art inspired by remarkable women in church history.
The Women’s Pastoral Care Office of the Archdiocese of Bamberg conceived this exhibition, and it was a great success. A supporting programme was to be organised for the opening, and those in charge asked me if I could put together a musical project that would shed light on two women featured in the exhibition. So I chose Mary Magdalene, with whom I have long been on an inner journey, and Mary Ward, for whom I had previously written songs and texts.
Mary Magdalene, so to speak, had the ‘original experience’ of Jesus, his life, his death and his resurrection. Mary Ward found her path in life through an equally authentic and original experience of Christ. As women, both broke new, unknown ground; both heard ‘the voice of the beginning’!
When and how did you first encounter Mary Ward, perhaps through reading, a Congregatio Jesu community, a Mary Ward school, or a specific place or person?
It was actually a children’s book!
As part of an earlier exhibition entitled “The Feminine Face of the Church”, a day of new spiritual songs took place and I was asked to write a mini-musical for children. That’s when I came across this very children’s book by Birgit Stollhoff. In it, she and an artist had presented the story of Mary Ward so vividly and powerfully that I immediately felt inspired to turn it into a stage play for young people. In consultation with Ms Stollhoff, I set to work on it, but then had to put it aside for a few years due to a prolonged illness – until the request from the Women’s Pastoral Care team came through.
So, naturally, I then got hold of some ‘adult literature’ and immersed myself in reading about Mary Ward’s life.
What fascinates you most about Mary Ward, her spirituality, her courage, her view of education, or something else entirely?
Mary Ward fascinates me in many ways:
- I am impressed by how she always held fast to what she experienced as true and genuine, and how she remained true to her inner calling. But I was also deeply moved by the immense opposition these young women faced, simply because they had their own visions of how they wanted to live.
- I admire Mary Ward’s energy, with which she covered all those immense distances, across the Alps in winter …!!
- I am moved by the self-confidence of this whole group of women: what they believed they were capable of and how they were more than just friends – companions, in fact!
- Some of Mary Ward’s statements really resonated with me and I have taken them to heart: her detachment from success or failure, or the way she describes God as generous, because he repeatedly ‘sends reinforcements’ and ‘provides the means’ to get through life. And how she speaks of God’s loving gaze and of the overflowing love that is evident in all living things.
- Not least, that she made a significant contribution to further developing the potential of girls and women …
What message or feeling would you like to convey to the audience when they watch your play on video now?
There’s a lot of joy, friendship and a sense of new beginnings – especially among the young female characters! We had so much fun rehearsing and performing it ourselves; hopefully some of that will come across to the audience too!
I also want to show in the play how valuable it is when women realise their potential and do what they are capable of. It is so important for the world that we get involved!
I must admit, however, that I also want to express a little of my outrage at how the Church has repeatedly treated women – and continues to do so to this day … Towards the end, trust prevails. Many in the ensemble could relate to that too: especially when you’re older and life has had its share of upheavals – that everything is in God’s hands and that he perhaps sees it quite differently …
Was there a moment during the writing process or in the performances so far (a scene, a song, a reaction from the audience) that particularly moved you – and if so, why?
There were so many special moments!
The whole writing process was deeply moving! I really felt my way through everything I wrote. For me, it was a spiritual journey that changed me.
To be honest, I had absolutely no idea whether or how the play would be received; it was a huge risk. But then the reactions at the premiere were so overwhelming! That’s when I gained confidence and embraced the process that followed. At the premiere, there was loud laughter and spontaneous applause during the ‘Verity Speech’ when it came to the line: ‘… but in our imperfection, nothing distinguishes us from men’. There was so much vitality and resonance from the audience!
It was also overwhelming to see how many people had brought pots with them to demonstrate in front of the ‘Vatican’!! There was a huge racket in the cathedral. Wonderful! And during the song ‘Bis über beide Ohren im Vertrauen’ (Head over heels in trust), a beam of light suddenly fell across Bamberg Cathedral and invited me to simply stand in it. That was sooo beautiful!
I also found the singing and making music together in the band very moving. And to see how everyone played their parts and rose to the occasion. Many also engaged with the piece spiritually, and so for me it was a wonderful experience of community and being carried along by others.
Last but not least, the whole thing was also a family affair, as eight members of our extended family were part of the cast – and the rest of us were in the audience from time to time … which brought us even closer together.
The fact that the play is now receiving such a positive response feels like a great gift to me, and I feel a deep connection to both women, Mary Magdalene and Mary Ward, time and again. I am glad that I was able to help bring something of them to life – and who knows, perhaps they had a bit of a hand in it too …?!
Video with subtitles in different languages
Those who want to understand better what is said and sung during the musical, can activate the subtitles and their automatic translation in their preferred language.
