less and less men in Germany want to be a priest. In their training, they talk about the abuse scandals, feast custom in their Church, and that the power of the image of the Church needs to change.
Sebastian Kisters, HR
Christian Jager has established a set of postcards in his room at the Seminary. On a to read: “Stand up’ to the things You believe in. Also, if You’re on your own there.” On another: “Shut the fuck up. I’m a nice guy.” This is not merely a post-card spells, but also answers. The 22-Year-old wants to be a priest and is in demand outside the walls of the Seminary often: “What are You doing in this club?”
Who wants to know something about the state of the Catholic Church, the two Figures will help. Nine dioceses together send currently just 25 young men into the Seminary on the outskirts of Frankfurt am Main. Here, young men from the North of the Republic gather in front of everything. In the South, where there are more Catholics, the Figures for the Catholic Church better. But that does nothing to change the Trend.
470 priest-candidates in Germany
25 years Ago, there were according to the German Bishop’s conference 2138 priest-candidates in Germany. Currently there are only around 470. Half of them will not end the eight-year training – the experience shows. The Catholic Church has an existential problem with Young talent.
For people
priest contender Felix Lamberti: “There’s something to jump over. This is what drives me.”
And yet: “it’s hard, it’s still there…”, write the priests-pretenders to the Homepage of the seminar of St. Georgen. Who asks you why you are here, you’ll get stories from their training placements. Felix Lamberti was recently on a children’s ward in the hospital. “As only children, also parents don’t come. I get a lot of gratitude – for example, if I play with them a round of Uno. There’s something to jump over. This is what drives me.” Or as Matthias Kremer. He was with the Homeless in Trier. To “look people in the eye, and assist this is one of the most beautiful moments.”
you Should be a priest, since you can be the “interface of life” for people, says Christian Jager. In the case of baptism, marriage, and death, with the greatest happiness and the greatest suffering. The do, of course, no headlines, and be so important. That’s why he’s “in this club”.
in addition to the study of numerous conversations
for Five years, the priest candidate in St. Georgen. The everyday life in the Seminary: in addition to the theology studies, interviews, round-table discussions on profession and vocation, God and the world – about Power and abuse.
All the recommendation needed letters from municipalities or sports associations, to allow the training to be a priest to begin. Some dioceses also require discussions with psychologists – a consequence of the thousand-fold abuse of children and young people in the Catholic Church.
father Herbert Rieger is the Director of the Seminary. He says the goal is early to find out whether people are emotionally Mature, you would know your own needs and know how to deal with it. “As a Manager, I have responsibility for the individual, but also for municipalities.”
“What Germany”: The life in the Seminary
issues of the day at 22:15, 04.02.2019, Sebastian, Kisters, HR
We offer this Video in the following formats for Download:
