Divine Mercy Exercise Center for Re-evangelization
The Retreat Center of Divine Mercy for Re-evangelization is a retreat center of the Roman Catholic Church at Stresemannstrasse 66 in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg . It was re-established on March 15, 2008 by Archbishop Georg Cardinal Sterzinsky as part of a pontifical office and is operated by four Fathers of the Vincentian Congregation (Lazarists) from Cochin in the state of Kerala ( India ) and a private association .
history
The retreat center consists of the St. Clemens Church , consecrated to St. Clement Maria Hofbauer , and a journeyman's hospice for migrant workers , apprentices and journeymen . It was donated in 1910 by Cardinal Clemens August Graf von Galen , who was beatified in 2005 and at that time chaplain in Berlin, from his private funds and consecrated in 1911 .
Then as now, the Catholics in Berlin were a minority. As early as 1907, Count von Galen acquired the property at Anhalter Bahnhof . He had his inheritance share paid out for the purchase . He provided 45,000 marks (adjusted for purchasing power in today's currency: around 274,000 euros) for the construction of a journeyman's house with living space for 200 to 400 people. The remainder was used to build the Church of St. Clement.
In addition to his work as a chaplain in the parish of St. Matthias (Berlin), the later Bishop of Münster was also the curate of the 3,000 Catholics in the pastoral care district of St. Clemens.
St. Clement's Church
Architecturally, the Clemenskirche is a typical backyard church for Berlin at the time . It cannot be seen from the street and is covered by the front building. It is a three-aisled basilica with carved wood doors and an organ. Neo-Romanesque arch elements testify to a new simplicity and objectivity. In front of the altar, next to the tabernacle, there is a huge mural depicting Christ as the Good Shepherd .
During his time as Apostolic Nuncio in Germany, the future Pope Pius XII. from the nunciature in the Rauchstrasse his confessor regularly in St. Clemens.
Younger story
In 2007 the center was sold to two British financial investors for 2.5 million euros due to financial difficulties in the Archdiocese of Berlin . The sales proceeds were intended to be used to renovate the St. Hedwig Episcopal Church on Bebelplatz . The new co-owner was a businessman of Turkish origin from Berlin who was Muslim . His company developed the concept of a cultural center for the St.-Clemens-Höfe , which was to move into the extensive building complex. The church was not de- dedicated in the six-month planning phase . But there was also no thought of converting the church into a mosque .
In the meantime, the St. Clemens development association has rented the complex back from the financial investors; there is the possibility of buying back the property . The cost of rent and maintenance in 2008 amounted to 50,000 euros.
Support association and Indian Vincentine Fathers oversee the now so-called "Exercise Center of Divine Mercy". The focus is on deepening the faith, new evangelization , the administration of the sacraments, eternal adoration and spiritual exercises. The Church of St. Clemens is open to prayers for Christians in Berlin and their guests around the clock . There are two holy masses a day, confessional opportunities from 9 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., and a special program for young people.
From June 23 to 27, 2010 the 1st Berlin Bible Conference took place in St. Clemens Church ; these meetings are continued every year.
Web links
- Retreat Center of Divine Mercy for Re-evangelization - Berlin
- Homepage of the Friends of St. Clemens
Individual evidence
- ↑ Congregation has to rent its own church . In: Die Welt , January 7, 2008
- ↑ Galen's legacy remains Catholic - Freundeskreis has rented back the St. Clemens Church in Berlin that was sold - Indian fathers set up a retreat center there . In: Die Tagespost , March 8, 2008, accessed on May 9, 2013
- ↑ Friends of the St. Clemens Church Berlin e. V. - Church services ( Memento of the original from June 3, 2013 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. . Website of the friends' association. Retrieved May 5, 2013.
Coordinates: 52 ° 30 '10.9 " N , 13 ° 23' 3.5" E