Redemptorist Monastery Heiligenborn

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Heiligenborn Abbey, Bous

The Heiligenborn monastery above the Saar near Bous belonged to the Cologne province of the Redemptorists . The order gave up the monastery in November 2009.

founding

After the end of the Second World War , earlier efforts to found a branch in the Saarland were revived, not least because numerous members of the Order were recruited from the densely populated country. The founding was supported by the then government under Johannes Hoffmann , as they hoped for cultural and educational impulses from the monastery community for the country under reconstruction. On November 13, 1949, the monastery was inaugurated in a former Hitler Youth home. The name of the monastery came from a legend according to which an early Christian messenger of faith settled down as a hermit at a spring in the area of ​​today's monastery. In addition, the monastery continued the old Christian tradition of the Wadgassen Premonstratensian Abbey on the other bank of the Saar , which had been abolished as a result of the French Revolution.

Monastery church

Since the chapel room, which was used to celebrate church services after the monastery was founded, was too small with 40 seats, it was decided at the beginning of 1951 to build a monastery church. The order went to the Hungarian artist György Lehoczky , who had already designed the chapel. He described his architectural guiding principle as follows: "This church should primarily be a castle against the unchristian tendencies of our all-too-human being, which is exposed to so many dangers today. (...) This church is God's house, that is, man's castle means not only a place of refuge, but also (...) a post, a watchtower. " The groundbreaking ceremony for the new church took place on August 18, 1951, and the foundation stone was laid on September 30, 1951. The consecration of the church followed on December 7, 1952 . With regard to the new church building, the laying of the foundation stone document of September 30, 1951 states:

“In the year of salvation 1951 on the eve of the month consecrated to the Queen of the Rosary, towards the end of the great jubilee year during which the Assumption of the Blessed Mother was declared a dogma of faith , in the 13th year of the glorious reign of Pope Pius XII. When Archbishop Franz Rudolf Bornewasser the episcopal chair in Trier held, Johannes Hoffmann , the fortunes of the Prime Minister Saarland distracted, Father Michael Schulien Apostolic Visitor , Gilbert Grandval High Commissioner of France was on the Saar, as Leonardus Buijs as Superior General, the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer headed , under the Provincial of the North German Order Province Father Dr. Josef Flesch and the rector of the house of Bous, Father Alfons Maria Reinstadler, when the reverend Mr. Johannes Strupp, dean of the deanery Wadgassen and Karl Quirin, pastor of Bous and Robert Jost were administrative chiefs of the district of Bous, as the peoples were gradually leaving the horror of the terrible Second World War recovered and rebuilt the largely destroyed houses and cities - and when they began to fear again in the worry about a new world fire that the powers of godlessness would ignite - this foundation stone was laid for the construction of a new church, so that it could be used as a stronghold May God stand in the storms of godlessness, so that as a symbol of faith on the mountain it reminds people of what is necessary and shines brightly to them in the darkness of error and ungodliness and from here the streams of divine teaching and Christ's work of redemption may pour into the land for the true good of the Me nschen. Trusting in God's protection and the intercession of his holy mother, our dear Lady of Perpetual Help , in whose honor this house of God is to be built, the sons of St. Alphonsus began this work two years after their settlement on the Saar, despite the greatest difficulties the active support and sympathy of the authorities, the friends and patrons of the monastery and the entire Catholic people. Grant, then, Almighty and Merciful God, to gracefully complete this work to which you have given a happy beginning. Grant all residents of the community of Bous and all who will come from the Saar home with confidence to this place of worship to find mercy here for all time. "

Konvikt

The establishment of a monastery school, which was presumably a main motivation for founding the monastery, was initially postponed in favor of the plans to build the church. For the academic year 1950 / 1951 that could convict , however, be opened. It was closed again in 1979 for financial and personnel reasons .

Focus

The Heiligenborn Monastery was primarily a pastoral care monastery . The von Heiligenborn brothers traveled to the parishes of the Saarland to offer weeks of faith renewal, so-called parish missions. In addition, they helped out in pastoral care in the surrounding communities and in the senior citizens' home near the monastery and offered an extensive program of pastoral activities ( church services , retreats , discussions, confessions ) in the monastery itself. The meeting place expanded after the closure of the Konvikt was available for this purpose. The monastery was also known for its organ concerts on the Klais organ as well as the meditation and icon writing courses .

Profanation of the monastery church / dissolution of the Redemptorist monastery

Following the last service on November 22nd, 2009, the Trier auxiliary bishop Robert Brahm profaned the monastery church and dissolved the Redemptorist monastery. In September 2017 the monastery was sold to an entrepreneur in an auction process.

literature

  • Traudl Brenner: Article Karge Himmelsfeste was Lehoczky's first bang , in: Saarbrücker Zeitung, 24./25. May 2008 P. E 1 (East)
  • Rolf Decot : Heiligenborn Abbey 1949–1999. In: 50 Years of the Heiligenborn Monastery of the Redemptorists in Bous. Bous 1999.
  • Claudia Maas: Heiligenborn Monastery in Bous, in: György Lehoczky Working Group (ed.): György Lehoczky, 1901–1979, architecture, painting, art in sacred space, art in public space, book illustration, Saarbrücken 2010, pp. 86–95.
  • Johannes Wittenkämper: Art and Annunciation. A theme of the Heiligenborn and Heilig Kreuz monasteries, in: György Lehoczky Working Group (ed.): György Lehoczky, 1901–1979, architecture, painting, art in sacred space, art in public space, book illustration, Saarbrücken 2010, pp. 112–123 .
  • Johannes Wittenkämper: Apostle reliefs on the facade of the Heiligenborn Abbey Church, in: György Lehoczky Working Group (Ed.): György Lehoczky, 1901–1979, architecture, painting, art in sacred space, art in public space, book illustration, Saarbrücken 2010, p. 124 -125.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Article: Redemptorists leave Heiligenborn Monastery of February 17, 2009 on medals, accessed online on February 17, 2009
  2. ↑ Festschrift for the consecration of the church, 1952
  3. ↑ Claudia Maas: Kloster Heiligenborn in Bous, in: Arbeitskreis György Lehoczky (Ed.): György Lehoczky, 1901-1979, architecture, painting, art in sacred space, art in public space, book illustration, Saarbrücken 2010, pp. 86–95 , here pp. 88–89.
  4. ↑ Johannes Bodwing: Victor's group buys Bouser monastery. Saarbrücker Zeitung, September 18, 2017, accessed on September 18, 2017 .
  5. ↑ Markus Person & Rebecca Kaiser with information from Michael Schneider: Kloster Heiligenborn auctioned by Victor's. Saarländischer Rundfunk, September 18, 2017, accessed on September 18, 2017 .


Coordinates: 49 ° 16'22.7 "  N , 6 ° 48'32.3"  E