THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Club transport for walking-impaired

If you are walking-impaired you can contact your local centre and as for club-transportation, either in the form of a taxi or a telebus. This will cost the same as a normal bus ticket.

Parish Library

In order to make room for a new Parish Office and because of scarcity of space our Parish Library has been moved to the basement of the parish centre. There you will find – apart from the museum, a room for the Vietnamese choir – in the newly painted corridor our Parish Library with its sections of Danish, Polish, Vietnamese, English etc. and religious literature.

Parish Coffee

Request for new Church-Coffee helpers

Many of us enjoy a cup of coffee or tea after Sunday highmass. But that can only be done, if somebody prepares things. It takes only about ½ an hour. New ones will be introduced about procedures by old ones. If we don’t find new helpers, we will have to sit ‘dry’ on some Sundays, and that doesn’t sound nice, does it?

Kirsten H. Jørgensen

Rules about receiving Holy Communion

Since there are still people who dip the host into the chalice I want to inform again about the rules her in our Danish bishopric:
You may receive communion under both species in the following way:
1. After having consumed the host, drink from the chalice.
2. Receive the host dipped in the chalice directly on your tongue.
Communicants are forbidden themselves to dip the host into the chalice.
If you are seriously ill or have e.g. a serious cold, please refrain from drinking from the chalice. If this rule is observed, the chance for infection is minimal.

If you do not like to drink from the chalice, content yourself with receiving only the host

I ask you to respect these regulations. This way we show our respect for Jesus present under both species.

Fr. Herbert

Thanks also for your support of Caritas at the collection on August 29.

Lene Blixenkrone-Møller
Local Caritas representative

Dear boys and girls,
with great joy I invite you to become servers at mass in our parish. To serve at mass is a great gift, but also a great duty. As all other duties in the church, servers at mass also serve Jesus Christ. When we work for Him, He gives us His good gifts. I am planning a club for servers at mass which meets every 1st and 3rd Sunday after High Mass, where we can build up a fellowship through a number of activities.
Therefore, dear ‘old’ and new servers at mass: I wait for you, but more so Jesus waits for you. On the 10th of December we meet after High Mass to prepare Christmas. On the 7th of January, the Feast of the Lord’s Revelation, old and new server at mass will be officially installed during High Mass.
All are welcome.
Bernardo

Fr. Herbert’s 50^th anniversary as a Jesuit

People wondered about the formulation ‘a festive surprise’ on the 31^st in the calendar of July. Was the day’s saint going to ‘appear’? No, but almost: One of his faithful disciples was to celebrated. Fr. Herbert could – on the 30^th, that is, a day prior to St. Ignatius’ feast – look back upon 50 years in the Society of Jesus, of which he has spent 34 years here in Århus, where he succeeded Fr. Meister as parish priest in 2006. All in the parish owe him a lot to thank for. On the occasion of this jubilee the present editor praised him with the following lines:

I dag skal Herbert fejres med tak,
50 år har ej ligget brak.
Som ’Herbert’, hans navn, ’melder nyt’,
Har han skarer af folk ført til lys!

Måtte Gud dette fortsat velsigne,
Så han også om 10 år kan ligne
En ydmyg præst med succes!

Thanks and congratulations!

Ed.

I was born and grew up in Germany, got my clerical education in Dortmund, where I worked for some years. Aged 21 my childhood dream to dedicate my life to God was fulfilled by joining the St. Joseph’s sisters in Copenhagen. After some years of education in the order I also completed my education as a teacher at Hellerup Teachers Training College.

Our international school in Stockholm needed more teachers because some French sisters had been pensioned. Therefore I went to Stockholm in 1970, where I taught for 28 years, both children and grown-ups in our own school and in municipal schools. I also prepared children for the sacraments and participated in other parish work. We sisters used our holidays also to be with the children in summer camps, to visit our families and to get to know Scandinavia. One of the peaks was our 6-day trip to Norkap.

Now I’ve been back for some years in Denmark and would like to be active in many different interesting contexts.

Bible marathon

Do you want to be part of a bible marathon, reading the entire bible together with Fr. Bernardo? If so, join us for the opening event on the 21^st of September at 7 p.m. in the 1^st –floor library of the parish hall. Please contact Fr. Bernardo at 87 30 70 44 or Inger at 86 10 38 77.

Inger Larsen

Parish meeting in Århus on May 10

Our Parish Council had invited to a meeting, because many people had asked for a meeting about the present situation of the church and the problems that had occurred recently. How does this affect every faithful in everyday life and how does it affect the church today and in the future.

Petter Becker-Jostes, a journalist student chaired the meeting.

In connection with the present situation of the church we must underline what the Vatican has stated:

Nothing must be made light of; no talk about a conspiracy against the church; no denigration of everybody.

The ca. 50 participants were sent into groups to discuss questions as: ‘How could things develop that far? Is it media agitation? Celibacy? The bishops’ desire to protect the good name of the church more than the victims? Is the problem of molestation worse in the church than in other place in society? Was there a tendency in society at large to keep quiet about such matters?

The groups went far in their discussions. Many topics were touched upon: Personal reactions to the crisis. Differentiation between punishable molestation and ways of education used in earlier days, but now no longer acceptable. Culture of openness/silence. Guilt/responsibility. Vocations. (In the early church mature men were called to be priests.) View upon church offices. The position of women in the church. Obligatory celibacy. Moral theology. The development of the church in relation to modern society. Does the church today speak with  people or to people? Where do we go from here?

Everybody wanted clarity and openness together with guilt and responsibility. All relevant issues must be reported to the authorities and in Denmark we are all obliged to report suspicions of molestation of children to the social authorities.

Almost all participants agreed that we need to think anew many church relations such as moral theology, view upon church offices and the division of work and communication between Church leaders and the laity. Church leaders much talk with people and not to them and the church must pay more attention to the world outside the church.

We left the meeting in high spirits. We warmly recommend to other parishes to open up for such open discussions.

All who spoke up expressed their great love of the church, their hope for new life and their wish to cooperate actively in the renewal of the church and its trustworthiness both inside and to the surrounding society.

We plan a similar meeting for the autumn.

Eva Nordentoft

‘Come to me, all you who labor and are overburdened, and I will give you rest,’ says Jesus (Mt 11.28).

Do you believe that Christ lives and has the power to cure all our diseases and weaknesses of body and soul? He knows you, your situation in life, and he wants to be your companion in life. He invites you to come to him. In the Gospels we find proof of his great love for all of us. As he did 2000 year ago the living Christ is also today able to fill us with faith and hope, cure us and do miracles. Go to Christ and allow his curing power ease what ails you in body and soul. Meet him who loves you the most.

Every 1^st Wednesday in a month at 7 p.m. the St. Thomas fellowship invites you to participate in the celebration of the Eucharist, adoration of The Blessed Sacrament and prayer for the sick.

Fr. Herbert

We are a group of parents who want to prepare together for the baptism of our child and for his/her later life of faith. We meet in the parish hall. We start at 6 p.m. with eating our lunch packets. After that the evening’s theme is introduced and discussed. The meeting ends at about 8.30 p.m. Children are welcome.

Baptismal catechesis

Parents who want to have their child baptised are invited to take part in a baptismal catechesis group. We meet Tuesday, October12^{th, 19th} and 26^th at 6 p.m. in the parish hall. We eat together, discuss a topic and finish at 8.30 p.m. Children are welcome.

Hong og Victor Johannesen, Rev. Bernardo, Fr. Herbert

The course Philip: Meet the living Jesus!

Have you ever considered who Jesus is for you?
Is he far away and strange? Maybe just a historical figure?
Do you know that Jesus can act in your life today?
He has the power of transformation!

Is your heart heavy and tired? Do you no longer burn to do something? Are you no longer active in your parish or do you long to get deeper into your faith? If so, here is a chance for you. You are invited to take part in a spiritual and intense course: the course Philip. During this weekend course you may re-experience the living God. You will experience the power of love, forgiveness and the Holy Spirit, in whom Christ wants to bless you. This is a refreshing and uplifting meeting with God, where you will understand and receive his love and gifts of grace.

The course is a fundamental course in neo-evangelization, which has been accepted and used for many years. Thanks to this course many people throughout the world have experienced an innovation of their faith – and thus new joy of life. Apart from catechesis this course contains common prayer, chants, musk and time together with fellow believers.

The course Philip will be held between October 1 and 3 in Katolsk Vor Frue Kirke, Ryesgade 26, 8000 Århus C.

We start on Friday and go on until afternoon Sunday. Responsible is the St. Thomas fellowship. With few exceptions the language is Danish. If English or Polish are used, there will simultaneous translation.

The course is gratis, yet DKK 200,00 must be paid for food on Saturday and Sunday.

You can register for the course with

Fr. Herbert