I draw your attention to a Nordic Catholic Church blog posting which is unfortunately in Nowegian – Historisk steg for Dnkk i Tyskland. Using Google translation, I am able to give you the drift of this article.
Already, Bishop Roald Flemestad had received a Cistercian monastery into the NCC. Now he has established Die Administratur der Nordisch-Katholischen Kirche in Deutschland, an administration of the Nordic Catholic Church in Germany. This past weekend, Bishop Flemestad went to Munich, and the ceremony took place in a Lutheran church. Formal documents were signed and three priests were incardinated. Father Klaus Mass is the Vicar General and Administrator.
This new ecclesial structure was welcomed by the local free Lutherans, the Reformed Episcopal Church in Germany (ACNA affiliated) and thePNCC in Poland. Bishop Flemestad continues to oversee the Church in Germany until it becomes large and stable enough to be autonomous.
Interest has been found in creating congregations in Munich and Stuttgart. There is also the Cistercian monastery of St. Severin in Kaufbeuren, Bavaria, affiliated to the new Administration. A diaconal and a priestly ordination are planned for the last weekend in September.
The Roman Catholic Church in Germany has been very positive about this new development and the event was picked up by the German-speaking Catholic news agency (KNA – Katholische Nachrichten-Agentur) and mentioned on Vatican Radio.
This new development has my humble prayers, and a priest in France (ordained by the Union of Utrecht Bishop of Berne) I know is joining the Nordic Catholic Church.
Dear Father,
There are some photos of the occasion on the website of the “Christ-Katholische Kirche”:
http://www.christ-katholisch.de/Gemeinde.html
Thank you very much for your interesting blog.
George
GREAT NEWS!!!!
Fr Dr Heigo Ritsbek+
This is great news indeed. I have had the wonderful pleasure of speaking with Bishop Flemestad over the phone, and I pray for God’s blessing on all involved.
A belated entry. This news is very encouraging. Myself and other ex CE await the formation of groups and congregations here in England in the second half of the year. I am always mindful of being a pew filling peasant among intellectuals here and elsewhere. Anyway off to Iceland very shortly for a mountain fix. I pray very freely in the mountains.
Neil
Is the Cistercian monastery formerly Catholic? Just asking.
No, they have always been Old Catholic and ecumenical – http://www.abtei-st-severin.de/english/