God, AIDS, Africa & HOPE

Reflections / Gedanken

10/20/2009 • 9:02 am Comments Off on 20.10.2009 Hans Kueng – and “Das Lied der Deutschen”

20.10.2009 Hans Kueng – and “Das Lied der Deutschen”

Residing in Fallersleben in the house, where August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben wrote his “Das Lied der Deutschen” which is today the text of the National Anthem of Germany. So a real historic place to be and I like it more and more reading his life story: He studied theology while having interest in the old history, I did study theology also and was actually interested to study archaeology and Egyptology. Prussia kicked him out being suspected to have to democratic thoughts – Nachtigall ick hoer Dir trapsen..:-)) – he had great friends supporting him and backing him up. The nice thing is that his story has a happy end and he is rehabilitated before he is died in 1874.

Thinking of rehabilitation my mind directly recalls Hans Kueng, who wrote me an email after hearing of me terminating the duties as a chaplain of the German speaking Catholic Community. I have learned to know Hans Kueng in 1999 as a visitor to our community and we both participated in the Parliament of the World Religions. At that time we also concelebrated and I must say that I have very very seldom experienced a more pius priest in the best sense of the word as him. And my wish is the same like that of Mr. Erwin Teufel, previous premier of Baden-Wuerttemberg: That Hans Kueng will be rehabilitated within the official Catholic Church. He more than deserves that, the Catholic Church actually owes it to him.  Much more than any of those Pius brothers who think they are owning the truth. Sure, Hans Kueng is critical to many aspects of the church and I am too, but that does not make us less faithful or less part of the Catholic Church. In contrary: I strongly believe that only with honest critics we can find our way through the times. And my experience is that honest criticism brought me personally always a step further in life. There are anyhow too many people only saying what one wants to hear.

What for thoughts while having breakfast in this historic house…

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09/28/2009 • 12:13 pm Comments Off on 28.09.2009 last things to do..

28.09.2009 last things to do..

2 days to go until change of portfolio: one wedding, one house mass, several meetings are still on.. work until the last hour… My final as the chaplain will be to be give thanks to our premier Helen Zille on Wednesday, who will speak at a luncheon of the Southern – African German Chamber of Commerce and Industry. I like that as a final point of duty.

And at midnight, the end of the 30.09. I will toast to the Community with a nice whiskey. 🙂

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08/29/2009 • 1:37 am Comments Off on 29.08.2009 It feels good…

29.08.2009 It feels good…

It simply feels good to know where you are heading. And I feel good because I know that I can continue to work in a field which is close to my heart and I guess I collected some expertise. And I am also happy because this shows that even in our church, we can find ways after a disaster, which benefits all parties concerned.It feels good to know that I can remain in this church and serve this church and the people in the fields of HIV and AIDS. I feel, it is a privilege to be able to do so. After 12 years of the privilege to be a chaplain to German speaking Communities abroad the next privilege. Or should I call it blessings?

This blog will accompany me in my new chapter of life – and it will continue to report about my work, my life, my thoughts – I hope it will be a good way in keeping in touch with many people I have learned to know in the last years and kept contact. It should stimulate discussion – and I already can see that it serves the purpose of getting in touch with people all over the world with similar or other thoughts.

I am grateful for everybody who gave me feedback so far or encouraged me to continue writing. Modern media and modern communication is indeed so helpful to exchange ideas and to meet people, one otherwise would never meet in a lifetime.

Five more Sunday services as the chaplain of a German speaking Catholic Community – the last being the farewell one. Besides all the good feelings I just described there is also sadness – of leaving this communities. For me, the personal contact with people of different back ground as you find them in a Catholic parish abroad was indeed a blessing. I learned so much – yes, I would say, that I learned more from all those who crossed my way in the last 12 years than they could learn from me… 🙂

It is 1.30 am in the morning, time to go to bed and I hope that today will be another splendid Capetonian winter day: 28 Degree Celsius, blue sky and no wind..  Another blessing…

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08/19/2009 • 4:29 pm Comments Off on 19.08.2009 After the meeting….

19.08.2009 After the meeting….

Meeting done with the Archbishop and it was a good meeting. But there is still a formal way to go until a final result – so patience is once again asked. Hopefully latest at the end of next week I know the result and know, how my working life will develop. Patience is not one of my best virtue, but exercising it might do me good.. 🙂

This evening community council meeting, the last one in my capacity as the chaplain if transition is going smoothly; I hope for the best, say my little prayer the eve and wait…
But I am still optimistic that we will find a solution fitting the situations and the needs of all involved in this process.

It was a tough year which then hopefully draws to an end with a good decision and some productive work ahead. But now back to relaxation for my H1N1 stressed body before leaving again for town and the meeting. We have good people constituting the community council, they are really supportive and able to help guiding the community. So I am indeed looking forward to seeing them.

At the end stands the realisation how much damage a mean person can produce sitting high up in the hierarchy and playing with people as others would play the chess game. But the bible said that God is writing on twisted lines straight. Lets hope and see…

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