Pastor Peter Johannes Vogelsang, head of the Schäftlarn parish association, takes on a new role: as a candidate for a Benedictine order, he moves to the Schäftlarn monastery.
Schäftlarn
- At the end of August, Pastor Peter Johannes Vogelsang retires from his duties as head of the Schäftlarn parish association.
But in a way it will remain with the Schäftlarn: its new address will be the Schäftlarn monastery.
Here he wants to enter as a candidate for an order and become a Benedictine.
In 2012, the native of Munich came to the Isartal community as the successor to Pastor Anton Fürstenberger.
Schäftlarn was no stranger to him, at least from the point of view of the stops.
“I was a seminarian in Waldram and for five years I regularly rode the S-Bahn through here,” he says.
The idea has matured for many years
Even in Waldram, the 56-year-old toyed with the idea of entering a monastery.
He remembers a Vespers service.
“Back then, in 1981, the old church of St. Joseph the Workers was still standing.
We sang the praise of God together - I was enchanted. ”Since then, Vogelsang couldn't get the picture of a large monastery with monks singing from the cloister into the church out of their mind.
"From then on I was also accompanied by the love of the Liturgy of the Hours and the singing of psalms."
Now there are three points that led the popular pastor and priest to make this picture a reality.
Shortly before Christmas 2019, the archdiocese published the personnel plan until 2030.
“This defines how which pastoral care positions exist and are to be filled.” For Vogelsang itself, a change of position was planned within the next few years.
“That way I had to deal with my future one way or another,” he says.
Another 14 years until retirement
Looking back on his life, Vogelsang has been serving the church since 1993. “That's two thirds of my working life, and I have 14 years to go before I retire. Then you start thinking about whether you want to continue like this or whether you want to develop further in one way or another. ”He adds:“ I wish to grow old in a community. A community that catches you once you need it. "
The pastor has had good contact with the Benedictines for years - Abbot Peter has also been his spiritual companion for many years.
Vogelsang celebrates church services with the brothers and always spends part of his vacation in the abbey.
“In addition, the Benedictines are known for the tradition of 'Ora et Labora', that is, pray and work.
The common choir prayer is a special milestone. ”Vogelsang is silent for a moment.
"And they have an open manner that is turned towards people."
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On horseback: Pastor Peter Johannes Vogelsang.
© Sabine Hermsdorf-Hiss
The diocese responded very openly to the pastor's request.
"Cardinal Reinhard Marx gave me his blessing for this journey, also because as archbishop it is also important to him that the monasteries in his diocese can live."
"I'm going from boss to apprentice"
Vogelsang cannot yet say anything about his future activities in the monastery. “I will first become a postulant and then a novice, so from now on, so to speak, from boss to apprentice.” And his first lesson is to get to know everything in and around the monastery. Perhaps he will one day be able to teach in the grammar school, or be “loaned” to the surrounding parishes as a pastoral worker. "You will see - I am full of confidence that Abbot Peter will find the right job for me."
When asked whether such a change in life would be difficult for him, Vogelsang replied: “I'm sure I'm starting something new and unfamiliar. But I can build on a lot of what I have already experienced and learned in life and what has become important to me over the years. ”And:“ I have known and valued the monks, in whose community I am allowed to enter, for a long time “, He emphasizes. “I'm really looking forward to going with you. And everything else will show. ”This also includes changing the first name. “I already have an idea.” But he wants to keep it to himself for the time being.
As a reminder of his time as pastor in Schäftlarn, Vogelsang has remained one thing above all: “The people and their warmth.” In a certain way, it is also what he wants to give his successor on the way: “What matters is that you are likes the people with whom a Christian and a priest can live and work together. If you approach people openly and full of love, you get a lot back. "