Cardinal Reinhard Marx's request for resignation also preoccupies the Bruckers.
The Archbishop of Munich and Freising was a guest at the Fürstenfeld monastery church five times.
He donated the sacraments, discussed at the ecumenical church convention and also had time for one or two personal conversations.
Fürstenfeldbruck -
"When Reinhard Marx came, he had a very conservative reputation," remembers Bernhard Utters, a member of the diocesan council.
In several conversations he got to know and appreciate the archbishop.
“A baroque type,” as he says.
"Marx has developed very positively into a person who is willing to talk and willing to reform." One could easily discuss with him.
"But you have to have a clear position."
Utters accompanied some of the visits of the archbishop to the district.
On his first trip through the district, he moderated a round of talks with the mayors - the first personal encounter.
Cardinal Marx was in Fürstenfeld for the first time on July 16, 2011. Since the parish church of St. Bernhard was being renovated at that time, he donated the sacrament of Confirmation to the youth of the parish in the monastery church. At the subsequent reception in the monastery courtyard there was also time for discussions, recalls Friedrich Deschauer, chronicler of St. Bernhard.
When Fürstenfeld celebrated the 750th foundation festival in 2013, Marx celebrated the pontifical service on May 20.
"When Pastor Albert Bauernfeind said appreciatively when greeting the Cardinal that he had never seen the monastery church so full, the Archbishop said modestly, the decisive factor was not the encounter with him, but with Christ in faith," remembers Deschauer.
Marx described the history of the church, in which heaven and earth would meet, not only as a story of jubilation, but also as a "history of fear, failure and breaking up".
Church has to renew itself again and again.
At the reception in the Churfürstensaal, Marx signed the city's Golden Book.
At the Kirchentag
At the Ecumenical Church Congress in June 2015, the archbishop discussed with the Evangelical Lutheran regional bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, President Ansgar Hörsting from the Association of Free Evangelical Congregations in Germany and a representative of the Romanian Orthodox Archdiocese of Germany.
In the Holy Year proclaimed by Pope Francis, Marx opened the “Gate of Mercy” to the monastery church on April 16, 2017 and celebrated worship with the faithful.
At the end of 2017, the Archbishop approved the resignation of the seriously ill pastor Albert Bauernfeind with a heavy heart.
Concerned about the believers in the orphaned parish association, Marx came to Fürstenfeld for the last time on January 28, 2018.
After the service, he stopped to talk, recalls Deschauer.
“He's a laid-back guy and can be very funny.” He also experienced this when he was awarded the Korbinians Medal in 2015. Marx came to his table at the reception.
"We had a nice chat."
Reinhard Marx was always close to people, says Bernhard Utters.
“Even if he sometimes seemed very distant.” Utters remembers a very personal conversation about South Africa during an exhibition opening.
And the celebration of his 60th birthday - "a big family celebration".
All the more, both were shocked by the resignation.
"It was a blow for me, we need the man with us," says Deschauer.
Because the church needs men and women who would open their mouths.
Something that Marx always did.
But Pope Francis has not yet agreed.
"I secretly hope that the Pope says, stay with those Munich people who need you."
Marx takes political responsibility for the way the church as an institution has acted on the subject of abuse, adds Utters.
But it is only a request for resignation in the archdiocese.
"He will certainly take on an important role."
