The Catholic parish community in Starnberg has had another pastor since the beginning of the month.
dr
Bruno Kasongo strengthens the team around the city pastor Dr.
Andrew Jall.
The 59-year-old comes from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and has lived in Germany for 20 years
Starnberg
- Sometimes it doesn't take much to feel at home.
for dr
Bruno Kasongo (59) it was a lettering on a bench in the garden of the Starnberg vicarage that gave him a comfortable feeling.
"Hakuna Matata" is engraved on a tag there.
"Hakuna Matata" is a saying from the African language Swahili, means something like "Everything is fine, there is no problem" and fits quite often in the life of a satisfied person.
And Bruno Kasongo is satisfied.
Since the beginning of the month he has been a pastor in the Starnberg Catholic parish community.
The 59-year-old is thus strengthening the team around the city pastor Dr.
Andreas Jall and Pastor Dr.
Tamas Czopf, who continues to spend half of his working hours in Starnberg to support Father Alfons Blüml and retired Pastor Roland Bise.
An increase in pastors in times of priest shortage.
Jall speaks of a "lucky coincidence".
Originally, Czopf wanted to focus more on his teaching activities, which is why the diocese of Augsburg advertised a position in Starnberg, he explains.
At the same time, Kasongo's contract as pastor in the diocese of Regensburg expired.
He read the advertisement, applied for the position in Starnberg and was accepted.
At the same time, Czopf's plans for the future were dashed for the moment.
Bruno Kasongo was born in the village of Kabamba in the south of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
He grew up in Lubumbashi, the second largest city in the country, along with four brothers and five sisters.
He studied philosophy and theology, was ordained a priest in 2000 and came to Germany in 2002.
He then continued his studies at the Ludwig-Maximilians-University (LMU) in Munich and was employed as a chaplain in Stockdorf, among other things.
In 2009 he received his doctorate and took on German citizenship.
From 2011 he worked for more than ten years in the diocese of Regensburg.
"Bavaria is my homeland," says Kasongo in an interview with Starnberger Merkur.
He likes folk music (“that's living music”) and traditional costumes (“in the Congo, too, people wear hats with feathers”).
He loves Lake Starnberg (“I was often here when I was in Stockdorf”).
And he already feels like he has arrived in Starnberg (“the people are very friendly and have welcomed me well”).
For Andreas Jall, Bruno Kasongo is also a stroke of luck because parish officer Richard Ferg and parish assistant Magdalena Görtler left the parish in August.
In addition, the position of head of administration has not been filled for three years.
The entire administrative work, preparations for confirmation and first communion, planning of carol singers and other activities and much more is therefore spread over fewer shoulders in addition to pastoral activities, church services and the administration of the sacraments.
Now Kasongo can also take on tasks.
"It's a gift," says Jall.
"We'll see in which areas he gets involved." It is important to him that everyone develops where he enjoys it and where he has his strengths.
Jall also sees the fact that Kasongo has African roots as a strength.
"There is a great joy of faith in Africa," says the city pastor, who himself lived in Kenya for a year and a half.
Although the universal church stands on a foundation, it develops its own identities in the respective cultures.
In the Nairobi Cathedral, the Holy Family is of course depicted as an African family, he gives as an example.
Bruno Kasongo has already noticed that the Christians in Starnberg are curious about him and want to learn a lot about him and his homeland – he mingled with the churchgoers twice after the service in St. Maria.
"The Church in Africa is very poor but very vibrant," says Kasongo.
"People stick together, for example in the event of death or illness." He now wants to exemplify and experience this community in Starnberg.
There will be receptions to get to know each other this Sunday, October 2, after the 10 a.m. service in Söcking, on Sunday, October 9, after the 9 a.m. service in Perchting, and on Sunday, October 16, after the 10.15 a.m. service in St. Maria.
By the way: "Jambo" in Swahili means something like "Greetings God".