Despite the problem of young people: carol singers are sent again
Created: 01/05/2023 07:07
By: Ulrike Osman
After the Corona break, carol singers will be out and about in the district again (example photo dpa).
© Rolf Vennenbernd
On Epiphany and the following Sunday (January 6th and 8th) it's that time again: the carol singers go from house to house, donating blessings and collecting for the children's mission work.
Without corona-related restrictions, everything could finally be as it was before the pandemic.
Could.
District – The forced break also has unpleasant after-effects in this area.
In many places there will be fewer carol singers than before.
"We still need seven children, then we'll have ten groups together," calculates Doris Dormann from Landsberied shortly before Epiphany.
Until the very end, she and her fellow campaigners want to keep looking to motivate more volunteers.
"We do our best," says the parish councilor, adding: "Hope dies last."
Fewer children in Bruck too
The situation is similar in Bruck.
"There are far fewer children who take part," regrets Britta Korsawe-Kiemer from the parish of St. Magdalena.
Instead of eight to ten groups, as before the pandemic, only four caroler teams have come together.
There are many younger people among them, so each group is only out on one of the two days.
"Otherwise it will be too exhausting for the children," says Korsawe-Kiemer.
She is happy that some "old star singers" - young people who had actually already given up - could be reactivated.
They take over the visits to the retirement homes.
In the parish of St. Bernhard, a total of 15 children will set off.
"It used to be 25," says coordinator Ursula Hebrang.
The fact that no new carol singers have grown for two years due to Corona is now noticeable.
For the believers, this means that not everyone can reliably count on a visit from the carol singers.
If you want to be sure that the children in the robes of the Three Kings will ring the doorbell, you can register.
"Otherwise the streets will be walked as far as you can get," says Hebrang.
(
By the way: everything from the region is now also available in our regular
FFB newsletter.)
Understandably, it is hardly possible in the city to cover the same areas as before with fewer carol singers.
It's different in Landsberied - here, as always, the bell should ring at every door.
"Even if we can't get the missing children together, we'll manage it," Doris Dormann is convinced.
The big ones are gone, the little ones aren't here yet
"The big ones are gone, the little ones aren't here yet," reports Claudia Platzdasch from Gernlinden.
Here, too, there will be fewer groups – probably only six instead of the previous eight.
But that's not just because of Corona, the parish councilor believes.
But also because Epiphany is the start of a long weekend this year and many families use it for a short trip.
"If January 6th is the last day of the Christmas holidays, it's easier."
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No super catastrophe
16 groups of three to five children take part in the carol singers in Olching.
"The trend towards it getting a little less was already evident before Corona and is continuing now, but it's not a super catastrophe," says chaplain Robert Daiser, summarizing the situation.
However, due to the break caused by the pandemic, many things are no longer such a natural part of the year as they used to be.
Positive from Türkenfeld
Positive news comes from Türkenfeld.
"Things are looking very good for us," says Edeltraud Konrad, who has been in charge of the carol singers since 2006.
"Eight groups of four children between the ages of seven and 14 go on each of the two days."
How is it that the negative trend stopped in front of the 3800-inhabitant community?
"The children enjoy it," says the supervisor.
"You notice how much some people were looking forward to seeing them." New carol singers are not only growing up within the Catholic community - Edeltraud Konrad also advertises at school.
All children are allowed to participate, regardless of which denomination they belong to or whether they have been baptized.
The supervisor believes that one could identify better with the campaign in Türkenfeld.
Because the money collected locally does not go into the large donation pot of the Kindermissionswerk, but goes directly to the St. Zoe school project in Uganda.
Its initiator, pastor John Kyazze, has close ties to Türkenfeld - and has even roamed the streets with the carol singers.
You can find more current news from the district of Fürstenfeldbruck at Merkur.de/Fürstenfeldbruck.