The Holy Family Parish Centre in Geretsried has been in existence for 50 years. Numerous events are planned for the anniversary of the consecration.
Geretsried – Compared to other churches, it is almost invisible: the Holy Family on Johannisplatz. It is located between residential buildings, primary school, industrial plant and nature reserve. The Catholic church with its parish centre is an inconspicuous and flat building that follows its own rules – revolutionary 50 years ago and ahead of its time. Today, the Holy Family is "in the middle of life", as parish priest Andreas Vogelmeier says. The 50th anniversary will be celebrated for almost a whole month.
Altar stands in the center of the church - on the same level as the faithful
Vogelmeier has been head of the Catholic town church in Geretsried for two and a half years. He holds services both in Mary Help of Christians and in the Holy Family – both are successors to the former emergency churches that were set up in old bunkers in the 1950s. The Maria-Hilf-Kirche is a few years older and classically built. "In the beginning, it was a different feeling to hold services in the Holy Family," the priest recalls. There, the altar stands in the middle of the church – on the same level as the faithful.
First plans as early as 1964
Review: After initial plans for a new parish center in 1964, a plot of land was purchased in 1968. This was followed by an architectural competition, which was won by the Munich office of Groethuysen & Schreiber, and finally the start of construction in 1971. In July of the following year, the ceremonial laying of the foundation stone took place with Auxiliary Bishop Ernst Tewes. "May a place of encounter be created here and a lively church life may unfold for the glory of God and for the salvation of the people in the community," Tewes is quoted as saying in the Geretsried Chronicle.
For many, the Church is built entirely in the spirit of the Second Vatican Council. The functions of a parish centre – church interior with foyer, chapel, day-care centre, offices, meeting rooms and apartments – are all located under one roof in a two-storey square building. The architecture stood for the "awakening in the Catholic Church", looks back Dr. Christian Herzog, who already wrote the commemorative publication for the 20th anniversary of the parish centre. In the Church, this change continues. There is a square room without a tabernacle, in the center of which is the altar at ground level. Pomp and splendour were deliberately dispensed with, and there was also no possibility to kneel down during the transformation.
+Simple but harmonious is the parish center on Johannisplatz.
© Hans Lippert
With this change, some people in the church community had their problems, Herzog admits. So it took a few years until older parishioners in particular accepted the church with the altar in the middle. However, by positioning the altar in the middle, the faithful are involved in the celebration of the service from all sides. "Later, a Way of the Cross and an organ were added," adds Bernhard Sappl, former altar boy and chairman of the parish council of the Holy Family for seven years. "The organ replaced the old harmonium, which sounded terrible in the end."
The interior of the church is changeable - for this reason
Is there a church that the parish priest prefers? "Both have their advantages," says the clergyman when asked. Due to the significantly elevated position of the altar, he sees all believers in Mary's help – this is not possible in the Holy Family. The fact that he has a third of the visitors behind him doesn't bother him, says Vogelmeier. In return, he is closer to the people of the community. And: "The space is incredibly changeable, which is not possible in a baroque church," says the Geretsrieder-by-choice. Because the tabernacle – where the consecrated hosts are kept – is located in its own sacrament chapel, interreligious celebrations would also be possible in the Holy Family, explains the parish priest.
+The crane is in place: construction work on the parish centre on Johannisplatz began in autumn 1971.
© Holy Family
As open as the Holy Family is to the faithful, so is the festive program. Before the eve services in the jubilee season, there will be a "Market of Opportunities", where all groups of the city church will have the opportunity to introduce themselves. One of these services – on Saturday, 24 June – will have the character of a workshop and will be prepared in the morning. Herzog: "People should have the opportunity to design a church service with their ideas."
Illuminated lettering comes on the façade
In the future, by the way, not only the bell from the old bunker church and a cross on the forecourt will point to the church. According to Vogelmeier, illuminated lettering will be attached to the façade. Then everyone knows that the low-rise building houses a place of worship.
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