Golden Priesthood Jubilee: Wernsmann looks back humorously!

Golden Priesthood Jubilee: Wernsmann looks back humorously!

Last Saturday a very special anniversary was celebrated in Steinfurt: Pastor Heinrich Wernsmann, who has been retired for eight years, was able to celebrate his golden jubilee as a priest. At a festive Eucharistic celebration, the congregation honored the five decades that Wernsmann has dedicated to his faith and his service as a priest. With a smile he remarked: “I have probably more or less succeeded in this,” recalling his long and committed career in the church.

Wernsmann is not only known in the community, but has also left his mark in the larger church community. His life story reflects that of the many priests who are committed to their faith. This will be in one open letter of eleven priests of the Archdiocese of Cologne, which addresses their experiences and disappointments and provides impulses for the future. The letter received a positive response from the church public and the media.

A moving legacy

Emeritus pastor Heinrich Wernsmann expressed his delight at the appreciation of the special religious value when it came to this Collegiate cross went. The cross, which was stolen from the St. Nikomedes Church in Steinfurt-Borghorst in 2013, was recovered in 2017. A 42-year-old Turk from Bremen was recently convicted of selling the valuable cross for 150,000 euros. The Münster regional court had decided that he was not considered to have commissioned the theft, but was sentenced to a suspended sentence because of his sale.

The presiding judge, who underlined the special value of the collegiate cross, also noted that the matter was only partially clarified because not all participants in the process provided complete information. Nevertheless, negotiations continue about the return of the cross to Borghorst, which is of great importance for the community.

A look into the future

A lot has happened in the Catholic Church in recent years. The open letter from the priests from Cologne reflects the need for reform and renewal, which is also shared by Wernsmann. It remains to be seen how the church will develop in the coming years and what impulses will come from committed pastors like Heinrich Wernsmann.

This is how the present sees a priest who looks back on a fulfilled life and at the same time continues to advocate for the positive development of the community. His Golden Jubilee is not only a look back, but also a call to courageously address the challenges facing the Church.