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On Sunday, 9 January 2022, the deconsecration of the chapel in the former Marienkrankenhaus in Flörsheim was completed with a solemn mass celebrated by Pastor Friedhelm Meudt and Police Chaplain Christian Preis. At the farewell, there was room for mourning. For many decades, the chapel was an integral part of catholic life in Flörsheim.

"We say goodbye to a place that has long served for worship and congregational gathering," said Rev. Friedhelm Meudt in his sermon. As part of the farewell, there was also room for mourning and the odd tear, but overall there was an atmosphere of gratitude and appreciation.

Sr Lucina was in charge of the sacristy and Sr Angelica accompanied all the services on the organ

The Dominican Sisters Sr Christiane Sartorius OP, Sr Ursula Bomholt OP and Sr Dagmar Fasel OP had come to Flörsheim from Neustadt and celebrated the last service together with the Dominican Sisters working in Flörsheim, Sr Lucina Weiss, who provided the sacristy service in the chapel until the end, and Sr Angelica Kliem, who had accompanied all services musically on the organ, also this last service. Even after the closure of the Marienkrankenhaus in 2017, the chapel continued to be used on Fridays and Sundays  for prayer and Eucharistic celebrations. There was - in spite of Corona - a regular church attendance. Especially elderly people and people with walking disabilities appreciated and regularly used the opportunity to worship.

The statue of the Virgin Mary has already found a worthy place in the parish church of St. Gallus

A few weeks ago, the large statue of the Virgin Mary was transferred to the parish church of St. Gallus in Flörsheim. There it has found a worthy place. Many other liturgical objects will also continue to accompany the congregation in the parish church.

In the course of the deconsecration, Sr Christiane Sartorius OP, among others, gave thanks with the prayer: "God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, you have given us your grace and mercy. We thank you in this hour for the faith that we have been able to live and celebrate here, for the love that you have given us in Jesus Christ and that we have been able to experience here, for the hope that you have always given support and stability to this place. We thank you for the service of those who built this chapel and maintained and cared for it. We thank you for the priests and pastors who have worked in this Marian chapel, for the many women and men who have helped to shape the life of the parish and for all those who have been a help to one another on their journey through life."

The ecclesiastical use of the chapel ended with its deconsecration

At the end of the ceremony, the pastors Friedhelm Meudt and Christian Preis performed the so-called deconsecration. This ended the ecclesiastical use of the room on the sixth floor of the hospital, which had begun with its consecration in 1967. Pastor Meudt spoke of a beautiful place. "Especially because of this," the clergyman emphasised, looking at the huge stained glass window that takes up the entire wall behind the altar. The clergyman hopes that there is a way to preserve this wonderful window.

Read also the article in the "Frankfurter Neue Presse”, region Main-Taunus, Flörsheim

Photos: Vanessa Lutz