Bringing the Latin Mass to a German Village
By Paul Dahnen
t. Lambertus in Bliesheim is a 19th century neo-romantic church by
Cologne regional architect Robert Ferdinand Cremer. The brick church has three naves, and a huge 54 meters-high west tower.
Overall, St. Lambertus is very beautiful, and perfect for the Old Rite. There is still an elaborate high altar by the Cologne Master Muschard, who in 1927 carved it from Westphalian stone. The columns of the high altar are made of German marble; the images are Italian marble, of Christ on the Mount of Olives and on Tabor. The church even preserves some valuable historical 19th Century copes and chasubles.
Unfortunately, all this was at first too good to be true. Not long after I inquired, I received from Pastor Hoffsümmer the answer that the Holy Mass in the Extraordinary Rite was prohibited in this church. This, he said, was on the instruction of his superior, Pastor Jansen from Erftstadt –Liblar. When I telephoned Pastor Jansen, I was given a terse reply and not much of a foundation for the decision.
But I was not to be so quickly discouraged; where there's a will, there's a way. Another childhood friend of mine, also a native of Bliesheim, Pastor Willi –Josef Space, is the responsible minister for the parish community Erftstadt-Borde. (He is responsible, as many priests are in Germany for many parishes – a total of six in his case.)
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