I spoke to him to ask whether we can use one of his churches, and I received a prompt commitment, as well as a disarming answer: “If the Holy Father has allowed the Old Rite, then why should we not allow it?”
He selected the Parish Church of St. Martinus in Pingsheim. To measure the site, I visited with Father Fuisting (FSSP). The 1844 Romanesque church is landmark-protected and was first established in 1022.
It’s also very beautiful, with a 19th Century high altar and a Cemetery with grave crosses from the 17th through the 19th Century.
The church is much smaller than that of Bliesheim but nonetheless a gem in terms of both the furnishings and the construction; it was of course created for the Old Rite. In Pingsheim, we were even very welcome-- there was strong support by the Church Council and the Sexton.
We fixed on date for 15 April, the Friday after the first Passion Sunday. So, we rehearsed the proper chorales for this with our lay Schola.
Father Fuisting celebrated the Mass, supported by a group of young altar servers from Wesseling.
About 70 believers found their way to Pingsheim for a weekday Mass, for that first time. It had been more than 40 years since the last time the Old Mass was celebrated in that beautiful church.
Since then, we celebrate the Mass at Pingsheim every three weeks, and slowly people are beginning to know this, and believers are finding their way there.
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