Words are important to me... always have been. Yet, this month on my trip to Germany and Austria I found myself at a loss when I couldn't understand the words people were saying. My mind kept telling me I should be able to understand, but with the exception of a word here, a phrase there, I couldn't. But it wasn't just the language difference. Words that I have invested a great deal of meaning in - words like ministry and community - don't have a comparable word in German. And over our time in this beautiful country, I began to realize that it isn't words that mean so much as it is the reality to which they pointed, one which we all share.
But I am getting ahead of myself...
I was in Germany as a guest of the Crossing Over Project... the brainchild of Dr. Karl Albrecht, owner of the Aldi Food Store chain, and reportedly the wealthiest man in Germany. After spending a couple of years in Chicago while opening stores there, Albrecht, a devout Catholic, returned to Germany and began the initiatve called Crossing Over. His intention was to introduce Germans to the American parish experience in the hopes of bringing new life to German parishes.
For the past 5 or 6 years, pastoral leaders ( a term they would never use) came to the US for a month-long parish plunge. They teamed up with members of the Inspire Project who then spent time in German parishes resulting in a great deal of excitement and new ideas all around. The German participants returned to Germany with ideas and energy to start a series of initiatives called Lighthouse initiatives. These were many and varied - such as beginning a rap youth choir.
The project is now coming to a close and Germany hosted their American counterparts for a final two-day conference hosted by the University of Rohr at Bochum. I was invited to attend as a part of the American team - a group of about 20 professors, theologians, parish and diocesan practitioners - who teamed with German professors, theologians, and practitioners to present workshops and major addresses.
This blog is the first of a series I plan to write about my experience of this wonderful joint venture. I invite your comment and thoughts along the way.
