Old Germanic meeting in Augsburg: A historic event for the church!

Old Germanic meeting in Augsburg: A historic event for the church!

An exciting event is just around the corner: This year's meeting of the Old Germanicians will take place from June 15th to 17th, 2025 in Haus St. Ulrich in Augsburg. 37 participants from five different countries will come together to reflect on six decades of learning, studying and praying in Rome. A varied program is offered, which includes, among other things, a report by the rector Fr. Gernot Wisser SJ on the current situation in the Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum, which was founded in 1552 by Pope Julius III. was founded to improve priestly training in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation. 

As Diocese of Augsburg reports, the meeting will be accompanied by intensive shared prayers and theological reflection on pressing issues facing the church. A highlight is the city tour, which offers participants the opportunity to get to know Roman Augsburg better.

A seminar steeped in tradition

The Pontificium Collegium Germanicum et Hungaricum, colloquially known as Germanicum, has a long history. It was created in 1580 from the merger of the Collegium Germanicum and Collegium Hungaricum and today trains seminarians from over twenty European countries, with a focus on German-speaking countries. The merger was intended to defend against the Reformation and to improve theological education, as explained on Wikipedia.

The regular meetings of old and young Germanics are very popular and are a sign of the lively community that is characterized by exchange and common prayer. Bishop Bertram continues the tradition of the Old Germanic meetings, which was initiated by Friedrich Cardinal Wetter in Freising.

Training in the seminary

Seminaries, such as the Germanicum, are central training centers for candidates for the priesthood in Roman Catholic dioceses. The training includes not only theology, but also spiritual and practical aspects that are essential for future priestly activity. There are different models of training in Germany, with the German Bishops' Conference currently planning to reduce the number of seminar locations to ten in order to counteract the decline in candidates for the priesthood, as can be found in another article about Catholic Seminary.

This shows that the topic of seminaries is highly topical. The challenges of today require new approaches in the training of candidates for the priesthood, who must deal not only with the theological but also with the social framework conditions.

Overall, the Catholic community in Augsburg is looking forward to the upcoming meeting of the Old Germanics. It will be an opportunity to renew old bonds, discover new horizons and pray and work together for the future of the Church.