The Fate of the Abbey Remains Uncertain: More German Cloisters Closing

The cloister was founded in order to inform the soul of the way to life.   Will their walls receive the dark consecration to serve the cult of the body?

(kreuz.net) It is unclear if the Abbey Michealsberg can continue as the spiritual center of the city of Siegburg. The Bonn paper, the 'General-Anzeiger' said on January 26th.

Only one thing is sure:  the monks must leave the cloister after 946years.  The one or the other of them apparently had the interest to align themselves with the Steyler Missionaries.

According to the paper investors for hotels or wellness-spas have been contacted.

A speaker for the Archdiocese of Cologne explained, however, that an ecclesiastical use of the people "will have the highest priority".

 An important date is 5. April.

Then  a summit meeting will take place about the future of the Abbey.

The participants:  members of the Archdiocese, the Abbey and of the Benedictine Order as well as the city Dean Peter Weiffen, the business office of the Abbey and the Siegburger Mayor.

Included, the Abbey swept the fate of the Redemptorist-Cloister in Hennef-Geistingen.

There the condominums are in place.  The landmark cloister church will become a convocation hall for corporate events and similar affairs.

A similar fate awaits the once famous Dominican Friary of Walberg in Bornheim.

It was purchased two years ago by the company 'Summit Partners' from Cologne for five million Euros.

Now there is a restaurant, a Catholic kindergarten and homes for the employees of the amusement park.

The 'General-Anzeiger' cited the Cologne Realestate-Firm 'Pro Secur', that specializes in the purchasing of ecclesiastical properties.

The firm has been buying cloisters for about twenty years.

"Presently the company has had a series of closing cloisters in offer" -- says the 'General-Anzeiger'":

The friary of the Dominicans of Neusatzeck with  89 rooms in northern Black Forest was sold for 2,5 Million Euro.

Currently for sale is also the idyllic Cloister of Maria Engelportder Hünfelder Oblates nearby the associated municipalities of Treis-Karden-Rheinland-Pfalz for 2.25 Million Euros or the Cloister "St. Joseph House" in Sunder in Sauerland for 800.000 Euro.

These properties are highly prized by hotels and culinary establishments.

Kreuznet...