2009年4月11日

Catholic Churches in the Netherlands ~ E.E.Jansen


Dear readers.

This time we going sightseeing to three different Catholic Churches in the Netherlands
The places are located in the North and East part of the Netherlands and well in the places: Ootmarsum, Oldenzaal, Delfzijl.
Mrs. Louisa (周治菁)visit all three places during her holidays and visit in each place one of the Catholic Churches.
We start in Ootmarsum a small village in the east part close to the German Border. Population around 15.000 people 95% of the people are Catholic. One Catholic Church in the center of the village on a round square around the square some pups is situated and also the presbytery is situated at that square. Close by you are able to find a old Nunnery.
This Nunnery was in use until 2005. A real estate developer bought it in 2005. The village is from historical value so the outside can’t be change in to any modern style. First they plan to build luxury apartment s in it. Later that plan was canceled. For the moment every plan is rejected by the town council and the historical monument organization that is a part of the Netherlands Government who has very strict rules about historical buildings. On the opposite side of the nunnery was an orphanage and were part of the nunnery .Also this does not longer exist. The last children left there in 1995. I know this all very well due to that my wife spent her childhood in this place in the orphanage. When we were engaged and the first 2 years that we were married twice a month we visit the orphanage and even I been inside the nunnery
That was a great privilege. After two years we moved from Oldenzaal to Delfzijl. And the visits became less frequently due to the distance. Now back to the church. The church was built around 1900.
When the church was finish is was every Saturday evening and Sunday and every morning during weekdays full with people the church playing an important role not only for the people from Ootmarsum but for other small village who are laying around Ootmarsum. There was a period that the church has 1 father 4 priests and 3 to 4 curates. At that time they there were no cars at that time and all home visits had to be done by walking and later by bicycle. It takes a long time to visit all families from time to time. During the 2nd world war the church were playing a great role. They hide in the church and even in the nunnery people who were escaped or on the move for the Germans.
Just before the 2nd world war ended The Germans held a rate and executed 10 men were of the father and the verger. This is a black page in the history from the church of Ootmarsum.
Also in the war the Church was attacked by gun fire from first the Germans and later from the Canadian and British soldiers who liberated the Netherlands from the Germans. The impact from the bullets and grenade shells are still visible in the walls from the Church. The surrender from the Germans was on the 5th of May 1945 the Father and the 9 others were executed on 24th of April 1945.
After the war the damage on to the church were repaired and a lot of stolen things came back the most value things were hide in the Nunnery and were saved. This was not happened in every church in the Netherlands. On the 5th day of May 1940 the Germans put the city of Rotterdam in fire to force the Dutch Government to surrender.
It takes more than 20 years to rebuild this church.
Now a day the church in Ootmarsum need a big restore from inside, the outside is be done but inside a lot of work have to be done. And as it is as every were now a days in every church there is no more money to do it. The benches are moved away and plastic chairs came back it looks not nice at all. They church try with all kinds of fancy fairs and selling candles’ to collect money to keep this church up to date. ~ to be continued ~

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