Cathedral on the Heide: Herz Jesu parish celebrates 100 years

CATFISH. The Wels Herz Jesu parish in the Neustadt district is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. The church with its two 73.5 meter high church towers in the immediate vicinity of the clinic is the largest church in Wels and an anchor for the approximately 5,600 Catholics in Welser Neustadt, but also for many hospital patients and their relatives.

“Our basic function is to uplift and strengthen people,” emphasizes pastoral assistant Birgit Poimer. She is part of the parish team around dean and provisional parish priest Peter Neuhuber, the Indian-born chaplain Father Vincent, Sister Beate and volunteers such as parish council chairman Walter Pauer, who is also intensively involved in the history of the “Cathedral on the Heide”.

Initiator Pastor Flotzinger

The initiator of the church building was the city priest Josef Flotzinger. The laying of the foundation stone – the foundation stone comes from the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem – took place in 1905 with Archduchess Marie Valerie. The church was consecrated on June 25, 1911. The Herz Jesu parish was finally officially founded on January 1, 1925. The signature of the then bishop dates from New Year’s Eve 1924. Those responsible for the parish therefore decided to celebrate the anniversary this year. Also because in January 2025 the Herz Jesu parish will merge into a larger unit due to the structural reform of the church. Pastor Peter Neuhuber will lead this new parish, consisting of 14 parishes from Wels and Wels-Land, together with pastoral director Angelika Gumpenberger-Eckerstorfer and administrative director Martin Roither.

Why the Neustadt’s landmark was made so large “can also be explained by the fact that it was already clear back then that Wels could expand primarily towards the north; in the south the Traun was the border,” says parish council chairman Pauder. The size can also be explained by the huge crowds attending church services at the time, often with more than 1,000 visitors. Until the Herz Jesu parish was founded, there were only two parishes in Wels, the city parish and the suburban parish.

During the Second World War, the church towers of the mighty sacred building were in the way of air traffic. They wanted to remove the two towers up to the church clocks, but fortunately this didn’t happen.

Renovations are pending

The parish church was completely renovated inside and out a few years ago. However, the ravages of time are already taking their toll on the church building. Part of the roof needs to be renovated because it rains in and the electrical system also needs to be replaced. Money is being collected for this purpose, and a large flea market in September is also intended to raise money for the construction work.

What would a parish be without the volunteers, the sacristans, those responsible for the liturgy or flower decorations? “Everyone contributes their talents and when someone is needed, there is always someone,” emphasized pastoral assistant Poimer and PGR chairman Pauder in unison. Due to the shortage of priests, lay people in parishes are more challenged than ever, but they also have more scope for action.

Worth mentioning, for example, is the Pfarrcaritas team led by pharmacist Fritz Strand, who takes care of people in emergency situations and supports them quickly and unbureaucratically. The Catholic Education Center regularly organizes events such as a lecture in April with climate expert Helga Kromp-Kolb.

The history of the Bach Choir is inextricably linked to the history of the Herz Jesu Church parish. The well-known choir provides music for the services at high masses on major holidays. Another choir in the Herz-Jesu parish is the “Flott-z-Singers”.

Anniversary program “100 Years of the Sacred Heart Parish”

• Sunday March 17th4 p.m.: Children’s musical “The Church Year Express – When Woodworms Go on a Journey” in the parish hall
• Friday, April 19th7 p.m.: At the invitation of the Kath. Bildungswerk, the well-known climate expert Helga Kromp-Kolb gives a lecture.
• April 27th: Parish trip to the Steyler Missionaries at St. Gabriel in Mödling
• June 7th to 9th: Anniversary celebration, exhibition opening to mark 100 years of the Sacred Heart Parish, church tours, escape room in the church as well as mass and parish festival on June 9th

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