Denmark: “few devotees”, the church of Assens closes down. Catholics will go to Mass in Odense

The Church of Our Saviour in Assens has been sold; title to the church will be handed over on April 1^st. “An era is closing down for the Church in Assens”, the general vicar of the diocese of Copenhagen, Niels Engelbrecht, tells the Danish devotees. Catholic Mass had begun to be celebrated in this corner of the island of Funen in 1909 for the Polish people who worked in the local sugar factory; the church had been consecrated in 1927 with funds raised by the Dutch chaplain. Now, for the about 100 Catholics who live in town, “the upkeep of the building” and the huge costs of “making it safe” were not economically viable, the vicar explains. “The diocese had to set out its priorities and look at how many people would have benefited from the few funds available for refurbishments”. In 2001, the parish had been repealed and had been annexed to Odense. Many efforts have been made to look for different financial options. “Unfortunately, it is all over now; this does not mean Mass will never be officiated again in Assens. Twice a month, a priest will be in town for Mass”, the vicar announces. On March 18^th, bishop Czeslaw Kozon will officiate Mass in the Church of Our Saviour for the last time. “We are confident that the Catholics here will stay together, they will support each other in faith and prayer and will help each other, so that they will regularly go to Mass in Odense as well”.