Congratulations to Our Parish Priest,Monsignor Karlheinz Knebel on his promotion to Vicar General of the Diocese of Augsburg commencing July 2008.
A priest of many talents and great holiness,Monsignor was born in Füssen and decided at an early age he wanted to serve God as a priest.
Bishop Walter Mixa on Tuesday 1st April 2008 informed the Cathedral Chapter and Conference that the present post holder,Prelate Josef Heigl was standing down due to health reasons.The Bishop thanked Prelate Heigl for the great work he has done whilst in the post.The Bishop then told the Chapter & Conference that he had chosen Monsignor Karlheinz Knebel,Parish Priest of Füssen,Dean and Regional Dean to succeed Prelate Heigl as Vicar General.
Monsignor will take over his new post on the 4th July 2008,the feast of St Ulrich,Patron of the Diocese.
Monsignor will take charge of the administration,personal and pastoral matters in the Diocese on behalf of the Bishop.
Monsignor has been a priest of the Diocese for 30 years on the 18 June 2008.Interesting that he is the first priest in the history of the Diocese to hold this position and actually know what its like to run a Parish.Most Bishops pick Administrators to run the show,thank God,our wise Bishop has put a priest in the position who has knowledge of bringing Christ to others in the parishes!May the loss of Monsignor to the Parish be the Churches Gain!
Bishop Mixa was his 1st Parish Priest when he became a curate!
We pray that God will greatly bless Monsignor in his new post.
Kath.Net News Item
Katholisch.De News Item
Allgäer Zeitung Füssener Blat News item
Acht Seligkeiten Website breaking the News
St Mang Basilica Official German Website News
HOW THE GOOD NEWS WAS REPORTED IN THE AUGSBURG DIOCESAN PAPER
20 YEARS BRINGING CHRIST 'S LOVE TO THE PEOPLE OF FÜSSEN!
Karlheinz Knebel was born in Füssen,Bavaria,Germany,on 26th October 1951.He was baptised in the Hospital Chapel. He is the only child of Gustav(RIP) & Amalie Knebel.
Karlheinz was confirmed by Bishop Dr.Josef Freundorfer.
He made his 1st Holy Communion in the Basilica of St Mang in Füssen,and used to serve daily Mass in the Hospital Chapel at 0600hrs!
When he was 14 he felt the call to a Priestly vocation.His father had a great influence on his life and one can be sure that his parents helped the future Priest to follow this calling.
He went to the Diocesan Seminary at Augsburg to study Theology for the Priesthood.
He was Ordained in the "Hohen Dom" in Augsburg on 18. Juni 1978.
His 1st Parish Priest was Father Walter Mixa,Now Bishop of Augsburg and Bishop of the German Forces.He learnt much from the future Bishop spiritually.
He has served in the following Parishes:
City Chaplain,(Curate) Schrobenhausen St. Jakob,
Nördlingen St. Josef & St. Salvator,
Kempten St. Lorenz,
Parish Priest Utting am Ammersee
20 years ago,on 22nd July 1987, he was made the Parish Priest of St Mang in Füssen by Bishop Stimpfle.
In 1989,he became Dean.
In 2005,He became Regional Dean of Kaufbeuren and Leader of the Füssen Partnership of Churches.
So what has Monsignor,done for the Parish in those 20 years?
Well the Catholic kindergarten,St Gabriel, was in huge debt.He has turned that round and it is now viable with more and more children attending it.A new classroom opened in September 2007.It is the largest kindergarten in the area.The state schools allow him to teach a religious lesson once a week to the 3rd class.Other Parish workers also teach the children.
4 separate Parishes have become one, although they still work autonomously, apart from the Liturgy of the Word for children.
He has made a Shrine to Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos who was Born,Baptised and educated in Füssen.
He has tried to make the Basilica not only a place of intense prayer and spirituality, but also a centre of culture,both artistically and musically.
He has also been responsible for carrying out extensive renovation of the Basilica of St Mang and other churches in Füssen.
He is Dean of Füssen and Area Dean of the Kaufbeuren District of Augsburg Diocese.
He has brought a human touch to his ministry enabling all to find him easily approachable.His spirituality,prayer and sound advice in the confession have helped many to grow in their faith.
Monsignor Knebel has 4 saints who he would call his favourites:
St Therese of Liseaux.Became a Carmelite at the age of 15.Lived her "Little Way" in the convent until she died aged 24.Her hidden life was full of the love of God.She offered her life and suffering to God.She was pronounced a Doctor of the Church and is Patron Saint of the Missions.
St Francis of Assisi Gave up all the riches and high life he had, to live the life of poverty and love for the Lord.Had many trails and tribulations in his life.He went to Rome to visit Pope Innocent III.The Pope at first refused to see Francis and his companions.However that night he had a dream of Francis holding up a collapsing church.He called him back and allowed him to found the Franciscan order.St Francis of Assisi had the stigmata.
St Magnus:What priest who was born,baptised and now Parish Priest of Füssen,wouldn't have the "Apostle of the Allgäu"as his favourite Saint.Little is known of St Mang except he was in Füssen and founded the Monastory here.Legends abound about his killing dragons in the locality.The bones of St Magnus were buried in his own little Chapel he had built.But in 850 the bones were transferred to the new grave in the crypt.One piece of bone was transferred to St Gallen in Switzerland.
250 years later around 1100 all the bones of the Saint disappeared.They got a splinter of the saints bone from St Gallen and it is now kept as a relic in the glass Cross over the main alter of the Basilica. Mass is celebrated every Monday at 0830hrs in the crypt where he was origionally buried.His Feast Day is 6th September.
Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos The "cheerful ascetic",Born,baptised and schooled in Füssen.Went to Diocesan Seminary in Augsburg.There he meet some Redemptorists.He realised that this was his vocation and joined them on their American Mission to German speaking immigrants.He died of yellow fever in New Orleans.
About his life as a Priest Monsignor told us,
"Der Priester ist ein Freund Jesu Christi.
"The Priest is a friend of Jesus Christ
Durch die Weihe ist er ganz eng mit ihm verbunden.
Through the Consecration you are connected very closely with Him.
Er soll der Kirche dienen und die Liebe Christi zu den Menschen tragen.
The Priest should serve the Church and take the love of Christ to all men.
Diese Aufgabe hat jeder Getaufte auch, aber Jesus fragt den Priester "liebst du mich mehr".
Every Baptised person has this mission,but Jesus asks me as a Priest to "Love Him more".
Ich kann nur antworten: Ja Herr du weißtalles, du weißt auch, dass ich dich liebe."
I can only answer "You know everything Lord,You know I love you"
We asked what advice he would give a young person who felt they had a vocation to the religious life.He told us:
"Wenn Jesus sagt folge mir nach, dann habe ich es als befreiend empfunden: ihm ganz nachzufolgen und zwar in der Art und Weise wie ich es kann. "
"When Jesus askes you to follow Him,I felt liberated to follow Him in the way that I can."
The photos below show the end of the special Anniversary Mass.Monsignor shared the celebration with Father Rudolph Böhm who was celebrating his Golden Jubilee of Ordination to the Priesthood.The children had finished their special prayer service and had waited outside St Mang for 35 minutes to present their gifts to the priests. They presented Father Böhm with 50 golden roses and Monsignor Knebel with a sunflower.
(Photo below copyright Manfred Sailer-Link) 
Above photo copyright Alfred Vogler.Link
The Mass was
Golden Jubilee of Ordination of Father Rudolph Böhm
20 Year Anniversary of Monsignor Karlheinz Knebel becoming Parish Priest of Füssen
MASS IN C-MAJOR FROM LUDWICK VAN BEETHOVEN
(Photo copyright Manfred Sailer link)
Soloists:
Dr:Miriam Rosenthal-English-Soprano
Sabrina Tiedtke-Alto
Dr.Klaus Donaubauer-Tenor
Willie Pirzer-Bass
Motet Choir & Church Choir.
Füssen Chamber Orchetra with John Westerdoll as Leader.
Conductor-Albert Frey.