GERMANY, fma. “We are swimming in the great current of graces toward Jubilee 2014 and some obstacles exist, but above all there are many experiences which show that the impossible is possible. The Holy Virgin is triumphant…” Renate and Christian Immler de Kempten have faced more than one wall that seemed impossible to conquer, along with a small, untiring group that believe in the Joseph Kentenich School and for whom they have “lived, loved, and suffered”. Now the development is taking on a dynamic that even surprises them, and they tell us: “We join the current of 2014 with joy, and we present the founding of our school as an offering to the Jubilee. This year we want to begin with two classes (first and third) and next year with another two. In this way, we will have all the courses for an elementary school (first to fourth) by the Jubilee.” One elementary school, a school taught with Father Kentenich’s pedagogy, just as they are successfully carried out in dozens of schools throughout the world.
Last November it seemed impossible to break down the barriers for founding the school: it was not recognized by the Church, registrations were slow, there was almost no response after and intensive public relations work…And then, in February, without intervention: it was recognized as a Catholic school according to Canon 803 cic by the Bishop, Dr. Konrad Zadarsa, Diocese of Augsburg, and a little later it was visited by members of the Swabian government. Roman Völk (architect), the school inspector of the city of Kempten Johann Fasser, government experts of pedagogy and school buildings from Swabia as well as, Mrs. Vogel, the person in charge of the approval procedure, also visited the building.
Mr. Fasser, who is charge as school inspector, was very happy about the future enrichment of the school panorama through this new private Catholic school. He will help whenever it is necessary; the doors are evidently wide open.
“I want to register my son”
February 28, 2010. There was a information meeting for parents and guardians, another of the many that have been held. This time it was a success. The parents are enthusiastic, some of them registered immediately after the meeting.
Even specialized people such as professional educators or teachers have registered their own children because they are convinced of the effectiveness of this idea. Especially the balance between freedom (free work, individual help, movement during class, projects that are initiated by the children with open results) and ties (ties to the teacher as a person of reference, weekly schedule, control, limits, state plan of study) has a positive echo with the parents.
Moreover they are very appreciative that the inclinations of the children will play a fundamental role, that their talents will be strengthened, and also their weaknesses will be respected and supported, and that the support of their strong points will have a priority over the elimination of the weaknesses.
An observation: that parents who have been suffering great pressure, who feel or have felt that their children do not fit in the regular school, may experience this school as a true blessing. There are gifted children, children with vision problems, or with problems of mobility. Here they find an atmosphere in which they feel accepted and the teachers take their personalities seriously, trying to support them in the best way possible.
A mother recently visited the school, and the following day she called and said: “I want to register my son! Is there still space available? I had already spoken with her kindergarten teacher expecting her objections, but she supported me, and she confirmed my decision- that this school is the best one for my son. She had participated in a information meeting about the Joseph Kentenich School, and she was very impressed with the program. Moreover, she knows another mother who wants to register her son, and she will make contact to form a carpool to take the children to school.”
“Today we again have two new registrations”, said Renate Immler on March 2nd. Now the school is working, and we are enjoying the fruits of our work of public relations considered as ‘hopeless'”…
And now: no renting, rather we will buy immediately
The original idea was: to rent a building for the school and another temporary one outside of the enclosure for the space that was lacking. The rental leases have already been signed. In the outer classrooms, there is one for tools and a multifunctional one, the government placed some materials at the disposal of the children that would have been very expensive to acquire, an expense that is not related with the temporary use of these classrooms.
And if this is not enough of all the “hopeless” and the “madness” that has been undertaken to found the school, now a new impossible step: not to rent, but to buy immediately. The actual school is L shaped building, and it is planned to make it U shape, with a multi-purpose hall in the center and a beautiful interior patio.
The acquisition of the school building, including the costs of the land and the secondary cost of remodeling will be approximately (350m²) 700.000 €. The school receives a reimbursement from the government, and the parents receive a school voucher. With this income, this sum can be paid within the next twenty-five years, and it will be less expensive than renting. Now, we “only” need to collect our own capital that is necessary to obtain a credit of approximately 380.000 € – and a private loan would also help.
Who wants to be a part of such a project, of a project and gift for the jubilee of 2014? You can help in the following way:
100 € will obtain 1m² of land.
230 € will buy 1m² of land with a part of the present building.
2.000 € will finance 1m² of new construction.
Renate Immler is simply convinced– the impossible is possible.
Kentenich-Pädagogik e.V.
Feuerschwenden 57
87471 Durach
Tel. +49/831/56599284
kentenich-schule@online.de
www.josef-kentenich-schule.de
For donations – International Bank Data
Ligabank Augsburg, Germany
BIC: GENODEF1M05
IBAN: DE05750903000000246123
Celina M. Garza, San Antonio, Tx. Spanish/English translation – M.P. Janknegt: English edit
