On September 16, 2024, about twenty friars from Würzburg, Schönau, Schwarzenberg and Cologne (Germany) took part in a formation course organized by the Province of St. Elizabeth in Germany. The course was on the topic of cultural heritage and took place at the friary in Würzburg.
The course speaker was Bernd SCHMIES, from the “Fachstelle Franziskanische Forschung” (Center for Research on Franciscanism) in Münster, Germany. He outlined the history of libraries in Franciscan friaries and explained how Franciscans today can responsibly manage this part of their history. The Center is a joint initiative of the men’s Franciscan Orders in German-speaking areas. Its purpose is to promote Franciscan study and research. For example, it is currently publishing sources on St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
The formation course turned practical in the afternoon as the friars were shown manuscripts, first printings and the Province’s collection of historical books that have been kept in the Diocesan Archives of Würzburg for several years. The director of the archives, Karin SCHWARZ, gave an overview of the work that has been done. Friar Andreas FIEBACK, who has catalogued over four thousand volumes in recent years, amazed the friars with his knowledge of the book collection and his dedication.
The day ended with Evening Prayer followed by a cheerful dinner.
Friar Andreas MURK
