Holy Family Catholic Community Engages with Local Ansbach Parish

Photo By Gerlinde Hoyle | Members of the Ansbach Christkoenig Parish gather for group picture at 12th CAB hangar 2  

ANSBACH, GERMANY

06.21.2023

Courtesy Story

U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach

ANSBACH, Germany -- On May 21, the Katterbach Catholic Community of Holy Family at U.S. Army Garrison (USAG) Ansbach joined with the local Catholic parish of Christ Kὅnig to celebrate Mass, their common Catholic heritage, and to strengthen the rapport between host nation community members and the local U.S. military personnel.
This engagement helped further solidify relations between the two congregations after parishioners from Christ Kὅnig were welcomed onto the installation in October 2022 to celebrate Mass at the garrison chapel. Fellowship followed the celebration of Mass and members of the community had the opportunity to visit and share food with members of the local Parish.

During the same visit in October, the Religious Services Office (RSO) team arranged for the parishioners to visit Hangar 2 on Katterbach Kaserne for an up-close look at the Chinook and Apache helicopters stationed on post. Since many citizens of Ansbach only see these aircraft while airborne, the RSO team wanted to offer a goodwill gesture and allow a closer look at these amazing machines our Soldiers operate daily across German airspace.

The sight of these aircraft can sometimes seem imposing and the sound of them loud and disturbing; however, opportunities to familiarize the community with the helicopters operated here often go a long way in maintaining good community relationships.

Additionally in early June, members of the USAG Ansbach community had the opportunity to participate in another unique cultural event during the Feast of Corpus Christi or Fronleichnam with St. Ludwig’s Catholic Parish in Ansbach. This included the celebration of Mass at the Parish as well as a procession through Ansbach Park with the local congregation and community members.

These visits and engagements are just an example of many ongoing Host Nation exchanges that occur monthly across USAG Ansbach and the surrounding communities. Events of this nature aide in helping the military community understand their German neighbors and their culture, while at the same time affording the German community members an opportunity to understand the culture and customs of the local U.S. population.
Are you interested in joining in the next opportunity for a Local National Engagement with the RSO team? Contact the USAG Ansbach Chapel at Katterbach Kaserne for more upcoming events and engagements.

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The U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach military community is located in the Franconian region of Bavaria and is spread across six sites and nine kasernes dispersed around the city of Ansbach and the village of Illesheim. Today, Ansbach is home to the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, the community's largest tenant unit, as well as the 5th Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery Regiment. The garrison takes pride in its support to more than 8,000 Soldiers, civilians and family members working and living in the Ansbach area.

For more news from U.S. Army Garrison Ansbach, visit

https://www.army.mil/FranconianNews or

https://www.facebook.com/usagansbachcommunity/

• Date Taken: 06.21.2023
• Date Posted: 06.21.2023 09:28
• Story ID: 447606
• Location: ANSBACH, DE