Hamburg, Germany, May 25, 2010 / 10:46 am
An agreement has been reached between the Vatican and the German city of Hamburg on the creation of a formation center for Catholic theology and methods of teaching religion at the city’s university.
The agreement was signed during a ceremony on May 18 in the city of Hamburg.
Archbishop Jean-Claude Perisset, apostolic nuncio to Germany, represented the Holy See and Herlind Gundelach, minister for science and research of the Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg, represented the city. Also present at the ceremony were Hamburg’s Archbishop Werner Thissen , Auxiliary Bishop Hans-Jochen Jashcke , University of Hamburg vice president Holger Fischer and the dean of the university’s theological faculty.
Though the agreement itself is between the Holy See and the City of Hamburg, the new center will be hosted at Hamburg University. It will focus on formation in Catholic theology and the teaching of religion.
Hamburg University is one of the largest in Germany. Founded in 1919, it has about 38,000 students enrolled in six different schools or faculties.