New university pastor in Vechta: pastoral care and spiritual support for students!

New university pastor in Vechta: pastoral care and spiritual support for students!

In an important new appointment for university pastoral care and mentoring at the church on the Vechta campus, two key positions were filled. Pastor The Hai Nguyen, 47, is now taking on the role of Catholic university chaplain, while theologian Sonja Hillebrand, 44, is taking on the role of mentor for prospective religious education teachers. These changes that occur in one Press release from the University of Vechta announced follow the departure of pastoral officer Peter Havers, who worked at this facility until the end of March.

Pastor Nguyen moved from Lohne to the parish of St. Mary of the Assumption in Vechta last summer and is now striving to get to know the lives of students at the university better. “I want to understand their issues,” he said, emphasizing that the first experiences at the church on campus were entirely positive. Church services take place there every Tuesday and community evenings with fixed topics are planned, with the next topic being digital worlds. Nguyen plans to give the church visibility on campus and seek conversations with students to support them in their faith.

The mentorship for religious teachers

The mentorship under the direction of Sonja Hillebrand is not to be equated with coaching or teaching, but rather has the goal of preparing students for a career as a teacher in the subject of Catholic religion. Hillebrand explains that no grades will be awarded in this context. Instead, the mentorship comprises five components, including days of reflection and an internship in a church institution. Hillebrand was previously a speaker in the Catholic university community in Osnabrück and therefore brings valuable experience to support prospective teachers.

She reveals that the discussions in the mentorship offer space for personal reflections and developments, without the performance being assessed. This is particularly important in order to create a trusting atmosphere. In addition to the educational aspects, the focus is also on spiritual guidance, which is offered in regular individual discussions.

Spiritual accompaniment at the church on campus

The church offerings coordinated by Nguyen and Hillebrand also included spiritual support. This discussion offer is aimed at all people who are looking for support with personal life questions, longings, decisions, social and church commitment, spiritual practices or doubts. These conversations are free of charge and take place at regular intervals, with one hour allocated for each conversation.

Spiritual companions are obliged to maintain confidentiality and have appropriate qualifications. There is also a short profile of the spiritual companions in the office district, which is available to those interested. If you have further questions, those involved can coordinate the appropriate setting by telephone or contact an advice center to receive support.

The church on campus belongs to the Episcopal Münster Office (BMO) and, in addition to pastoral care, also offers rooms for conferences and a special church service atmosphere in the chapel. The team behind these offers consists of Nguyen, Deacon Jens Schulzki and Hillebrand as well as Wiebke Surmann in office and administrative work. In addition, the Vechta e.V. youth development organization provides catering as well as a public café and a regular lunch menu.