On this occasion, mayor Vojko Obersnel and the head of the city department of health and social welfare, Ankica Perhat sojourned in Neuss on behalf of the City of Rijeka.
Friday, 10 December, the City of Neuss organised a gala Christmas reception for notable persons and businessmen from the whole region. Every year one foreign country is chosen to join the reception as partner. This year, it has been Croatia, in honour of the anniversary of friendship with Rijeka. In addition to the tourism promotion of Croatia, which is under the responsibility of the Consulate General in Düsseldorf, the colours of Croatia and Rijeka were evoked through music performed by the harmony-singing group "Nevera" from Rijeka. The ceremony was also attended by Rijeka archbishop Msgr. Ivan Devčić, the head sister of the Society of Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus from Rijeka, s. Felicita Špehar and the Consul General of the Republic of Croatia to Germany, Vjekoslav Križanec.
This jubilee anniversary of friendship between the two port cities, particularly tied by exceptional circumstances caused by the war, when humanitarian aid from Neuss was precious and often, was marked by another important event. The Croatian sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus headquartered in Rijeka, Drenova, who 42 years ago took over the management of the Nursing home Herz-Jesu in Neuss, where they nursed elderly and unable citizens of Neuss gaining the sympathy and confidence of the citizens of Neuss, are on their leave from Neuss. On this occasion a solemn mass was celebrated at St. Quirinius' Cathedral in Neuss, concelebrated by Msgr. Assmann, PhD Milan Špehar as deputy of the archbishop of Rijeka Msgr. Ivan Devčić and Msgr. Jochen Koenig.
Moreover, a promotion was organised of the bilingual book written by sister Dobroslava Mlakić titled "Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus in Neuss from 1969 to 2009" edited by the Society of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. On this occasion Msgr. Ivan Devčić expressed his joy for the long-standing activity of the sisters in that city, which had given an impulse to the friendship between Rijeka and Neuss lasting for twenty years.
The editor of the monthly publication "Žive zajednice" (Live communities) Adolf Polegubić and the parish priest of the spiritual centre of Neuss and the dean of the district Rhein-Neuss Msgr. Guido Assmann talked abut the monograph.
"Another valuable monograph is available, in particular in addition to those published by Croatian Catholic missions and communities in Germany, devoted to the dedicated work of Croatian people in this country. By all means, the book talks about the devotion of Croatian nuns in Neuss and of their activities in this city. The monograph is appropriately dedicated to the living and deceased sisters who worked in Neuss, as well as to the friends and benefactors whom the sisters accepted as their own members" said Polegubić.
The farewell ceremony solemnly organised at the old City Hall to say good-bye to the sisters, also served as the ceremony on the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of friendship with the city of Rijeka. The mayor of the city of Neuss Herbert Napp thanked the sisters for all that they had done, while the mayor of the city of Rijeka Obersnel said that he always arrived again with joy in that friendly city with which Rijeka already for twenty years had been developing friendship and co-operation in various fields.
"This friendship between Rijeka and Neuss also includes the sisters of the Society of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, who owing to their devoted work lasting for many years, gained the sympathy of the citizens of Neuss, thus paving the way for the friendship between our cities," said mayor Obersnel. He also wished the sisters a happy return to the homeland, to Rijeka and Drenova, where they are expected to assume new duties."
Consul General Križanec congratulated on the twentieth anniversary of friendship between Neuss and Rijeka and thanked the sisters for all that they had done in Neuss.
(S.R., A.P., photographs taken by Adolf Polegubić)
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