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Archbishop of Luxembourg to visit New Ulm, Sleepy Eye

NEW ULM — Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, archbishop of Luxembourg, will visit New Ulm on Sunday, Aug. 7, as a part of a two-week pastoral visit to the Midwest.

His visit is co-sponsored by the Archdiocese of Luxembourg, Honorary Consulate of Luxembourg in Wisconsin, Luxembourg American Cultural Society and other local Luxembourgish societies, including the Luxembourg Heritage Society (LHS) of Southern Minnesota, formed in Sleepy Eye in 2007.

Hollerich’s tour of the Midwest will include visits to Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. His visit to New Ulm and Sleepy Eye represents the only stop of the tour in Minnesota.

Part of the reason for Hollerich’s visit is to carry on a longstanding tradition of his predecessors. Hollerich is the fifth bishop of Luxembourg to make a pastoral visit to the Midwest, following in the footsteps of Bishop Jean Joseph Koppes in 1901, Bishop Léon Lommel in 1965, Bishop Jean Hengen in 1975 and Archbishop Fernand Franck in 2000 and 2007.

Hollerich’s visit to New Ulm is pastoral, but it is also a cultural event for people of Luxembourg descent. One of the goals of Hollerich’s pastoral visit is to experience some of the Luxembourgish communities in the United States and to meet the descendants of immigrants from Luxembourg.

The New Ulm region is known for its German heritage, but the community also has strong roots in Luxembourg. New Ulm Mayor Terry Sveine said many people believe their ancestry is German, but they actually are descended from Luxembourg. Sveine himself was surprised to learn later in life that he had Luxembourg ancestors.

“The is one of the biggest honors we’ve ever had,” he said.

A visit from a cardinal to New Ulm is a significant occurrence.

Hollerich was born in 1958 in Differdange, Luxembourg, but was raised in Vianden, Luxembourg. In 1981, he entered the Jesuit community in Belgium.

He became Fr. Jean-Claude Hollerich on April 21, 1990, when he was ordained a priest in Brussels. From 1990-94, he earned a licentiate in German language and literature at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich and later was a doctoral student at the Centre of European Integration Studies in Bonn.

On Oct. 18, 2002, Hollerich took his perpetual vows as a Jesuit in St. Ignatius Church in Tokyo. He is a member of the Japanese Jesuit province and served as a professor of German, French and European Studies at Sophia University. He also served as vice rector of General and Student Affairs at Sophia University.

Pope Benedict XVI named him archbishop of Luxembourg on July 12, 2011, making him the eighth bishop and third archbishop of Luxembourg.

On Oct. 5, 2019, Pope Francis elevated him to cardinal-priest of San Giovanni Crisostomo a Monte Sacra Alto, making him Luxembourg’s first cardinal.

Hollerich’s visit to New Ulm is Sunday, Aug. 7. He will celebrate Mass at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity. A special gathering will be held at 12:15 p.m. at Turner Hall for a meal and program.

The gathering will include a mayoral welcome, meal service, welcome from the LHS president, Janet Tauer, and a slide show presentation of the LHS organization.

At 2:30 p.m., Hollorich will take a guided visit to the Catholic Cemetery in New Ulm. At 3:30 p.m., he will visit St. Mary’s Church and the Catholic Cemetery in Sleepy Eye.

Those who wish to attend the special meal and program at Turner Hall must reserve a place. Those interested are encouraged to contact Mayor Terry Sveine at 354-1123.

For more information about the visit, please contact Kevin Wester, attache for Cultural Affairs for the Honorary Consulate of Wisconsin, who is coordinating the cardinal’s visit, by email at kevin@luxdualcitizenship.com or call 262-355-5758.

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