 Bank Details:
Account 87-221172-2
IBAN CH22 0900 0000 8722 1172 2 |
History
Our Statutes
& Bylaws
1999 - Present
We are a community of approximately 150 families from 20 countries,
representing 5 continents. Our community consists of predominantly
younger families, though all ages are represented. We have a wide variety
of spiritual and social programs for children, youth, and adults. Please
see the "Social and Adult Programs and Youth Programs" pages of
our site for more details. The purpose of our community is to maintain and
develop spiritual life among English-speaking Roman Catholics and to
celebrate mass together in the English language. In addition, the
community strives to provide the opportunity for people to gather
together, pray, celebrate, and share in the sacraments of the Roman
Catholic Church in the English language. Even though the community has
increased in numbers over the years, it remains a close family of faith,
welcoming new members to join in celebrating the Word of God together.
1995-1998
As time passed, the members of the community took on more and more
responsibilities. On 2 May 1995, a group of people met with Father Russi
and formed the community's first church council. The council was created
to formalize the existence of the English-Speaking Catholic Community in
the Basel diocese. The council also served to give structure and guidance
to the spiritual, liturgical, and social activities of the community. Its
first request was that the mass in English be celebrated every Sunday (not
just twice a month). Father Kilian Karrer, upon finishing his studies in
Rome and his return to Mariastein Abbey, was asked to support Father Russi
in presiding over the masses beginning in Fall 1995. On 9 April 1996, the
church council began using the name "The English-Speaking Roman
Catholic Community of Basel" for bank records. The community at its
first Annual General Meeting on 27 April 1997 officially approved the name
along with the Statues & Bylaws. Having mass in English every Sunday
was a great milestone for the community. Attendance at mass grew very
rapidly and eventually the community outgrew the chapel at the Katholische
Studentenhaus. In early 1996, the community sought larger facilities and
was generously welcomed by the Bruder Klaus parish in Bruderholz. In May
1996, the mass moved to the chapel in the Bruder Klaus Kirche and, in
January 1997, the mass was moved upstairs to the main sanctuary to
accommodate the growing number of people attending mass.
1989-1994
In February 1989, Father Armin Russi, a Benedictine Monk from
Mariastein Abbey, was given special permission by the Abbot to serve the
English-speaking community of the Basel region. He replaced Father Lukac
and began by saying mass once a month and continued to teach the
children's religious education program. In the beginning, attendance at
mass was very small (sometimes only one family!). When Father Russi was
asked to celebrate mass in English twice a month, he handed over the
responsibility of the children's classes to volunteers. In 1993 a choir
was formed and lay ministers were organized to participate in the mass.
There was also the opportunity to get involved with Adult Faith
Development, Children's Religious Education classes, Youth Group, and
coffee get-togethers after mass. Attendance at mass began to grow.
1987-1988
In 1987, Father Lukac, a Dominican priest from a parish in Reinach,
replaced Father Bitzi. Father Lukac said mass twice monthly, but was
unable to take on the additional responsibility of teaching the children's
religious education classes. Father Armin Russi was therefore asked to
help with the children in 1988.
1979-1986
When Father Zagst left to work as a missionary in Ecuador in 1979,
Father Bitzi was asked to take on the responsibility for celebrating mass
in English once a month. He also began a bible study for adults and First
Holy Communion classes for children.
1970s
The English-Speaking Roman Catholic Community of Basel had its start
in the 1970s when Father Zagst began celebrating mass in English. Mass was
held in the chapel of the Katholische Studentenhaus (Catholic Student
Dormitory on the University of Basel campus) located in the center of
Basel. The small English-speaking community was mostly made up of
expatriates in the Basel region.
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