Kronach- sarah maria rock-damschen is clearly enthusiastic about her mission – and she appears to be enthusiastic. For this reason, the theologian, who holds a doctorate in theology, decided to forego an academic career at the university in favor of a pastoral role. Since the 1. September 2018 she is working as a pastoral assistant in the parish of st. Nurnberg. Johannes kronach and meanwhile in the whole pastoral area of kronach.
"I feel really carried", she explains in an interview with our newspaper. Getting to know people here in kronach and in the new pastoral area is always a happy moment for her. She is getting ready to work here for a longer period of time.
Already during her baccalaureate, she had to decide: biology or theology. First she enrolled for a degree in biology in mainz. "Even after the first few weeks, I realized that I was missing something, she explains. "I spoke to an evangelical theology student and she said: it’s so great to study theology." She consistently completed her first year of biology, but then she had to make a change. "A very conscious decision. I felt it was right." She began the diploma course in theology with an enormous variety of content. An incredible wealth of knowledge revealed itself to her. Plus fundamental theology and philosophy of religion and in it the confrontation with other religions. In the public perception today, there is a lot of negativity about religion and the church, she says. There are so many areas in which the church can have a beneficial effect.
Her studies became really intensive with all the current topics after she moved to the university of lucerne in switzerland. She was intensively involved in canon law and also completed her doctorate in this subject. Nothing stood in the way of sarah maria rock-damschen’s career at the university. Nevertheless, she decided to serve in the field with the people. Her career took her back to her hometown of nurnberg in 2015, where she worked in the pastoral care area of st. Karl completed her training as a pastoral counselor.
Not an empty faith
She does miss the university and research a little bit. It gives her enormous pleasure to get to the bottom of things. "I made a conscious decision to return to the archdiocese of bamberg and to pastoral care. We do not have an empty faith, she underlines. The question "what can I convey with my person??" Is now an essential task for her. She hopes to at least confront other people with the question of whether there isn’t something more behind it all.
"God is love – that sometimes sounds banal. She sees her task in making this tangible in a sermon, for example. God’s love is inherent in every individual, which every human being can and should experience. Everyone needed encouragement, especially people who are not given enough attention by others, or not at all.
"I get support and appreciation here in kronach", she is happy. She is also involved in the funeral service, but also enjoys working with seniors or first communicants.
How can people find more access to church and faith?? It is important to sarah maria rock-damschen that children hear stories about jesus and god. After first communion and confirmation, she often loses contact with the church. Many came back when they wanted the same for their own children, and realized that faith gave them something too. In kronach she sees a rough bridge in the children’s adventure country services and also in the rhythmo services. Here many are addressed directly. Sarah maria rock-damschen wants people to have the courage to tell others about their faith. "Lived faith is very different."
"If we try to bring even parts of what jesus has shown us into our own lives, we can achieve a lot", the 34-year-old pastoral counselor, who was born in nurnberg, is convinced that. For the past year, she has been married to the classical philologist and philosopher gregor damschen, who works at the university of oldenburg.