The believers of the TauberGau parish community on the Tauberrettersheimer fairground felt that it was visibly difficult for them to say goodbye, not only when saying “Farewell is a bit of sadness”. After 23 years in Lower Franconia, of which the past eight years in Tauberrettersheim, Pastor Wolfgang Zopora and the sick sister Ottilia (73) from the Teutonic Order (DO) go with sadness from the Taubertal to Upper Franconia, in Bavaria’s smallest health resort, Bad Alexandersbad.
The move is necessary because the parish vicar recently celebrated his 70th birthday in the parish community “TauberGau” and was thus put into permanent retirement by Bishop Franz Jung, as is customary in the Dizese Wrzburg.
Bishop Zopora expressed his sincere thanks for his loyal service. Zopora was born in Essen in 1950 and grew up in the Ruhr area. After training as an artificial glazier, he first attended the evening high school in Essen before studying theology in Münster.
He wrote his diploma thesis on “Don Bosco and Politics”. He was ordained priest in April 1989 in Marburg. In 1997 he began his service in the Dizese Wrzburg and was initially a pastor in Grolangheim, Rdelsee and Mainbernheim. In 1998 he became the full-time parish administrator of Mmlingen. In 2003, Bishop Paul-Werner Scheele also appointed him parish administrator of Eisenbach, followed in 2004 by the priest of the Wrzburg district and pastor of Mmlingen and Eisenbach.
In November 2007 he took over the pastor’s position from Rimpar and Kuratus von Maidbronn. In 2010 Zopora also became a clerical adviser to the DJK-Dizesanverband Wrzburg. For health reasons, he was released from his duties by Rimpar and Maidbronn in July 2012. Subsequently, Zopora worked as a collaborating priest in the parish community of Rthlein, Heidenfeld, Hirschfeld, until he moved to the parish community “TauberGau, Rttingen” as parish vicar on March 1, 2013. Since 2015 he has also been the dean’s representative for priestly and religious professions as well as services of the church in the dean’s office in Ochsenfurt.
Both describe their time in TauberGau as a “gift from heaven”, as they would have made numerous friendships. After a heart attack, he worked there again as a priest and pastor.
In his previous place of residence Tauberrettersheim, he sees the religious foundation as real and authentic. Religion is still part of life in the wine village, even if not everyone regularly attends the Sunday service, according to Zopora.
At an open-air service with the motto “Forgiveness with hearts and reconciliation” on the fairground, he said goodbye and thanked the entire parish team of the TauberGau parish community.
Prior to this, Dieter Melzer thanked the parish community for their always open ear, which he had not only had for Christian but also for secular matters. He was available with advice and action.
After Mayor Karin Fries expressed her thanks and best wishes for the future of the political community, Dean Oswald Sternnagel gave a god of gratitude.
Zopora reported on the individual “miracles” that he experienced in each of the seven parishes. The farewell service was musically framed by the Tauberrettersheim youth band.
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Tauberrettersheim
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Markhard Brunecker
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Bishops
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Hard drives
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Franz Jung
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Clergy and priests
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Glubige
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Church services
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Churches and main organizations of individual religions
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Sick
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Resorts
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Paul Werner
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Pastors and pastors
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Priesterweihen
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