Brother Jürgen’s Inspiring Visit to ISR

Yesterday, we were honored to welcome Brother Jürgen Neitzert from Düsseldorf’s Firminusklause soup kitchen to ISR.
Brother Jürgen Neitzert, originally from Germany’s Eifel region, joined the Franciscan Order as a lay brother at the age of 19. Trained as a nurse, he devoted several decades to various ministries, including the care of elderly friars, service on justice and peace commissions, refugee relief projects, and interreligious dialogue. He also spent 23 years working with young people in Cologne before serving as General Definitor in Rome. Since 2022, he has led the Firminusklause soup kitchen in Düsseldorf, where they support around 200 people every day. Brother Jürgen speaks German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, and Turkish.
During his visit, he shared powerful insights on poverty, human dignity, and Franciscan values, deeply inspiring students and staff alike.
The day began with a heartwarming welcome from our Kindergarten children, followed by an engaging exchange with the ISR Management Team. The highlight of the visit was Brother Jürgen’s presentation to our Grade 10 students, teachers, and staff. Throughout his presentation, Brother Jürgen emphasized unity and compassion over division: “It doesn’t matter which religion volunteers belong to – only that they wish to help others.” In his closing words to students, he urged them to take responsibility as active citizens: “You may not run a soup kitchen, but as voters, professionals, and community members, you can stand up for others. Support those who put the common good first.” He concluded with a heartfelt reminder: “Don’t just focus on negative news – there is so much love and care in the world. See the positive and act on it!”
After the presentation and the meaningful Q&A session, Brother Jürgen met our CAS Coordinator, André Urban, and SLC Advisor, Samantha McGee, and discussed meaningful opportunities for ISR students to support the Firminusklause. Topics discussed included student internship opportunities at the soup kitchen. Furthermore, our SLC Students will support organizing food donations, focusing on staple items such as rice, pasta, and lentils. In addition, the idea of a community event was discussed, uniting students, parents, teachers, and staff in support of the soup kitchen.

Brother Jürgen’s visit beautifully reflected ISR’s commitment to community service and social engagement within our curriculum, demonstrating how small acts of compassion can create a meaningful impact in our diverse society. We sincerely thank Brother Jürgen for his time and his inspiring presentation. We look forward to many more inspiring moments and future collaboration to come!