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Move of the Berchmanianum in the Netherlands.

After 87 years the Jesuits of the Berchmanianum in Nijmegen leave for a new building close by.

The fathers and brothers move to a new place because their former beautiful but old building no longer meets the current requirements. In addition, there are fewer priests who come to live in the nursing home. The property was purchased by the Radboud University.

The Berchmanianum was built in 1929 as a study house for young Jesuits and has been functioning for fifty years as an old age home for religious. "I was very happy here. But you have to love this house, if you want to  incur the inconvenience," says Hans van Leeuwen, who was provincial of the Dutch province in the eighties. "In my room I had for example, only a sink. If I had to go to the toilet or wanted to shower, I had to use a long corridor and pass some thresholds. For me this was no problem, but for some residents a real challenge."

Until the end of last week, the Berchmanianum was home to 61 religious. Most of them are Jesuits, but there are also some Dominicans, members of other religious orders and congregations and some priests from different dioceses. Each one is of old age and a large part of them needs intensive care. Thus, one of the wings of the building is a closed ward for residents who do not know exactly where they live.

The departure hurts quite a bit. "Just before the move we had our last supper together, a Chinese buffet," says Van Leeuwen. "And on Sunday we had the last Eucharist in the heart of the home: the chapel. An emotional moment, where we have been thinking about our departure and prayed that we might properly process all the changes."

According to executive secretary Remy Ramaekers the move is a huge project. "It is not only a question of moving one last time vulnerable residents in old age and in need of care, it is also a huge logistical challenge." The Berchmanianum has a floor space of about 5,000 square meters, and has three floors. In addition, the large attics and basements encouraged the amassing of stuff. Ramaekers: "What has to go where? This requires a huge preparation".

Hans van Leeuwen lived nearly five years in Berchmanianum. As one of the more healthy people he helps his vulnerable companions. Van Leeuwen already lived in the house before, from 1955 to 1958. In the refectory he talks about his student days here. "As a twenty-year-old boy, I came from the novitiate in Grave to Nijmegen to study philosophy. That lasted three years. Our student rooms were then half of the rooms now, the walls have been broken through. The refectory is still exactly the same, with those beautiful murals.  One third of the actual residents studied here. Then they went out into the whole country, even the world. Scholars, critical thinkers who did not need luxury, but wanted to make themselves useful to society. And they came back in their old age to spend their last years in peace in their home in Nijmegen.

It is often difficult to find a new use for this religious heritage. In that respect, the fathers find it comforting to know that Berchmanianum was bought by the Radboud University, since the Jesuits feel traditionally associated with academic world.

Fortunately all the staff - 85 people, mostly part-timers – is moving with the fathers and brothers.

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