Msgr. Axel Werner

Christmas Letter by the General Praeses

“If you want to conquer evil, get to the bottom of it“ (Adolph Kolping)

Dear friends of Kolping throughout the world!

Joy and concerns have left their mark on the year 2009 which is drawing to a close. Twenty years ago, the citizens of Central and Eastern Europe were able to gain their freedom from Communism, for the most part by peaceful revolutions. In Europe, walls and fences as a means of terror are largely a thing of the past! Many people still feel the hard way towards democracy, which is nurtured by the freedom and the readiness of the citizens, to take on responsibility.
Moreover, the global financial crisis has lead many people on other continents on the verge of their subsistence. Even if the governments of the rich countries try to lessen the effects of the crisis on their population with an incredibly high financial effort, the poor were hardest hit by actions which were not justifiable on an ethical basis.
In the past year, many Kolping sisters and Kolping brothers were able to experience directly that the worldwide intertwining of the economy and the globalization of the financial markets linked to it not only bring advantages. The temptation of separating capital and money from work, in order to bring about wealth by specula- tion, has been paid by the direct impoverishment of many and the encumbrance of generations which follow us. Greed and pride – two of the harshest sins – led peo- ple to sheer off of their life’s goal to be able to lead a decent life. More and more people doubt that our world is a just place, if the wealth of a few people is built on the poverty of the many! Neither Communism nor Liberalism turns the earth into a paradise for everyone! The entrance into paradises is limited to only a few people and the isolation of many from the riches of our earth continues unchecked!

International Praeses of the International Kolping Society

Msgr. Axel Werner

International Praeses of the International Kolping Society