From October 12 to 13 the meeting of the International Board of Directors of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL took place in Bensberg near Cologne. 45 delegates from 31 countries met in the Kardinal Schulte Haus to report form their National Associations and to discuss work contents together. The International Board of Directors of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL meets every two years and is the second highest body of the catholic social association.
On Monday the discussion about the Amazon Synod of the Catholic Church that currently takes place in the Vatican was in the center of the meeting. In her key note address Dr. Martina Fornet-Ponse from Adveniat was looking for “New ways for the Church and for a holistic ecology”. After that there was a lively discussion in working groups about the various aspects of the Amazon-Synod.
Moreover, by-elections for two management bodies at international level took place on Saturday. The former President of the German Kolping Association, Thomas Dörflinger, left the International Executive Board of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL. For him, the Vice-President of the German Kolping Society, Manuel Hörmeyer, was admitted as a new member by a large majority. Thus, the International Executive Board now comprises the following elected members: Manuel Hörmeyer (Kolping Association Germany), Erich Reischmann (KOLPING Switzerland), Paul Nguyen Huu Nghia Hiep (KOLPING Vietnam), Dancille Mujawamariya (KOLPING Rwanda) and Rufino Rodriguez (KOLPING Honduras). The General Praeses Msgr. Ottmar Dillenburg, the General Secretary Dr. Markus Demele and the Managing Director Karin Wollgarten are automatically further members. The term of office is four years.
Due to his new function in the International Board of Directors, Manuel Hörmeyer left the International Finance Committee of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL. For him and as additional reinforcement, Ágnes Kaiserné Jósvai (KOLPING Hungary), Peter Jung (Managing Director KOLPING Switzerland) and Martin Wilde (Managing Director Don Bosco Mondo) were elected as new members to the body – also by a large majority. Ted Wilke (KOLPING USA) as well as Markus Lange, Thorsten Schulz and Barbara Breher (all Kolping Association Germany) remain in the International Finance Committee. The term of office of the International Finance Committee is six years. The next meeting of the International Board of Directors will take place in Rome in 2021.
