Under the motto “Peace is (not) a utopia,” more than 300 Kolping members from 13 European countries gathered in South Tyrol at the end of May for the 56th International Kolping Peace Walk.
“Peace must not only be hoped for, demanded, and asked for. Peace must be wanted and pursued. Peace must be sought, practiced, and learned,” said the Bishop of Bolzano-Bressanone, Dr. Ivo Muser, in his sermon at the closing service in the Franciscan Church in Bolzano.
“No war is a victory”
“Our society must clearly and loudly say ‘no’ when groups of people are suspected en masse or when calls are made to purge Europe of certain groups of people,” said the head pastor of the Catholic Church in South Tyrol. Bishop Muser hopes that the phrase “No war is a victory” will resonate in the hearts and minds of Kolping members and that they will pray to be instruments of peace.
Josef Mayr-Nusser is a role model
Already at the opening service in Bolzano Cathedral by Christoph Huber, General Praeses of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL, and during the first walk on the high mountain plateau Ritten, the participants of the Peace Walk encountered another role model for courageous commitment against injustice and hatred: the martyr Josef Mayr-Nusser (1910-1945). Born in South Tyrol, he was sentenced to death for refusing to swear allegiance to Hitler on religious grounds. On his way to execution in a concentration camp, he died as a result of his imprisonment.
Ukraine wins with the democratic world
Kolping members from Germany, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Austria, Poland, Romania, Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Republic, and Ukraine participated. Larysa and Lyudvih Markulyak delivered greetings from the Ukrainian Kolping Society. “Ukraine is fighting. Ukraine prays. Ukraine sings. Ukraine lives. Ukraine will be victorious alongside the democratic world,” Larysa told the gathered European Kolping friends.
Experienced great hospitality
During convivial evenings at the Kolping House in Bolzano, Kolping brothers and sisters experienced the great hospitality of dedicated South Tyrolean members and Kolping House staff. During the special service award ceremony on the final evening, National President Kurt Egger, National Præses Dr. Josef Stampfl, and National Secretary Giorgio Nesler honoured participants who had taken part in the Peace Walk ten, twenty, or more times. One participant was taking part in the Peace Walk for the 46th time. Around 80 people were walking for peace for the first time.
Kolping Peace Walk in Bad Waldsee in 2026
The 57th International Kolping Peace Walk, organized by the Kolping Family Bad Waldsee, will take place from May 14 to 17, 2026, under the motto “We are moving towards peace.”
Read the complete article by Johann Michael Geisenfelder of the Kolping Society Augsburg (in German).
