Pilgrimage

Dear Kolping sisters and Kolping brothers,

In 2021 we wanted to celebrate together the 30th anniversary of the beatification of Adolph Kolping in Rome. It was planned to be a great celebration with many thousands of Kolping sisters and Kolping brothers jointly looking with gratitude at the event of 1991. Instead, the Covid 19 pandemic has forced us to postpone this event until 2022. But even now, at the beginning of this year, we have to experience that concrete planning is impossible due to the ongoing pandemic. Who would have thought this possible two years ago?

At present we are not only experiencing that we cannot get binding commitments on the part of the churches in Rome to be able to celebrate with several thousand Kolping sisters and Kolping brothers in the large Roman basilicas. We are also getting the comprehensible feedback that many members cannot and do not want to register bindingly because they do not know whether in October of this year the pandemic will be under control to the extent that we can sit close to each other on buses and trains and that we can sing and celebrate together without endangering one another.

Considering all of this has moved the International Executive Board of KOLPING INTERNATIONAL, with a heavy heart, to completely cancel the pilgrimage to Rome. In the coming weeks we will look for other possibilities how we can conclude the #kolpingworks campaign and in which form we will close the digital book of intercessions. With the #kolpingworks campaign we have already been focusing in recent months on the great work of Kolping all over the world and wanted to bring it together in Rome to a great conclusion. We will also discuss how we can best hand over the many thousands of signatures from all over the world to the Pope, so that our heartfelt request for the canonization of Adolph Kolping will receive maximum attention.

The announcement of the cancellation is made at the earliest possible time so that all Kolping Families, Diocesan Kolping Associations and National Kolping Associations can plan ahead. We hope for your understanding.

Even if in this time we cannot celebrate the anniversary of the beatification as we did in 2001 and 2011, our Kolping community remains united full of gratitude about the legacy of Blessed Adolph Kolping. Especially in this Coronavirus pandemic, Kolping Families around the world have done outstanding things to stand by those in need. Within a very short time, the Kolping Corona Fund has helped desperate people to secure their survival.

The union in prayer and the encouragement in the Association carries many Kolping sisters and Kolping brothers through these dark times. We hope and pray that it will not be long before we can be together again cheerfully and without distance, as is the tradition in our worldwide Kolping Society.

On behalf of the entire International Executive Board, we wish you good health, God’s blessing and TREU KOLPING!

Msgr. Christoph Huber, General Praeses
Dr. Markus Demele, General Secretary
Karin Wollgarten, Managing Director

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