The super election year in Germany, the wars in the world and the current challenges: the Catholic Day deals with many socially relevant topics.
It is a meeting of believers on the periphery of the church, in times of war and in a super election year: the 103rd edition of the Catholic Day in Thuringia’s state capital Erfurt will look far beyond internal church issues. The president of the organizing Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) has already given a foretaste of the expected debates.
“The poll results show that a parliamentary majority beyond populist and extremist forces is still possible, but it is not certain,” said Irme Stetter-Karp at the start of the general assembly of the umbrella organization of Catholic laypeople in Erfurt. The ZdK President made her comments with a view to the state elections in Brandenburg, Thuringia and Saxony this year.
“Only when many people stand together to undermine the enemies of democracy can we strengthen the community’s solidarity,” she said. Populism and extremism in society are topics that keep cropping up in the planned discussions at the Catholic Day.
Faith meetings where Catholics are in the minority
For the first time ever, a Catholic Day is being held in Erfurt – until now, the meetings have only been held extremely rarely in secular East Germany. The fact that Catholics in Erfurt form a small minority with few resources, but still live their faith in community and help shape society, is perhaps a picture of the future of the church throughout Germany, said Stetter-Karp.
20,000 visitors are expected up to and including Sunday. With around 500 events, the program is significantly slimmed down than at Catholic Days in the past.
Political celebrities are also expected to attend, including Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck (Greens). The police do not expect any greater danger than at other major events.
According to the German Bishops’ Conference, there are 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide. 20.9 million of them lived in Germany in 2022, which corresponds to about 25 percent of the population. The diocese of Erfurt had around 137,000 church members.
Source: Stern
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