Letters

Year of Faith

Edward P. Evans

Contents - Jun 2013 - Buy a copy now Homily: Benedict XVI's Corpus Christi homily - Pope Benedict XVI Pope begins reform of the Vatican Curia - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World Youth: Melbourne to host Australian Catholic Youth Festival - Br Barry Coldrey St Joseph the Worker: Pope Francis: Work is essential to the dignity of the person Farcical history: the 'Gospel of Jesus' wife' - Frank Mobbs Redefining marriage: what of the rights of children? - Denise Hunnell The strange story of Mr Douglas Hyde - Damian Wyld Why we need the Rosary - Cedric Wright The Boston bombings: facing the reality of evil in the world - Bishop Arthur Serratelli The elephant in the sanctuary - Paul MacLeod Letters: Rights of children - Arnold Jago Letters: Truth about marriage - Name and Address Supplied Letters: Year of Faith - Edward P. Evans Letters: Liturgical heritage - 'Temple Policeman' Books: YOUCAT: Youth Prayer Book, by Cardinal Christoph Schönborn - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: SEXUALITY EXPLAINED, by Louise Kirk - Peter Westmore (reviewer) Books: SAINTS WHO SAW MARY, by Raphael Brown - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: AGE OF MARTYRS: from Diocletian to Constantine, Abbot Joseph Ricciotti - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: MOTHER TERESA OF CALCUTTA: a Personal Portrait, by Msgr Leo Maasburg - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: Marriage: a reflection of Christ's love for us - Fr Paul Chandler

Bishop Heiner Koch is a Rheinlander who has always remained in his own state, in the lovely cities of Duesseldorf, Bonn and Cologne. As Auxliliary Bishop of Cologne, he had a happy and fruitful apostolate among his own people in what is the largest archdiocese of Germany with over three million Catholics. Thus when Pope Benedict appointed him Bishop of Dresden-Meissen, one of the smallest and most secularised dioceses, it came to him as a shock.

Dresden is a famous city in the former East Germany which was secularised during the forty years of Communist rule. Most of the few Catholics there kept the faith despite persecution, under the able guidance of great bishops like Bl Clemens von Galen, Dopfner and Meissner. Unfortunately, the greater part of the Evangelical Christians lost their faith.

When Domradio of Cologne interviewed Bishop Koch about his new appointment, he replied: "It was an absolute surprise. However, I accepted the appointment with joy because the diocese has enormous chances. In numbers – just 150,000 Catholics – it is a tiny diocese compared to Cologne, but there are three million unbaptised to reach out to.

"There are some good starting-points like the seven student communities, many prestigious schools and universites in Dresden and Leipzig, and the internet-apostolate. In this Year of Faith, we will cast our nets into the deep and, with God's help, they will be filled."

EDWARD P. EVANS (FR)
Braddon, ACT

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 26 No 5 (June 2013), p. 16