- Nordic Bishops’ Conference Meets in Paderborn
- 14 Million Euros for Catholics in the Diaspora
- Traineeship in the North in Spite of Coronavirus Pandemic
- Bonifatiuswerk Starts "Christmas – Stellar moments of humanity" Initiative
- Support programme “Creating spaces for faith”
- Eric Varden Becomes Bishop of Trondheim
- Allocation of funds
- Nationwide St. Nicholas campaign
- Nationwide diaspora campaign
- Founded 170 years ago
- First communicants collect for aid for children
- Monsignore Austen another 6 years in office
- Bernhard Duhn from Hamburg is the new Vice President
- Bonifatiuswerk launches nationwide support programme “Creating spaces for faith” in Germany
- Review of the European Cultural Heritage Year
- New country brochure presents the Catholic Church in Norway
- Delegates of Bonifatiuswerk discover the church in Finland
- First communicants collect nationwide for aid for children
- Confirmants support the aid for children and youths
ALLOCATION OF FUNDS
Bonifatiuswerk supports projects with 13.5 million euros
14.01.2020
In 2020 the Bonifatiuswerk will support projects in the German, Northern European and Baltic diaspora with 13.5 million euros. In addition to the aid for children and youths, the faith aid is a focal point of the work. Against the background of the synodal path of the Catholic Church in Germany, the diaspora aid organisation sees it as its task to support fellow Christians in the diaspora in a solidary and innovative way and to give the Gospel a welcoming face in the world of today.
"As an ‘aid organisation for the faith’, we want to get involved in society and carry the Good News through people to many places. For this we must seek and go new ways in pastoral care, keep established traditions alive and as a Church approach people in a sympathetic, welcoming and informative way. We therefore specifically support projects that put people in touch with the Good News in line with the times and enable them to experience a community of faith," said the Secretary General of the Bonifatiuswerk, Monsignore Georg Austen.
Support for four aid types
In the area of the aid for children and youths, support is therefore given to day-care facilities, religious children’s weeks and holiday camps, as well as pastoral projects for children and youths. The Bonifatiuswerk is making a total of 1.78 million euros available to the aid for children and youths. In Germany, projects are supported with 1.52 million euros, in Northern Europe with 180,000 euros and in Estonia and Latvia with 80,000 euros.
In view of the increasing de-Christianization of society, the faith aid becomes more and more important in the daily work of the aid organisation. 976,000 euros are earmarked to support the missionary commitment of the Catholic Church, for projects of new evangelization, but also for the funding of personnel and trainee posts with a missionary character.
Especially in the widespread diaspora parishes, the mobility of the worshippers plays an important role for a vibrant parish life. The transport aid of the Bonifatiuswerk supports the purchase of new BONI buses. A total of 763,000 euros is available for 2020. This means that up to 45 vehicles can be financed each year for parishes, institutions and social facilities.
The preservation of the Church’s own infrastructure and buildings remains a major task in the financially weaker diaspora dioceses. The building aid therefore supports projects with 2.9 million euros, including 30 projects in Germany with 1.4 million euros, 19 projects in Northern Europe with 883,500 euros and seven projects in Estonia and Latvia with 256,500 euros. 332,500 euros are earmarked for urgent building projects.
Support for religious education
Further initiatives for the new evangelization and religious education projects are supported with 2.1 million euros. These include the First Communion campaign, the confirmation initiative and the cultivation of Christian customs. In addition, the Bonifatiuswerk passes on earmarked funds of the Diaspora Commission amounting to 4.9 million euros to support pastoral work in Northern Europe.
"In our time, in which traditions and forms of our Church are being questioned, we actively promote missionary initiatives that facilitate other types of access to the Church and welcome both believers and non-believers. But this commitment would not be possible without the generosity of our supporters and donors, whom I thank from the bottom of my heart," said the President of the Bonifatiuswerk, Heinz Paus.
(pk)