EUROPE/GERMANY - “For our association the Pope was like a father” says Secretary General of Aid to the Church in Need

Königstein (Fides Service) - “For Aid to the Church in Need the Pope was like a father” said Ms Antonia Willemsen, Secretary general of this Catholic association which assists the pastoral activities of the Church in third world countries, Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. “His concerns were our concerns: spiritual and material support for oppressed and persecuted Christians, new evangelisation in the West, formation of new priests, building up the Church in eastern Europe and the third world and also promotion of relations between peoples and commitment for the culture of life and culture of love.” “John Paul II and our late founder Fr. Werenfried von Straaten, were good friends for 40 years … and like Pope John Paul II, Fr Werenfried too, entrusted himself and his organisation to the protection of Mary” Antonia Willemsen told Fides. (MS) (Agenzia Fides 6/04/2005)