EUROPE/GERMANY - Father Werenfried Centre inaugurated to preserve Bacon Priest’s legacy “Aid to the Church in Need” which serves the Church in 130 different countries

Konigstein (Fides Servce) - The Father Werenfried Centre at the international headquarters of Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) was inaugurated September 26. Calling Fr Werenfried (1913 - 2003), the Dutch Norbertine priest who founded ACN in 1947, a "giant of charity," Father Joaquín Alliende, ACN's international Ecclesiastical Assistant, stated: "This is not a place of nostalgic memories, but an appeal to respond to the SOS calls of the suffering Church. May it help us to preserve Fr Werenfried's legacy." Mgr Franz Kamphaus, Bishop of Limburg (the diocese Königstein belongs to) stressed the importance of forgiveness and reconciliation in the life and mission of Fr Werenfried, who "did not only preach the idea of reconciliation, but took concrete steps towards reconciliation between former enemies." The Fr Werenfried Centre comprises 4 rooms, including the priest's former office, which has been left unchanged. Through offices in 16 different countries every year Aid to the Church in Need collects an average of 70 million dollars to meet at least 9,000 requests from 130 Churches in need of help for various pastoral work ranging from upkeep of churches and seminaries, to tranlsations of the Bible and other relgious publications, production of religious radio programmes. (RG) (Agenzia Fides 29/9/2005, righe 17, parole 237)