At end of 101. Catholic Day in Westphalian Minster, chairman of German Episcopal Conference, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, has promoted unity of Christians. All baptized are "members of body of Christ-wher evangelical, Catholic or Orthodox, we belong to him", said Archbishop of Munich on Sunday in final feast of Castle Square. Christians should represent this unity worldwide.
According to organizers, about 90,000 people visited festival of faith. In an interview with Catholic News agency, Thomas Sternberg also took a positive view: "It is largest Catholic church since reunification. We did not expect that, "said president of Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK). But figures alone did not make quality: "What I am pleased is that Catholic day works in its mix of politics, religion, culture and celebration," said Sternberg.
"No peace-joy-Egg Cake Event"The Münster Bishop Felix Genn emphasized in his record that Catholic Congress was "no peace-joy-Egg cake event". "Church critics also have to admit that re is such a broad public discourse today only on Evangelical church days and Catholic days."
On Saturday, a panel discussion with AfD politician Volker Coin had caused a stir. When a first statement of religious political spokesman was recorded on a video screen, demonstrators stormed forward with banners, shouting "no stage for AfD" and "Nazis out". Some visitors responded with skin-off-calls. With applause, demonstrators were quietly escorted out of hall.
On question of wher re should be such a podium at all, ZdK had discussed in advance. In Leipzig two years ago, it had decided against it, which, however, had caused similarly fierce debates. With entry of AfD into Bundestag, it was n a question of democratic manners for organizers, not to exclude m in Münster.
"If we invite political leaders of parliamentary groups in Bundestag, and n we exclude a large group, n y would have said: see, you are bordering us," said ZdK-president Sternberg in an interview. "With this model, you play far too much anyway. They appear as if y were victims. " You have to stand re.
Date Of Update: 14 May 2018, 12:02
