Erfurt (dpa/th) – War in Ukraine and associated social issues will also affect the Catholic Day 2024 in Erfurt. With the motto “The man of peace has a future,” the Katholikentag leadership wants to remind people that “peace is still a central challenge today” and that no future can be won with violence, it said in a statement on Friday after the definition of the motto.
“We are challenged to create peace and to become people of peace,” said Irme Stetter-Karp, President of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) and Chairwoman of the Catholic Association of Catholic Churches. Not only the war in Ukraine, but also armed conflicts around the world called for “not to close our eyes to the global consequences”. Peace between the generations, in families, in a multi-layered society – and also between man and nature – all of this will be negotiated in Erfurt from May 29th to June 2nd, 2024.
Erfurt’s Bishop Ulrich Neymeyr described the motto as “strong”. “I’m sure many people will agree with him, whether they believe in the God of the Bible or not.” “The struggle to end the Ukraine war” shows how quickly even concrete questions about steps towards peace can trigger new conflicts.
Most recently, the lay meeting of Catholics 2022 took place in Stuttgart (Baden-Württemberg).
