What if I told you this Pater-Werenfried-Denkmal honors a man known as the “Speckpater”? This monument commemorates Pater Werenfried van Straaten. It also honors Bishop Maximilian Kaller and Weihbischof Adolf Kindermann. These three figures were important in post-war pastoral care.
The Pater-Werenfried-Denkmal stands in Känigstein. It is in front of the international headquarters of “Kirche in Not”. Kirche in Not means “Church in Need”. Cologne Archbishop Joachim Cardinal Meisner dedicated the statue in 2011. The “Freundeskreis Werenfried-Denkmal” initiated this tribute. They wanted to honor Pater Werenfried and his friends.
Pater Werenfried van Straaten was a Dutch priest. He founded the international aid organization Kirche in Not. After World War II, he helped refugees. He collected food for starving children. People called him the “Speckpater” or “Bacon Father”. He collected bacon from Dutch farmers.
Bishop Maximilian Kaller was expelled from Ermland. In 1946, Pope Pius XII made him the first Bishop for displaced persons. With Prälat Kindermann, he gathered displaced priests in Königstein. They created a seminary and other institutions. These became a “father house” for refugees.
Cardinal Meisner described the three men as a “Königstein Trinity”. Bishop Kaller was the heart. Weihbischof Kindermann was the head. Pater Werenfried with his “big hands” accomplished a great work. This work continues to impact people beyond the city today.
The Pater-Werenfried-Denkmal captures the essence of each man. Bishop Kaller appears slender. Weihbischof Kindermann looks sturdy. Pater Werenfried is depicted as tall. He wears his signature Bettlerhut or beggar’s hat.
Kirche in Not relies on private donations. It supports people who serve the Church. The organization funds thousands of projects. These projects support pastoral care. An important mission is advocating for religious freedom. Since 1947, Kirche in Not has been a voice for persecuted Christians.
Werenfried van Straaten was born in the Netherlands in 1913. He surprisingly joined the Premonstratensian Abbey of Tongerlo in 1934. A lung disease prevented him from serving as a missionary. In 1947, he wrote an article calling for help. He wanted to support the millions of refugees from German territories.
After the war, Germany faced a massive refugee crisis. Van Straaten focused on the pastoral care. He cared for six million displaced Catholics. They often lived in Protestant areas without churches. He launched “A Vehicle for God”. This converted buses into mobile chapels.
In 1952, the first “Kirche in Not” congress took place in Königstein. Representatives from Eastern European countries shared their stories. In 1955, the Haus der Begegnung opened. It became the international headquarters.
Van Straaten preached with passion. He emphasized Christian love. His “Millionenhut” became his symbol. Even with holes, he used the hat to collect donations. In 1958, he founded the Echo der Liebe magazine. In 1964, he moved his organization’s headquarters to Rome. In 1975, it moved to Königstein.
After the Soviet Union’s fall, he aided the Russian Orthodox Church. He aimed to bridge divides with the Catholic Church. Van Straaten’s dedication earned him recognition. He believed he had to dry the tears of God wherever He wept.
The Pater-Werenfried-Denkmal stands as a reminder. It honors three men who helped countless people. Their legacy of compassion and service lives on.