85th German Katholikentag, Freiburg 1978 - Germany / Federal Republic of Germany 1978 - 40 Pfennig

From the 13th to the 17th of September 1978 the 85th German Catholic Day takes place in Freiburg im Breisgau. For the fifth time, Freiburg is the host city of a German Catholic Day. The history of the Katholikentage dates back to the revolutionary year 1848. At that time, under other freedoms, citizens gained the right to associate, the right to form associations. The Catholics also made immediate use of this right by setting up a variety of clubs and associations and came together for a first General Assembly of the Catholic associations in Mainz in 1848. The first day of the Catholic Church marked a decisive turning point for German Catholicism, when secularization at the beginning of the 19th century deprived the church of any material basis, struck its organization in the limelight, and seriously shaken the political consciousness of the Catholics through state church interventions. The first Katholikentag in Mainz aimed not only at the defense of the civil liberties of the Catholics, he also aimed already at the contribution to the most pressing problem of the society at that time, the social question. Catholic days have always been a decisive impetus to the Catholic Church and society. For example, at the last Friborg Catholic Day in 1929 to strengthen the family, in Mainz in 1948 for the integration of refugees and expellees, 1974 in Mönchengladbach, the last day of Catholicism, to reorientate to the Catholic social teaching and social values. The Freiburger Katholikentag 1978 stands under the word of God "I want to give you future and hope" (Jeremiah 29, 11). With the catchwords Future and Hope this Katholikentag meets the middle of the problems of our time, which is characterized by fear, resignation, desperate violence. Symptoms of this crisis include the lack of courage for marriage and the child, the flight into drugs and the retreat into a mindless pragmatism. From the sources of the Christian faith, from the encounter with God, the Catholics in Freiburg want to make a contribution to awaken and strengthen hope in church and society. On the whole, the Katholikentag concentrates on three exemplary topics, in which the decision between fear and hope is particularly urgent: the young generation, fundamental social issues, Europe. Thematic work, encounter, worship will be the main design elements of the Catholic Day in Freiburg. (Text: Central Committee of German Catholics)