PROGRAM

As announced at our December Meeting, there will be no meeting on February 4. Instead, our Annual General Meeting will be held on Sunday, May 6, after 11:00 a.m. Mass at St. Monica Parish, in conjunction with the Feast of St. Joseph the Worker. Please try to attend this meeting, as we have to do some serious soul-searching and make important decisions regarding our future!

Ever since our Kolping Family was established by a group of young immigrants in 1956, we have worked towards achieving the goals of Adolph Kolping and can look back with gratitude on many productive and rewarding years. However, the once energetic young members have grown old—more than half of us are already, or fast approaching, our eighties and nineties, and sadly many have passed away.
Faced with this reality, we have been doing our best to keep Kolping alive in Vancouver. Although our events have been sharply reduced, our members appreciate these opportunities to get together and try their best to attend, despite their mobility- and health issues.
We are happy to report that our El Salvador Project, which we have been supporting for years, is finally coming to fruition. Through the tireless efforts of Father Montoya and his assistant Douglas, as well as support from Kolping International in Cologne, the Kolping Family of Jucuaran is now the first Kolping Family in El Salvador! They have 25 members, of which five are being trained as a core group of leaders. With our financial help, they have been able to buy a piece of land. Once they have met all the requirements with the local authorities, they plan to build a facility to house a kindergarten, grammar school and Kolping Centre.

We were saddened to lose three long-time, faithful Kolping members within the space of one month.
Alois Lutter, whom many remember as an excellent butcher and passionate skat player, passed away on November 28 after a battle with cancer.
Winfried Knoll died just a day after, on November 29. He was predeceased by his wife Ursula, his daughter Susan and twin brother Joachim. He endured much suffering for the past few years and was lovingly cared for by his second wife Theresia.
Bernhard Ortlieb died peacefully on Christmas morning in Victoria. Although he had moved away from the
Bernhard Ortlieb died peacefully on Christmas morning in Victoria. Although he had moved away from the Vancouver area years ago, he faithfully kept in touch with his old friends; many of us remember his beautifully written lettters .
May they all rest in eternal peace. Our hearts and prayers go out to their families.

--RV