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CATHOLICA UNIO Catholica Unio, formerly Unio Ucrainica Religionis, was founded in 1921 in Vienna by Father Augustine von Galen, O.S.B., a member of Prague’s Emmaus Abbey, to encourage Ukrainian Orthodox to enter into full communion with the Church of Rome. At the request of Gustav Cardinal Piffl, Archbishop of Vienna, Catholica Unio was approved by the Congregation for the Eastern Churches in January 1923. In July of that year, the cardinal requested that the agency’s activities be extended to Romanians and Bulgarians. At this time, the agency assumed the title of Unio Ecclesiastica. On 19 September 1924, the Congregation for the Eastern Churches approved the new statutes of the agency under its new name CATHOLICA UNIO. Apart from the prayer for Union the mission of the association has been to help seminaries form priests who would work for the Apostolato Unionistico and promote this ideal. The association had early success, thanks to the zeal and to the enterprise of the Benedictine founder. Eventually he organized committees – in addition to the one in Austria – in Holland, France, Spain, the United States, Argentina, Chile, and Brazil. In the United States, Catholica Unio was absorbed in 1926 by Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Catholica Unio was generally affirmed in those countries where similar agencies did not exist. In 1927, Catholica Unio was reorganized: The appointment of the president was reserved to the Holy See and the headquarters was established in Freiburg, Switzerland. The first president was Most Rev. Marius Besson, Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Freiburg. Father Augustine von Galen, O.S.B., was appointed Secretary. Since 1925 Father von Galen spread the work of the agency in Germany. On 10 November 1932, the agency established St. Andrew College at the University of Munich to gather Eastern priests for theology studies. During the first year it hosted eight students: one Greek German, one Carpatho-Ruthenian, three Ukrainians and three Germans. With war in Europe, the college closed in 1939. The agency and its statutes were approved by the Congregation for the Eastern Churches on 6 January 1931, on 7 January 1938 and on 24 March 1983. Under the direction of the Congregation for the Eastern Churches, the agency aims: 1. To awaken interest in Eastern churches, Orthodox and Catholic; promote awareness of their characteristics and challenges; and create dialogue 2. To support the religious and charitable work of the Eastern churches 3. To stimulate, encourage and increase sacerdotal and religious vocations in the Eastern churches by supporting local seminaries and providing scholarships. Eschewing proselytism, the agency has dedicated itself to ecumenical engagement, following the directives of Vatican II. The agency consists of a Central Council, formed by the general president – named by the Congregation for the Eastern Churches – and a secretary general, and several national councils. The national presidents are elected from among the members of the respective episcopal conferences. Catholica Unio publishes a magazine in Germany (Der Christliche Osten) and an information bulletin in Austria and Switzerland. Detailed information can be found in Iso Baumer’s Von der Unio zur Communio. 75 Jahre Catholica Unio Internationalis. Ökumenische Beihefte 41. Freiburg: Universitätsverlag Freiburg, Switzerland. 2002. Presidency The General Secretariat has its official seat in Freiburg, Switzerland. President: Most Rev. Pierre Bürcher Auxiliary Bishop of Lausanne, Geneva and Freiburg Case postale 171 CH – 1001 Lausanne Switzerland Email: catholica.unio.int@cath.ch Secretary: Rev. P. Kilian Karrer, O.S.B. Benediktinerkloster CH – 4115 Mariastein Switzerland Telephone: +41 - (0) 61 735 11 11 Fax: +41 - (0) 61 735 11 03 Email: kloster-mariastein@bluewin.ch AUSTRIA National President: Most Rev. Dr. Alois Kothgasser, S.D.B., Archbishop of Salzburg National Secretary: Rev. Dr. Gottfried Glassner, O.S.B. Address: Sekretariat Andreas-Petrus-Werk Mönchsberg 2a A – 5020 Salzburg Austria Telephone: +43 - (0) 662 842 521 141 Fax: +43 - (0) 662 842 521 143 Email: andreas-petrus-werk@kirchen.net GERMANY National President: Most Rev. Dr. Paul-Werner Scheele, Bishop Emeritus of Würzburg National Secretary: Rev. Archimandrite Dr. Gregor Hohmann, O.S.A. Address: Sekretariat Catholica Unio Deutschland Grabenberg 2a D – 97070 Würzburg Germany Telephone: +49 - (0) 931 51660 Fax: +49 - (0) 931 51652 Email: zentrale@catholica-unio.de SWITZERLAND National President: Most Rev. Dr. Peter Henrici, S.J., Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Chur National Secretary: Vacat Address: Catholica Unio Schweiz Geschäftsstelle Wesemlinstr. 2 Postfach 6280 CH – 6000 Luzern 6 Switzerland Telephone: +41 - (0) 41 420 57 88 Fax: +41 - (0) 41 420 32 50 Email: cus@khb.ch