For the archdiocese of Cologne the year 2007 was dedicated to marriage and to the family, the initiatives in this direction were illustrated on December 5 by Msgr. Robert Kleine, director of the office for pastoral care of the archdiocese. The fundamental importance of the family had already been acknowledged at the beginning of 2006 through the creation of an ad hoc office for the pastoral care of matrimony and the family, gathering in one single body the diocesan specialized referents in this sector. According to Kleine, many projects were concluded successfully in this sector during the year 2007. Some of these initiatives will bear their fruits during the new year. This is the case of the pilgrimage of the families held for the first time the past May, attended by over 1500 people among whom are the parents, grandparents and children, together with Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne. The pilgrimage will take place also in 2008. Along with the major initiatives, the archdiocese also undertook minor projects during the course of the year. One of these is the Sunday for families, celebrated on January 14 or the activation of the website www.familie-vor-ort.de, where young parents can find information on Catholic services connected to the family and to marriage. “We have also begun devoting Saint Valentine’s day to apostolate work for young couples”, Msgr. Kleine affirmed. “Young couples should view the Church as an interlocutor they can turn to also for support in difficult moments”.
