They Call Me the Bacon Priest

By Werenfried Von Straaten and Werenfried van Straaten

Book Overview

This is the powerfully moving story of how a young Norbetine priest, by orders from his superiors, left the silence of the Abbey in Belgium in 1947 to find some way to relieve the distress of the Catholic people in Germany who had been left abandoned after World War II. He went on to found the organisation Aid to the Church in Need, an international foundation dedicated to the spiritual and pastoral support of suffering and persecuted Christians.

Fondly nicknamed "the bacon priest", Fr Werenfried - with only an old hat for begging, a strong faith and a heart full of love - begged for, received and gave away over $3 billion across some fifty years until his death in 2003.

Churches, convents, chapel-trucks, shelters for the homeless, books, medication and tens of thousands of young refugees studying for the priesthood are the tangible witnesses to the effort and self-denial engendered by Fr Werenfried through the spoken and written word. The fruits of this have fed, fortified, encouraged and consoled countless numbers of Christians from Russia to Ghana and from Vietnam to Brazil.

This is a fascinating story of a modern apostleship of practical love, led by one of the most impressive mendicant preachers of the twentieth century.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0648804488
• ISBN13: 9780648804482
• Release Date: June 2020
• Publisher: Freedom Publishing Books
• Length: 224 Pages
• Weight: 0.58 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Good Read

This is the powerfully moving story of how a young Norbertine priest, by orders from his superiors left the silence of the abbey in Belgium in 1947 to find some way to relieve the distress of the masses of refugees, as well as millions in the persecuted Church behind the Iron Curtain. Called by the recipients of his generosity "the bacon Priest" Father Werenfried, with only an old hat for received and given away over $700 Million in the past forty years. Churches, covents, chapel trucks, shelters for the homeless, books, medicaments, and tens of thousands of young refugees studying for the priesthood are the tangible witness to the effort and self-denial engendered . . .

recap of his efforts to assist the struggling church.

fr werenfried has spent 50 years begging for funds for the persecuted catholic church. this book tells of his efforts to assist the shattered church in central and eastern europe right after world war II. through his work and that of his contributors and collaborators, the catholic church was rebuilt in germany and the countries of the former iron curtain. Good historical research material for "what was everyday life like after the war" and an inspiring portrait of what man can accomplish with God's assistance.