Blessed Adolph Kolping

Life story

Adolph Kolping was born on 8 December 1813 in Kerpen. He worked as a shoemaker's assistant, beginning in Cologne in 1831, and remained a shoemaker until 1841. He then turned to studies for the priesthood and was ordained on 13 April 1845 in the Minoritenkirche in Cologne.

In 1847, in Elberfeld, he became the second president of the Gesellenverein (journeymen's association), which already existed before he arrived. In 1849 he founded its Cologne branch, and from the same year he served as vicar at the cathedral. In 1850 he merged local associations into the Rheinischer Gesellenbund, the origin of the Kolpingwerk. In 1862 he became rector of the church of Maria Empfängnis in Cologne.

He died in Cologne on 4 December 1865 of lung cancer. His cause was opened in 1934; he was declared Venerable in 1989 and beatified by Pope John Paul II on 27 October 1991 in St Peter's Square. His memorial is 4 December, the anniversary of his death.

Works and witness

• Worked as a shoemaker from 1831 to 1841
• Ordained a priest on 13 April 1845 in Cologne
• President of the Elberfeld journeymen's association from 1847
• Founded the Cologne branch in 1849 and merged associations into the Rheinischer Gesellenbund in 1850
• Beatified on 27 October 1991

Saints from the same country

Saint Ambrose, Saint Hildegard of Bingen, Saint Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein), Saint Bruno of Cologne

References

• Franciscan Media, "Blessed Adolph Kolping" (franciscanmedia.org)
• Cologne Tourism, "Adolf Kolping statue" (cologne-tourism.com)

Written by Anawim from documented history. Some details about ancient saints rest on tradition and are marked as such.