The Bacon Priest

Father Werenfried van Straaten (1913-2003) founded the charity Aid to the Church in Need in 1947.

Zenit reports on the dedication of a lecture hall named after him at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross.

Father Van Straaten, a Dutch Norbertine priest and religious, was described by his contemporaries as a "giant of charity" and as "the greatest beggar in the Church's history."

The charity he founded supports pastoral projects in some 140 countries.

In 1947, he started his appeal to aid the hungry and destitute in post-war Germany. So much bacon was collected that Father Werenfried was given his nickname of "The Bacon Priest".

A short biography is given here.