Retirement for Christoph Bernhard: A new beginning in Saxony's education

Retirement for Christoph Bernhard: A new beginning in Saxony's education

On June 16, 2025, Christoph Bernhard, who has headed the schools and universities department of the Dresden-Meißen diocese since 2017, was ceremoniously retired. His commitment to Catholic education in Saxony was honored at a festive Holy Mass in Dresden Cathedral. Numerous high-ranking guests from the church, ecumenism, education and politics took part in the event. Dr. Andreas Verhülsdonk, a recognized expert in religious education from the German Bishops' Conference, gave the keynote speech on the challenges and opportunities of Catholic education.

With Bernhard's resignation, a new era begins, as Andrea Katzer, who most recently worked as headmaster in Döbeln, will be his successor. Bernhard himself looks back on an eventful career; Before he came to the diocese as an episcopal school councilor in 2014, he worked in the state school inspectorate for 22 years, most recently in the Leipzig regional office of the Saxon Education Agency. For his services, he was awarded the Papal Order of the New Year, one of the highest papal lay orders. In his speech, Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers highlighted Bernhard's role as a bridge builder and his exemplary culture of responsibility.

A difficult course in adult education

But not everything is all joy: the Catholic education sector in Saxony is facing dramatic challenges. From 2026, the Catholic dioceses in the new federal states, including the Dresden-Meißen diocese, will have to implement massive savings. This affects traditional educational institutions that play an important role in social and cultural life. One reason for this is the planned end of the intra-Catholic financial equalization, which will lead to an annual savings requirement of 17.5 million euros. Vicar General Andreas Kutschke announced that the sector would only have to make do with 1 million euros - a sum that is insufficient to maintain the current educational offerings.

As Herder reports, high numbers of people leaving the church, secularization and demographic change have already led to a significant loss of members in the church. These developments have a devastating impact on adult and youth education. The Catholic Academy under Thomas Arnold has established itself as a platform for political discourse, but without financial support from the state and society, its future is in jeopardy.

A call for support

The need for a comprehensive reorientation of Catholic adult education is evident. A working paper from the German Bishops' Conference addresses specific challenges and presents possibilities for the further development of church education. According to the paper, Catholic adult education could increasingly become a point of contact for those who cannot find adequate offers in territorial pastoral care. An appealing and intellectually challenging educational offering is more in demand than ever.

In this tense situation, dialogue between society and religion becomes essential in order to ensure the diversity of educational offerings in Saxony. It is therefore up to the church, the state and society to take responsibility together so that the Catholic education sector can continue to play an important role in the Saxon educational landscape in the future.