Albania" "
The Catholic Church involves young people in the rediscovery of religious traditions and culture” “
“For many years, Albania has followed its path of integration into Europe. This was also recognised by the president of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, on his visit to our country. Nonetheless, grave socio-economic problems persist and poverty, lack of structures and emigration are undermining the progress of development”. These are the thoughts of Msgr. Angelo Massafra, metropolitan archbishop of Scutari and president of the Albanian Episcopal Conference, who also underlines how the Catholic Church in the country can do little in the face of such a difficult situation. “Unemployment remains very high, around 1820 percent. Young people, especially the better-educated, go abroad. Old people are left to fend for themselves, and if they live in small towns or villages their difficulties are even greater. Poverty is felt on a massive scale, especially on the edges of cities, in the countryside and in mountainous areas. Furthermore, there is a continuing chronic lack of structures and highways, and the few that do exist are frequently impracticable because they are un-metalled. What can the Church do in such a situation if not help with all means at her disposal, encourage voluntary work, and advocate schooling especially among children of the poorest social groups? With a recent public appeal, Msgr. Massafra invited citizens, among other things, to “pay for the energy we consume” (a recent lack of energy has paralysed production activities with worrying regularity) and “not to use public positions for private interest.” He says: “It is sad to note how widespread corruption is, even among public officials”. In this complex situation, the Catholic Church (which represents just six percent of the population, 85 percent of the other inhabitants of the country being Muslims, and the rest Orthodox) continues her pastoral commitment, seeking to support popular identity in the recovery of ancient traditions and the history of the country. “The jubilee year we are currently in”, explains the archbishop, “for the three hundredth anniversary of the Council of Arberi, has seen the involvement of dioceses and the rediscovery of pilgrimages, which were banned until just a few years ago. One important date for the Albanian Church will be 5 June when all the priests of the country (more than 110, with the collaboration of 300 female and around 100 male religious) will meet at the ancient but recently-restored church dedicated to St John Decollato, where the Council was held 300 years ago. The occasion will be the feast of the Sacred Heart, a day that the Episcopal commission for clergy and religious has called ‘national priestly day'”. The young people of the country (with its 3.2 million inhabitants, Albania is one of the European countries with the highest birth rate, but it also suffers widespread illiteracy, over 15%) will be involved by their dioceses in a similar national pilgrimage to the church of St John Decollato at the end of June. “Pilgrimages are extremely popular even among the very young”, highlights the archbishop. “The cultural initiatives associated with the jubilee are also much appreciated, these include various conventions and study seminars. For the summer we have organised evangelisation initiatives among mountain dwellers and, in the autumn, the efforts of the Church will be directed to ensure the success of a historical-scientific symposium which will close the jubilee year, and to a national pilgrimage to Rome for the beatification of Mother Theresa on 19 October. We seek to animate not only religious life, but also the social and cultural sphere. Of course, we have particularly invested our efforts in the jubilee, in the hope that it may produce a spiritual effect and create greater unity among all sectors of the Church in Albania”.
