From 2 to 4 June the 260a Ordinary Assembly of Swiss bishops (CES) took place at the Benedictine abbey of Einsiedeln. Many subjects were covered during the course of the encounter with particular importance being given to the national meeting of young Swiss Catholics, to be held in Bern on 5 and 6 June 2004 and which the Pope is expected to attend. In order to finance this event, preparations for which are going ahead as planned, a national collection has been organised for 8 February 2004. Still on the subject of young people, the bishops heard the news that from 20 December 2003 to 8 January 2004 Switzerland will have the opportunity to welcome the Cross of World Youth Day. The next WYD is to be held in Cologne, Germany, in 2005. And the year 2005 was also proclaimed by the bishops as “Year of priestly vocations”; the aim being to show young people the beauty of the priestly vocation and the joy that derives from it. Among the decisions taken at the assembly was the approval of the revised Statutes of the CES media commission. The changes aim to render the activity of the commission more representative and effective.
