Toughts, experiences, projects” “” “

Collegiality between the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, the ecumenical process and the role of the Church in the continent’s society and culture have represented, as usual, the main commitments of the European episcopates in recent months. As for the first point, the meeting of the preparatory Commission of the Symposium of the bishops of Africa and Europe was held in Rome in November 2003.The Symposium is due to be held in the Italian capital from 10 to 13 November 2004 on the initiative of the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM). The second preparatory meeting of the Commission will be held in Rome on 15 May. Further CCEE meetings include the meeting of the migrations Commission (Brussels, 5-7 March), the second European University Day (Rome, 13 March), and the European seminar on alternative religion (Baar, Switzerland, 25-28 March). Below we present a brief review of the various initiatives and projects of the European Churches over the last three months. Albania. The 2nd annual assembly of the Episcopal Conference of Albania was held in Tirana in December. Issues discussed included: the national interdiocesan seminar of Scutari on “education and formation”, adjustments in the application of the accord between the Albanian state and the Holy See, and the development of the tribunal for the beatification of Servants of God. The main priorities for pastoral work in 2004 are the family and vocations. Belgium. The two-year period 2004-2005 will be dedicated by the Church to the liturgy and the sacraments, with particular attention to the relation of young people to the eucharist. The reflection of the bishops meeting for the annual session of the Episcopal Conference in January also focused on the same questions; a document on the matter is being prepared. In the French-speaking dioceses the decline in seminarians has prompted the need for a reorganization of theological formation. A telephone pastoral service has been introduced in the Walloon area (Dutch-speaking); it enables questions to be posed about faith, ethics, spirituality and the meaning of life. Belarus. The liturgical Commission has completed the work of translating into Belorussian the ritual of the baptism of children and the ritual of the sacraments of the Christian initiation of adults. In a pastoral letter on the family the Episcopal Conference recalled the dangers that threaten the family and underlined the vital role it plays in society, according to the teaching of the Church. After many years of suspension imposed by the Communist regime, the religious traditions linked to the Christmas festivities have been revived; they include competitions between Christmas cribs in the parishes, popular songs and mystery plays enacted by the young in families. The pastoral visits of priests to homes between Christmas and Ash Wednesday have also been resumed. Bulgaria. The Episcopal Conference held its annual plenary session in December. Questions on the agenda: the pilgrimage of the WYD Cross to Bulgaria from 10 to 19 March and the new law on religions. The intercultural and inter-religious project for youth, under the title “Bulgaria is my homeland”, promoted by the Salesians of Kazanlyk, is now in its second year; it involves Catholics, Orthodox and Muslims in a programme of education in religious and ethnic tolerance. Greece. “The life of the diocesan clergy” was the main theme discussed at the autumn session of the Greek Episcopal Conference held at the end of 2003. Gratitude and appreciation for the work of parish priests, “the closest and most willing helpers of the bishops”, were expressed by the bishops themselves, who hoped for ever closer mutual cooperation. Liturgy, pastoral care and charity were also examined. Lithuania. In December 2003, after a message addressed to President Paksas, involved in a scandal because suspected of having links with the Russian mafia, the bishops published a statement on the presidential crisis, and an appeal to the population to overcome the divisions that had emerged following the crisis. A joint meeting between the Episcopal Conferences of the three Baltic states (Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania) is due to be held in Tallin (Estonia) in late April, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the foundation of the apostolic administration in Estonia. Poland. A meeting marking the 10th anniversary of the Catholic Information Agency was held at the secretariat of the Polish Episcopal Conference in December. Guest of honour: Archbishop John P. Foley, president of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications. Fifty bishops and a large number of faithful took part in the solemn liturgical celebration marking the 25th anniversary of the episcopal ordination of the Archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal F. Macharski, held in Krakow in recent weeks. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity (18-25 January), during which prayers were recited in all the country’s dioceses, was preceded, on 17 January, by the seventh Day of Judaism, and ended with the fourth Day of Islam on 26 January. Czech Republic. During the plenary assembly of the Episcopal Conference held in Prague in January, the bishops discussed the current situation of Church-State relations. The meeting of Cardinal Miloslav Vlk with Czech premier Spidla and President Klaus was judged a sign of hope. Discussion also focused on the preparation of priests for the examinations for the office of parish priest, preparations for the pilgrimage of the nations to Mariazell (Austria) during the Mitteleuropäische Katholikentag, and collaboration with the state agency for road safety. Romania. The first auxiliary bishop of Bucharest, Msgr. Cornel Damian was consecrated by the archbishop of the archdiocese, Msgr. Ioan Robu, in St. Joseph’s cathedral on 8 December. The ceremony was attended by the Roman and Greek Catholic bishops, over 150 priests, representatives of the Orthodox Church of Romania and numerous civilian authorities. Russia. The celebration of the 10th anniversary of the interdiocesan Seminary “Mary Queen of Apostles” was held in St. Petersburg in December, in the presence of the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski. The meeting of students of the archdiocese of Moscow on the theme “Role of students in the university today” was held in the Russian capital in the same period. Scandinavia. The proposed alterations to the law on matrimonial unions in Norway continue to arouse controversy. The reform would mean that spouses would have to present the Catholic priest, as state functionary, with a written declaration recognizing their mutual right to divorce. This declaration would deprive the sacrament of matrimony of its validity; the Catholic Church and the other religious communities have therefore expressed their opposition to the bill, which, in the meantime, has been withdrawn from Parliament. The dioceses of Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm have concluded the celebrations marking their 50th Jubilee. Slovakia. The Government and Parliament have recently approved a law on religious education in schools. The Slovak Republic has thus implemented a part of the recent accord with the Holy See on the matter. Catholic education will be a compulsory subject in the school curriculum right from the first year of elementary school. The 47th plenary assembly of the Slovak Episcopal Conference was held in January. Questions examined: the programme of the Mitteleuropäische Katholikentag, the funding of Catholic schools and Slovakia’s entry into the European Union. Slovenia. After two years’ deliberation, the Constitutional Court has published its sentence on the constitutionality of the accord between the Republic of Slovenia and the Holy See, signed on 14 December 2001. Parliament finally ratified the accord on 28 January. Ratification by the Holy See is now awaited. Since the teaching of the Catholic faith is still prohibited in state schools, a collection of signatures is currently underway to press for the recognition of the catechism taught in parishes as an optional subject in school curricula. Hungary. The winter plenary assembly of the Hungarian Episcopal Conference was held in December. The main issue of debate was Catholic schools, of which there are now 309 in the country: 4% of existing schools. The main difficulty is the shortage of Catholic teachers; the bishops therefore expressed their conviction of the need to improve the training of teachers. A new pastoral letter on bioethics, with the title “A Culture of Life”, was also published at the end of last year. The Episcopal Conference received permission to launch a Catholic radio station throughout the national territory on 8 January. Broadcasts will begin on Pentecost (30 May)