Thoughts, experiences, projects

The most significant event that characterized the last months of the CCEE was its plenary assembly (4-8 October 2006), for the first time ever held in St. Petersburg, during which the new CCEE ruling council for the five-year period 2006-2011 was elected. The new President is Cardinal Pèter Erdö, Archbishop of Esztergom-Budapest and Primate of Hungary, who succeeds the Swiss bishop Amédée Grab. As for the Vice-Presidents, Cardinal Josip Bozanic, Archbishop of Zagreb was reconfirmed, while Archbishop Jean-Pierre Ricard of Bordeaux was appointed to succeed Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor. In preparation for the Third European Ecumenical Assembly (EEA3, 4-9 September 2007 at Sibiu, Romania), the liturgical committee met at Cartigny (Switzerland) from 6 to 8 September 2006; it produced a first draft of the programme of celebrations and prayers for the Sibiu assembly. Further meetings in preparation for EEA3 were held in Brussels in October (between a CCEE-CEC delegation and the President of the European Commission Barroso) and in Geneva. During this latter meeting the coordinators of the nine forums of EEA3 discussed their respective programmes. The meeting of the CCEE-CEC secretaries for EEA3 with the local Committee is now being held in Sibiu (until 8 December). The first meeting of the new CCEE ruling council is due to be held at St. Gallen (Switzerland) from 17 to 19 December. Below, a review of the most recent events in the life of the European Churches. BELARUS . The 31st plenary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference of Belarus was held in Minsk in recent weeks. The bishops focused attention on the following questions: the vocational ministry at parish and diocesan levels; the decision to publish in Bielorussian 25 copies of the Ceremonial for the consecration of bishops, and for ordination to the priesthood and to the diaconate, and 600 copies of the Ceremonial for Confirmation. The translations were approved by the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. The translation into Bielorussian of the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church was completed; it too will be sent for approval to the same Congregation of the Holy See. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA . During the 37th ordinary session of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia-Herzegovina, the bishops discussed the translation of the Apostolic Letter Ex hac augusta , by which the ordinary hierarchy of the Church in Bosnia and Herzegovina was renewed on 5 July 1881; the new directives for the organization of the pastoral year for candidates to the priesthood, and the new directives for the foundation of the matrimonial tribunal of first and second instance. A study day for families, as part of the three-year pastoral programme for their spiritual renewal, was held in recent weeks.BULGARIA. The national meeting in preparation for EEA3 was recently held at Russe. It was focussed on the theme: “Christianity in united Europe”. The speakers included: Msgr. Christo Proykov, Apostolic Exarch and President of the Bulgarian Bishops’ Conference; Archbishop Dometian, Orthodox Metropolitan of Vidin; and Georgi Bakalov, deputy rector of the University of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Sofia. With a vigil and a solemn liturgy officiated by Msgr. Proykov, the celebrations marking the 80th anniversary of the Apostolic Exarchate in Bulgaria were held in recent weeks. After the liturgical celebration, Exarch Proykov blessed the newly restored house of the Exarchate, its library and museum, and consecrated its chapel. The Apostolic Nuncio in Bulgaria, Msgr. Giuseppe Leanza, and some bishops from Hungary and Macedonia participated in the celebrations. CROATIA. A review of the bishops’ recent ad limina visit to Rome, the ministry of the sacraments, the preparation of the document The Catholic Church in Croatia and European Integration , the new programme of catechesis in schools, the work of the pontifical mission-aid societies and the new liturgical calendar were the themes at the centre of the plenary assembly of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference held in recent weeks. During the meeting the bishops visited Vukovar, the martyr-city of Serbian aggression, celebrated Mass in the town’s church and prayed in the cemetery for the victims of war.LITHUANIA. During the recent ordinary assembly of the Lithuanian Bishops’ Conference, the bishops decided to set up a national Commission of Justice and Peace, renew the Commission for negotiations with the government aimed at the realization of accords between the Holy See and the Lithuanian Republic, and establish a “pilgrims’ route” comprising the places and sanctuaries linked with the name of John Paul II. The bishops also discussed preparations for National Youth Day in 2007.POLAND. The 337th plenary session of the Polish Bishops’ Conference was recently held in Warsaw. The bishops discussed the pastoral care of the family and the vocational education of the young; some questions concerning Polish Caritas; the 50th anniversary of the events of October 1956, when Cardinal Wyszynski, imprisoned by the Communist authorities, regained his freedom; and the establishment of an historical Commission to study the activities of the security services of the People’s Republic of Poland during the Communist period, with particular reference to their surveillance of priests. The 6th Pontifical Day on the theme: “John Paul II – Servant of Mercy” was celebrated in the country on 15 October, and accompanied by a national collection to fund scholarships to be awarded to poor but talented youngsters from rural areas. SCOTLAND. Marriage and the family continue to be a source of concern for the Bishops’ Conference, which is trying to maintain a constructive, even if at times critical, dialogue with the representatives of the Scottish Parliament, with Westminster and with the European Parliament. The pastoral care of immigrants is also a major concern. Large-scale and unexpected immigration, especially from the new member states of the EU, has brought into Scotland a significant influx of Catholics, most of them of Latin rite, but also belonging to various oriental rites. The Scottish bishops are keen their religious identity should be respected within the Church. Growing importance is also being assumed by inter-religious dialogue, in particular with the Islamic community. Catholic schools already play a key role in the creation of an atmosphere of mutual respect within which this dialogue can be developed. SLOVAKIA . Celebrations marking the first millennium of the first document written by the Chapter of Canons resident at Nitra were held in the basilica of St. Emeramus, in Nitra, in recent weeks. During the solemn Mass, officiated by Bishop Viliam Judák and concelebrated by his Beatitude Gregory III Laham, Patriarch of the Greek-Melkites of Antioch of the Orient, and by members of the Canons’ Chapter of Central and Eastern Europe, the new canons and honorary abbots were nominated. The first pilgrimage to the Vatican of the Slovak Military Ordinariate (founded in 2003, comprising 37 military chaplains and one deacon) was recently held with the participation of 80 professional soldiers led by the military ordinary Bishop František Rábek.SLOVENIA. The episcopal consecration of the new auxiliary bishop of the metropolitan archdiocese of Maribor, the Rev. Peter Štumpf SDP, was held at Maribor on 10 September. On 24 September, day of memory of the first Slovene Blessed, Anton Martin Slomšek, the archdiocese of Maribor was officially proclaimed a metropolitan see. The traditional national youth meeting was held in recent weeks at the Cistercian abbey of Sticna, on the theme “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet”. The Church in Slovenia is preparing to celebrate 2007 as “Year of Holy Scripture”, of which one of the most significant events will be the International Biblical Congress due to be held in July 2007 (http://www.iosot2007.si). SPAIN. This period is characterized by the talks that the Church is conducting with the government with a view to the implementation of the accords between the Holy See and the Spanish State signed in 1979. Talks are also continuing regarding the decrees that will develop the organic law on education approved by the Parliament in the spring, and regulate the teaching of religion in state schools and the regime of teachers of religious education. At the economic level an agreement on some points has now been reached: the Church will renounce its exemption from value added tax (VAT), a renunciation urged by the European Union. In exchange, the tax percentage, that the Church currently receives from the income tax of citizens, who opt to devolve it to the Church, is being increased from the current 0.5 % to 0.7 %.SAINTS CYRIL AND METHODIUS. An ecumenical initiative in preparation for EEA3 was recently held, with the participation of the Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius, the Orthodox Eparchy of Bac and the Protestant communities of Vojvodina; it took the form of a shared moment of dialogue, study and prayer. The meeting of the International Theological Commission of the Catholic and Orthodox Church was also recently held in Belgrade; it offered the faithful of the archdiocese an opportunity to get to know the member delegates. Solemn liturgies were celebrated, to mark the occasion, in the Orthodox church of St. Mark and in the Catholic Cathedral of Belgrade.