The 24th plenary session of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Russia was held in St. Petersburg on 30-31 January. Five bishops, the President of the Bishops’ Conference Msgr. Josif Verst, and the apostolic nuncio in Russia Msgr. Antonio Mennini participated in the session. The bishops discussed the activity of the Catholic Church in Russia over the past year and questions concerning the major Catholic seminary in St. Petersburg. They acknowledged the considerable improvement in relations with the Russian Orthodox Church and the will of Catholics in Russia to continue along the road of brotherly dialogue. Questions concerning the site of the Russian Catholic church were also discussed. In his address, the Apostolic Nuncio Antonio Mennini spoke of the problem of ecumenical dialogue, drawing attention to the increasingly positive dialogue between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Holy See, which has asked that the work of reconciliation be further developed.
