Spain: “serious concern”Spanish bishops voiced their “serious concern” over the current economic crisis. Indeed, the plenary assembly in Madrid (November 24-28) devoted a session to the issue. As declared in the final press statement of the 92nd Assembly, the bishops believe that “given the present circumstances, we ought to bring to mind the doctrine of the universal destiny of goods and of public and private property, the right and duty to work, and mostly, the needs for the common good. Those who are without a job, the immigrants that cannot count on the support of the family environment along with those living in dire straits, look forward to the support of society and of the public powers”. The Spanish bishops believe “it is time to reflect upon the moral reasons for the crisis, and ascertain whether moral relativism fomented conducts that are not aimed at serving the common good and the general interest; if the craving for rapid profit prevailed in economic life incommensurate to the production of goods; and if squandering and ostentation in the public and private realms are presented as the evidence of economic and social efficiency”. Given the serious situation, the bishops gave Caritas 1% of the gross amount received by the dioceses from the Common Inter-diocesan Fund, amounting to 1.9 million euro that will be donated to diocesan Caritas. Given the difficult moment, whereby aids are never enough, the bishops launched a plea of help to all the faithful and Church-related bodies so that each, according to its own means, may contribute a generous commitment in view of erecting “a fairer and brotherly society that rejects the fatality of poverty”. The bishops approved the official version of the Bible. It’s the fruit of a rigorous endeavour that lasted over ten years and that involved a team of exegetes and several more scholars under the direction of Domingo Muñoz León, and coordinated by Juan Miguel Díaz Rodelas. It’s a highly significant event – the bishops pointed out – that falls upon the conclusion of the Bishops’ Synod, devoted to the Word of God and to the Pauline Year. While waiting for the publication of the Bible, a pastoral instruction by the plenary Assembly will be issued under the name of “The Holy Scripture in the Life of the Church”, that includes also the first pages of the Holy Bible, the official version of Spain’s Bishops Conference. During the plenary meeting, Msgr. Juan Antonio Martínez Camino, auxiliary bishop of Madrid, was re-elected secretary general and spokesperson of Spain’s bishops’ Conference (CEE), for the period 2008-2013. Furthermore, the plenary approved the pastoral instruction regarding the topical relevance of the Missio ad Gentes in Spain. Romania: the tenth anniversary of “Fides et ratio” “John Paul II’s encyclical Fides et Ratio is an emblematic document on contemporary society, since the relationship between faith and reason, and between religion and philosophy aren’t matters of interest for Christians or Catholics only”, declared Romanian scholar Alexandru Surdu, who holds a chair at the faculty of philosophy at the University of Bucharest, during the conference organized in Bucharest by the Academy of Romania and by the Catholic Church. Among others, the conference was attended by Eugen Simion, President of the Academy of Romania, and by Msgr. Francisco-Javier Lozano Sebastiàn, Apostolic nuncio in Romania. The archbishop of Bucharest Ioan Robu, illustrated the themes of the encyclical that “addresses the relationship between faith and reason, which are like two wings enabling the human spirit to attain the contemplation of truth”. Orthodox Priest Dumitru Popescu also took part in the meeting, where he presented “an Eastern response to the relationship between faith and reason”, drawing a comparison between “Fides et Ratio” and “Orientale lumen”, both written by John Paul II. Father Popescu recalled that in 2001 John Paul II was appointed an honorary member of the Academy of Romania. The vice-President of the Academy of Romania, Gheorghe Vl?du?escu, underlined: “just like the encyclical ‘Eterni Patris’ marked 20th century philosophy, also the encyclical “Fides et ratio” will mark 21st century philosophy”.
