Germany: child pastoral careA new Office for the Pastoral Care of Children was set up by the archdiocese of Munich and Freising a few days ago. The initiative lies within the framework of the archdiocese’s policy of stepping up activities for children. The Office is coordinated by Monika Mehringer, who is in charge of forming, providing counselling and training to volunteers and dependent workers who organize the pastoral care of children under 10 years of age. One of the main aspects of the Office’s activities is the training and refresher courses for teachers of parent-children groups, and that of volunteer and dependent workers charged with preparing children to Mass. Mehringer will be representing the archdiocese also in the field of ecumenical projects for children, such as the Childcare Centre that is planned to be set up in Munich in 2010 on the occasion of the Second Ecumenical Day of the Churches. Over 1000 groups of parents and children from different religions and nationalities, with children under 4 are actively committed in the archdiocese. But cooperation isn’t confined to the realization of religious services for children. Musical animation and support in difficult cases are also provided. “Today more than ever parents wish to impart to their children a religious education than entails the realms of pedagogy and theology”, Mehringer pointed out. “This is why parishes and ecclesial institutions play a central role. However, this requires that collaborators speak children’s language. They must be aware of the contents that can be transmitted to the children according to their age and interests”. For this purpose Mehringer prepared material summarizing the contributions of theologians, teachers of religion, educators of various Bavarian dioceses on this specific issue.Austria: disappointment over low funding to development A number of Austrian organizations expressed their disappointment for the scarce funding allocated to cooperation for development. “The beautiful words” expressed by Austria’s Finance Minister Josef Pröll “clash against the sad reality of aid to development”, remarked “Arbeitsgemeinschaft Globale Verantwortung” (Global Responsibility Working Community), representing numerous organizations and NGOs actively working in this field, including Caritas, Diakonie, and the Red Cross. Criticism was expressed also by bishop Ludwig Schwarz, President of the Coordinating Office of Austria’s Bishops’ Conference for international development and mission (KOO): “The sum allocated in the past is far too low, especially given the current increase in emergency situations triggered by the crisis under way “. Ruth Picker, Chairperson of “Ag Globale Verantwortung” underlined that the decision regarding funding “will cost the life of people living in the South of the world, and that today, more than ever, depend on our solidarity”. The two organizations recalled, “Austria has committed itself with the EU in the achievement of the Millennium objectives and that funding for the poor would reach 0.51% of its GDP within 2010 and up to 0.7% by 2015. However, the budget provision makes it impossible for Austria to maintain its promise for the year 2010. “Only a small part of the bank bailout funds would suffice to ensure the survival of the poor. It’s more than ever urgent to make concrete plans to increase development cooperation in the forthcoming years, in order to achieve the established 0.7% objective by 2015. Also Michael Chalupka, coordinator of the evangelical organization Diakonie, gave a negative appraisal of the government’s decision. “If in the midst of the global economic crisis we continue saving to the expense of those living in situations of extreme poverty, it means we didn’t learn anything. We are living in a world that we must share with each other”.Portugal: “help in silence”In announcing the title of his Lenten catecheses, “The Creating Word and Redemption”, Msgr.José Policarpo, Patriarch of Lisbon, declared, “the ongoing crisis requires silent help, from person to person, from neighbour to neighbour, within each community”. While acknowledging the importance of governments’ financial, economic and social measures along with the positive feeling of hope these may trigger, the patriarch said he is sure that “countering economic difficulties ought to go far beyond state structural response”. “Perhaps we are not able to solve major international problems, but we ought to be able to receive with love. We must provide our help to all that lies within our possibilities guiding people towards different solutions. Renouncing to the benefit of sharing with others can constitute the expression of our hope to conversion”. “Within the framework of the current need of charity we must intensify the practice of fasting: to renounce in order to offer to others; to be modest, in order to govern our vanity; to share poverty in order to understand and extend our hands to our brothers”.
