From the South to the North, from the East to the West

A brief, cross-sectional and critical rendering of events characterizes the new version of “Litterae Communionis Episcoporum Europae”, featuring renewed graphic presentation and content. The first issue, published a few days ago, refers to the period January-April 2009. The purpose of this tool is to promote knowledge and exchange of information regarding European bishops, offering a “synthesis of news and reflections of the Church in Europe”, declared Fr. Duarte da Cunha, Secretary General of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE). This renewed format is the result of cooperation between CCEE and news agency SIR Europe. The bulletin reports CCEE meetings, while a section (Wideangle) is devoted to news items pertaining to Bishops’ Conferences along with a calendar of CCEE events. In-depth analysis is devoted to issues regarding events pertaining to the Church and civil society. In the current issue CCEE asked Bishops’ Conferences to brief on the activities of the Bishops’ Synod on the Word and on European Parliament election. CCEE press officer Thierry Bonaventura, and SIR Europe editor-in-chief Paolo Bustaffa, who will supply news reports on important events of the local Churches, are in charge of the renewed editorial project since May. Follows a snapshot of the recent initiatives pertaining to European Churches. Each issue of SIR Europe devotes ample space to the activity of the Churches in Europe. Albania. During the Plenary Assembly of Albania’s Bishops’ Conference (Tirana, May 11 2009) Msgr. Rrok Mirdita, Metropolitan archbishop of Tirana-Durazzo, was reconfirmed CEA President while Msgr. Angelo Massafra Ofm, Metropolitan archbishop of Scutari-Pult was elected vice-President. The new Secretary General is Msgr. Luçjan Avgustini, bishop of Sapë. CEA has a new e-mail address: cealbania@yahoo.com. Belarus. The solemn celebration of the 70th anniversary of the priestly ordination of Cardinal Kazimir Sviontak, Apostolic Administrator of the diocese of Pinsk, to the presence of the Apostolic nuncio, of all the bishops of Belarus and of the priests of the diocese, held in April, is one of the past months’ most significant events of the Belarus Church. The same month was also held the meeting of the president of Belarus, Aleksander Lukashenko, with the archbishop of Minsk Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz. State – Catholic Church relations were among the subjects addressed during the meeting. Notably, Second Vatican Council documents were published in Belorussian over the past weeks.Bosnia and Herzegovina. The joint Plenary Meeting of Croatia’s and Bosnia -Herzegovina’s Bishops’ Conference was held in January. Participants illustrated the outcome of the project “A Week of Solidarity and Community with the Church and the People of Bosnia Herzegovina”. CEC prelates expressed their vicinity and offered their support to Catholics living in Bosnia Herzegovina. CE BiH Caritas undertook the new project “Poverty Observatory in BiH” to expand knowledge on the causes of poverty in order to implement appropriate measures and improve the ones already in force.Bulgaria. Past March 26 the Conference on Consecrated Life took place in Plovdiv, attended by Apostolic Nuncio Msgr. Janusz Bolonek, and by a number of delegates of the religious communities in Bulgaria. The meeting was aimed at analysing the presence of consecrated life in the Country and find synergies for cooperation that will respond to contemporary challenges. The President of the Bishops’ Conference, Msgr. Christo Proykov, read the Holy Father’s Letter to the local bishops issued March 10. At the end of the meeting participants agreed to write a letter to the Holy Father expressing their vicinity and gratitude for his commitment in favour of Church unity. A similar letter was drawn up also by Bulgarian Bishops.Czech Republic. The possibility of the visit of the Holy Father was at the centre of the Spring Plenary Meeting (Prague, April 21-22 2009). The bishops were informed on the preparations under way in the different places that Pope Benedict XVI is expected to visit next 26-28 September. A Pastoral Letter of the bishops inviting the faithful to undertake relevant spiritual preparation was read during the Sunday celebrations, on April 19. A three-language website on the Pope’s visit, www.navstevapapeze.cz, was launched at the end of the meeting.Croatia. Past March the President of Croatia’s Bishops’ Conference, Msgr. Marin Srakic, met Prime Minister Ivo Sanader. State-Church relations are good, in fact, Archbishop Srakic conveyed the Church’s support to the Government for its engagement in Euro-Atlantic integration and for the development of measures to overcome the ongoing crisis in the economy. April’s 38th Plenary Meeting centred on the media. In their analysis of contemporary pastoral care challenges, the bishops addressed the subject of New Age and the new religious movements.Russian Federation. Over the past months, relations with the Russian Orthodox Church were marked by the participation of archbishop Paolo Pezzi – from the archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow – to significant moments in the ecclesial and liturgical life of the Russian Orthodox Church. Past March archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for the Relations with the States of the Secretary of State, undertook a visit to Russia. On April 17 2009 Dmitriy Medvedev, the President of the Russian Federation, nominated reverend Igor Kowalewski, Secretary General of the Russian Bishops’ Conference, as member of the Council of Religions at the Presidency of the Russian Federation.Lithuania. In the two plenary meetings held in the past months Lithuania’s Bishops’ Conference examined, among other things, the meetings schedule in view of the celebrations for the Jubilee Year of Gospel Proclamation in the Country. The Program can be adapted to the various local dioceses. The prelates prepared a brochure for the faithful, “Lectio divina”, that encourages reading of the Holy Scriptures, studying, and prayer with the Word of God. The Manual of the Way of Pilgrimages, highlighting the sites and sanctuaries dear to Lithuanian faithful that were visited by John Paul II, was also presented for the occasion. The Manual is part of the project “The journey of John Paul II in Lithuania”, funded by the Lithuanian State.Moldavia. In this period the local Church of Moldavia was committed in Easter preparations. Celebrations however were hindered by the ongoing parliament elections and the ensuing riots. Despite difficulties pertaining also to the social realm, the bishop summoned the clergy, the religious, and the laity to celebrate Holy Thursday and conveyed a strong message of faith and hope for the Moldavian people to attendants. After Easter, the bishop paid visits to the parish churches to confer the Sacrament of Confirmation.Romania. On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the historical visit of John Paul II in the Country, May 7-9, the Catholic archbishop of Bucharest, Msgr. Ioan Robu, organized a series of cultural and religious events to the presence of the President of the Republic Traian Basescu and of archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with the States of the Secretary of State of the Holy See in conjunction with the Romanian Academy and the Orthodox Church. During the ordinary session of the Synod of the Romanian Church united with Rome (Blaj, May 4-6), the Greek-Catholic bishops adopted three liturgical documents and discussed the beatification cause of Greek-Catholic bishops, along with Church property, the reform of teaching in theological seminaries and the organization of the Greek-Catholic Romanian Diaspora.Slovakia. During the 62nd Plenary Assembly (Donovaly, March 16-17) the bishops discussed the proposal of three themes for the XIII Ordinary Assembly of the Bishops’ Synod and adopted the new Statute for permanent deaconship. There are a total of 18 permanent deacons in Slovakia. They present the charitable project for Sudan promoted by the Salesians.Slovenia. From January to April 2009 the Church and the public opinion of Slovenia witnessed the appointment of the bishop of Celje, Msgr. Anton Stres, to the post of coadjutor archbishop of Maribor. Significant events included the initiative for Lent of Slovenia’s Cartitas “40 Days Without Alcohol”, the discovery in the cave of Huda Jama, near Laško, of a mass grave of people killed after World War II and the concession of land for the erection of the first Islamic centre in Ljubljana.Hungary. Among the themes of the Spring Plenary meeting of Hungarian Bishops (March 3), figured the day of prayer for Slovakia-Hungarian reconciliation in the national sanctuary of Mátraverebèly-Szentkút and pastoral care in Hungarian language for Hungarian faithful immigrated to Western Europe and to America. At the end of the works the bishops adopted a statement on the social problems in the Country. In March convened also the Committee of the Bishops’ Conference for the Family. Issues examined included the law on the registration of partners in ‘de facto’ couples; research on embryo stem cells, work-free Sunday and the – at the time – forthcoming election of the European Parliament.Saints Cyril and Methodius. “Catholic families in the places of the Diaspora” was the theme of the plenary meeting of the international bishops’ conferences of Saints Cyril and Methodius, whose dioceses are mostly located in areas where the Catholic Church is a minority. When the Bishops’ Conference was established, the dioceses were only located in Yugoslavia. Now it became international and it reunites all the dioceses present in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia, three different Countries with three nunciatures, 3 different legislations and different languages. Thus it’s hard to adopt the same approach to issues such as Church-State relations, the restitution of Church property, the teaching of religion in schools, the media, ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue. Also the long-distances are a hindering factor.Ukraine (Byzantines). In this year’s first trimester all CGCU Eparchies and Exarchates held assemblies on the theme of evangelization. Cardinal Lubomyr Husar signed a cooperation agreement with the Minister of Health for the promotion of shared human values in psychological and spiritual assistance to patients and to medical staff, in the prevention and diffusion of HIV/AIDS, and in the assistance to terminal patients. On April 24 celebrations for the proclamation of the martyr priest Omeljan Kovch (beatified on June 21st 2001 by John Paul II) “Patron of pastors” were held in Kyiv.Ukraine (Latins). At the centre of the 23rd Plenary Assembly of the Bishops’ Conference of the Ukrainian Roman Catholic Church (Zaporizhia, 19-21 March), presided over for the first time by the new president, Metropolitan archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki, was the theme of vocations to priesthood and religious life. The prelates underlined the importance of the formation of seminarians and of the “ongoing formation of priests”. The bishops sent a letter to the Government with the request of simplifying procedures in the granting of visas to foreign priests.