Italy-Austria-Slovenia: a joint pilgrimage “We shall express the variety of our cultures, we will bear witness to the vitality of our faith, founded on our common roots, capable of overcoming borders and barriers”. With these words, the archbishop of Udine (Italy), Msgr. Pietro Brollo, delved into the significance of the 27th edition of the “pilgrimage of the three peoples” scheduled for August 29 in Udine. The initiative involves pilgrims from the Italian dioceses of Udine and Gorizia, the Slovenian dioceses of Ljubljana, Maribor and Koper, and the Austrian dioceses of Klagenfurt and Graz. Each year one of these dioceses hosts the pilgrims. This year, it is the turn of the archdiocese of Udine, and the pilgrimage destination is the Piazza Primo Maggio Basilica, “under the loving glance of Saint Mary of Grace, the shrine faithfully preserved by the Servants of Mary for as many as 530 years”, Msgr. Brollo pointed out. This year’s theme is “Mary, the source of our joy”. “We will imitate the attitude of the Virgin Mary who left Nazareth, with a limber pace, to go and meet her cousin Elisabeth – pointed out Msgr. Brollo-. The road was long, the hardships and fears to overcome were many, but at the end of her walk there was the meeting, and the mothers’ embrace was followed by the cry of jubilation, the Magnificat”. The program of the “pilgrimage of the three peoples” envisages the pilgrims’ arrival to the shrine of the Blessed Virgin of Graces where a Eucharistic celebration will be officiated by the archbishop of Udine, Msgr. Brollo, and co-officiated by the bishop of Gurk-Klagenfurt, Msgr. Alois Schwarz, and by the archbishop of Ljubljana, Msgr. Alojzij Uran. “By tradition other bishops from former suffragan dioceses of Aquileia will attend in the event”, reported the weekly review of the diocese of Udine. The bishops of Koper, Msgr. Metod Pirih – whose diocese borders on that of Udine, as it includes the Slovenian part of the Isonzo valley – confirmed he will be there.France: World Marian FestivalFive days of feasting with Mary, through prayer, experiences and entertainment designed for young people and families. These are the ingredients of the 2nd World Marian Festival due to take place from 14th to 18th August in Paray-le-Monial, a French sanctuary in Burgundy, on the places of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The people who will come to share their experiences include the auxiliary bishop of Paris, Renauld de Dinechin, the Belgian priest Joseph-Marie Verlinde, don Giovanni D’Ercole, head of the office of the Vatican Secretariat of State, the Emeritus Bishop of Algiers, Henri Tessier, plus lots of delegates of new communities and groups of prayers from France, Belgium, Austria, Brazil and Canada. The festival is organised by a group of young people who have founded groups of prayer in France – the Hearts of Jesus and Mary, Maranathà (both at the Chapel of the Miraculous Medal in the Parisian Rue du Bac), the Abba group, the M group, Holy Wins – and the Emmanuel Community, which organises the summer activities of the Marian citadel of Paray-le-Monial. On the Day of the Assumption, an ecumenical vigil will be celebrated with the Orthodox. The festival will be ended by the speeches of the bishop of Frejus-Toulon, Dominique Rey, and by the preacher of Saint Vincent’s, Thomas Lunot.Germany: the Church and the media for authentic valuesOn the occasion of the annual reception for the press, held July 16 in Augsburg, Msgr. Walter Mixa, bishop of the diocese, underlined the joint responsibility of the Church and the media, and that the latter “ought to give priority to authentic human values”. “The Church is not an association of interests for individual questions. It proclaims the love of God towards mankind and promoting the welfare of all human beings and of the creation”, Msgr. Mixa told 130 media officers. “The church is often opposed by the media when she speaks out against unrestrained liberalism, moral degradation, against egoism and exploitation, or in defence of the weakest brackets. However, this is part and parcel of free societies and pertains to democratic confrontation”, he added. With reference to the encyclical of Pope Benedict XVI, issued recently, Msgr. Mixa said, “the Pope made us understand that a humanism that excludes God becomes an inhuman form of humanism. In order to function correctly, the economic and cultural realms don’t need just any ethics. They need a an ethical code based on human values, whereby individuals become the sons of God and peoples are siblings” Mixa concluded, thanking journalists for the information delivered “correctly, critically and partly controversially”.
