Hungary: the apostolic nuncio to the president”Because of the international financial and social crisis, 2009 was a very difficult year for most of the world’s countries”, as well as “for the Republic of Hungary”, where “the government reshuffle and endless changes in ministerial appointments certainly impacted on economic and social sensitivity”. These are the words of archbishop Juliusz Janusz, apostolic nuncio and dean of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Republic of Hungary, during the meeting he had on January 12th with Hungarian president László Sólyom for the presentation of the New Year wishes. “At the same time – recalled archbishop Janusz -, it is important to acknowledge the acceleration in Hungary’s commitment in the international arena and its involvement in the EU’s activities”. Hence the mention of the 20th anniversary of the opening of the frontiers with Austria, celebrated on June 27th 2009, and the World Science Forum that took place in Budapest last November. In expressing appreciation for President Sólyom’s ongoing appeals “to prevent extremism and racism, to combat corruption and for the respect of moral values, proclaiming the truth above everything else”, archbishop Janusz underlined the obligation “to combat not only environmental damage, as the Pope recently declared, but also spiritual decay that is jeopardizing moral, historical and religious values with consequences across the whole of society”. Two are in particular, according to the nuncio, the priorities of a politics “that is at the service of the common good”: commitment to the protection of the environment and the maintenance of a good level of education. “It would be a great loss for the development of the country – concluded mgr. Janusz – if the current economic crisis damaged the regular operation of schools at every level”.Slovenia: the election of the new CES PresidentMgr. Anton Stres, 35th metropolitan archbishop of Ljubljana, is the new president of the Slovenian Bishops Conference, appointed on January 11th during the LII General Ordinary Assembly of Ces. Born in 1942 in the village of Donaèka Gora, which belongs to the parish of Rogatec, in 1960 Stres joined the Congregation of the Mission (Lazarists) in Belgrade. At the Institut Catholique de Paris, in 1969 he got a diploma in theology, followed over the years by a PhD in philosophy and doctor’s degrees in theology and philosophy. Since 1972, he has been a lecturer at the Faculty of Theology in Ljubljana, and has been its dean for a few years. His different appointments include that of deputy president of the European Commissions for Justice and Peace, advisor to the Papal Council for Justice and Peace, and envoy of the Slovenian Bishops Conference to Comece. Consecrated bishop of Maribor in 2000, he was the first bishop of the diocese of Celje, erected in 2006; and in 2007 he was appointed deputy president of the Slovenian Bishops Conference. In November 2009, Benedict XVI appointed him metropolitan archbishop of Ljubljana. The new deputy president of Ces is mgr. Franc Kramberger, metropolitan archbishop of Maribor.Belarus: a parish Church dedicated to Saint Pius”On behalf of the entire parish, I must ask for your financial support in the construction of a new and larger chapel for a larger number of faithful, and for Catechistic activities, since we cannot afford it with our own means”. Father Oleg Piwowar, parish priest of the small Catholic church of Liozno, a city located some 10 km away from the border with Russia, in the Eastern region of Belarus, conveyed the appeal to ACN (Aid to the Church in Need, who announced a grant of 20 thousand euro). Only ten years since the fall of the Soviet regime, during which “the bells of Christian churches were never tolled”, recalls the priest, did the Catholic minority start gathering in prayer, initially in the city’s cemetery where a Mass was celebrated again for the first time after many years of prevailing atheism. Immediately after, the Catholic bishop of Vitebsk erected a parish in Liozno that he entrusted to the service of a priest, but it was a parish without a church, until a woman offered that a room in her home should serve as temporary chapel. Later on, the parish was given the possibility of purchasing a small house that was transformed into a chapel with a small altar covered with a lace cloth and decorated with flowers and candles, a large portrait of Saint Father Pius from Pietrelcina to whom the parish is dedicated, a large crucifix and some benches. However the parish is expanding and can currently host no more than 40 faithful. “Mass is celebrated every day – said father Piwowar – and every Sunday there are two Eucharistic celebrations. Parish attendants include children and youth; there are meetings for the elderly and meetings of the Living Rosary group”.
