CCEE: the 38th meeting of General Secretaries in Rome “The challenges of ecclesial cooperation: relationships within the Church, relationships with States, the relationship with public opinion” is the theme of the 38th meeting of the General Secretaries of Europe’s Bishops’ Conferences (CCEE) scheduled in Rome June 10-13. The closing celebrations of the Year for Priests, attended by the Secretaries General inaugurated the meeting (Thursday 10 June, Prayer Vigil in St Peter’s at 2030; Friday 11 June Mass presided by Pope Benedict XVI). “In this way”, said Fr Duarte da Cuhna, CCEE General Secretary, “the meeting also aims to be an opportunity to reflect and celebrate, together with thousands of priests from all over the world, on our ministry as priests and General Secretaries of the Bishops’ Conferences”. Each aspect of the theme will be introduced by experts in each field: for State relations, Msgr Ettore Balestrero, Under-secretary for relations with the States of the Secretariat of State; for the media by Msgr. Domenico Pompili, director of CEI’s National Office for Social Communications and by Fr. Federico Lombardi, Director of the Press Office of the Holy See. A panel lecture is devoted to the issue of abuse on minors with the contributions of Msgr. Luís Ladaria and Msgr. Robert Deeley, respectively Secretary and Collaborator from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Finally, the General Secretaries will report on topical issues in their respective countries and on the activities undertaken by the respective Bishops’ Conferences in the course of the year. A final statement will be released at the end of the meeting. CCEE General Secretary, Fr Duarte da Cunha, will attend on Monday 14 June the funerals of Bishop Luigi Padovese which will be held in Milan’s Duomo at 1030. Portugal: Year for Priests, “a blessing” “The Symposium of the Portuguese clergy, the local and regional initiatives and the meeting with Benedict XVI have marked the history of our Year for Priests”, said the President of the Bishops’ Commission for Vocations and Ministries (CEVM) Msgr. António Francisco Dos Santos during an interview on the TV program Ecclesia. “The Pope’s message in Fatima epitomizes the conclusions and the challenges of a Year entirely devoted on the figure of the priest”. “The Holy Father urged the faithful not to be overcome by routine and by discomfort, and to live up to the attractions of an existence based on the daily encounter with concrete life, and constantly renewed, just as the first day of our ordination”. “For this to take place it is necessary that the energy of the priests is not dispersed nor distracted by those activities that need to be pursued with efficiency and dedication by lay people. Priority must be given to the time devoted to prayer, to spiritual direction, to the celebration of the sacraments, to the closeness to the people of God and to their needs”, said the bishop of Aveiro. “The Year for Priests has served to put into practice numerous pastoral initiatives for Church development, such as the need for team-work in the creation of new initatives. It is necessary that each one of us perceives the other priest as a true brother, in communication, in the time devoted, in the availability and in the sharing of projects” – added Msgr. Dos Santos: “The initiatives have also helped show that the priests need ongoing formation, which extends beyond seminary formation”. “I consider the experience of the Year for Priests as a blessing. It represented a renewed possibility to discover and appreciate the beauty of priestly vocation, and I thank Benedict XVI for this initiative and for the opportunity he has given us” – concluded the CEVM President. Germany: Year for Priests, “a gift””The Year for Priests is a gift”, said Msgr. Robert Zollitsch, president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) in a statement released today. As the Year, called by Benedict XVI, draws to a conclusion (Frid.11) Msgr. Zollitsch underlined that “in the Year for Priests we have grown stronger. And even though it was partly obscured by discussions on the cases of abuse, I am grateful that many faithful have encouraged us, bearing witness of priests whose mission if fulfilled with righteousness. Priestly mission has a future – Zolltisch added – it is a gift that is bestowed with prayer”. “The significant echo of the Year for Priests increases our hopes that the Pope’s encouraging thrust will continue even after the Year’s conclusion”, concluded the head of the German Catholic Church.
