Spain: the Church and the convicts”The Church, vulnerable brackets and reparatory justice” is the theme of the 8th Congress of Prison Pastoral care celebrated at the Paul VI Foundation in Madrid. The meeting was organized by the Department for Prison Pastoral Care of Spain’s Episcopal Commission for Social Affairs, past September 10 to 12. Over 400 members of prison pastoral care convened to share reflections on penal institutions in Spain from the viewpoint of faith. “The fate of the poor is at stake”, states the final declaration of the conference. The Pastoral Committee for Justice and Freedom announced its “commitment for those stripped of their freedom for any reason. None of them must be disregarded. They all live in a world marked by unprecedented possibilities which require the commitment of public authorities, of society and of the Church to ensure the implementation of equality and justice”. In particular, “to the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church, we opted for a model of justice that will efficiently protect the victim, awaken the perpetrator’s responsibilities, and that will ensure social peace, whilst curbing the use of coercive and violent means. We focus on all forms of communal criminal mediation as a tool to address the true needs of those involved in criminal activity”. In fact, “prison is not always the best answer”. These situations can be equally dealt with also in more effective and appropriate ambits. “Preventing the enjoyment of the sacred value of freedom for administrative violations related to migration” should not take place. “We ask and expect our authorities to promote effective measures for the prevention of crime by addressing situations of mental health, its diagnosis and early treatment, providing full treatment to drug-addicts while adopting migration policies respectful of human rights, mobility and the universal disposition of mundane property”, the bishops affirm in the note. Turkey: the referendum is an “important step” “An important step that could be the prelude to successive reforms which the Country is in dire need of”. The apostolic nuncio in Turkey, Msgr. Antonio Lucibello, thus commented to SIR Europe the “yes-vote” of 58% of Turkey’s population to the referendum proposed by the Islamic party of Turkish premier Erdogan on the constitutional reform on fundamental rights. “It could be the beginning of further reforms, which might include openness towards minorities, their respect and their freedoms”. Msgr. Lucibello’s statement follows the declaration by the Council of Europe, according to which the vote “is a remarkable step forward on the path leading to the Country’s democratic progress”. Stefan Fule, EU Enlargement Commissioner, encouraged the Turkish government to act with “utmost transparency”. “We will closely follow the drafting of the new regulations. The new civil constitution is expected to become the foundation of democracy-building in Turkey, in line with European and EU-adhesion standards”. Portugal: survey of ecclesial organisms The Portuguese Church commissioned a public survey to the Catholic University on the expectations, problems and criticism vis a vis her evangelical mission. The spokesman of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference (CEP), father Manuel Morujão, said: “The goal is to learn more about social reality, in order to optimize the Church’s service of society”. “There are many people of good will, and although they may not fully adhere to the faith, they still share major humanitarian values. We expect the survey to provide suggestions for modifications in the Church’s organization and pastoral care, as she is in a state of ongoing conversion, with no fear of change”. The research is one of the pillars of the project “Rethinking Church Pastoral Care in Portugal”. The project involves also the country’s dioceses, to which CEP president Msgr. Jorge Ortiga addressed a programmatic letter: “The evolution of this process now also depends on the bishops, who are called to consult the congregations, the parish and ecclesial institutions, which represent clerics and lay people. The results will thus represent the true reflections of the faithful”, said the Jesuit priest. “The conceived objective is to uniform pastoral plans and practice, along with criteria, uses and customs, for the synergy of all ecclesial bodies. Our hope is that the Church is seen and understood as a single, undivided body, whilst preserving the peculiarity of each organism”. “We all have something to learn from others. I believe that in this way we will serve in the best way those who expect help and support on the part of a more dynamic Church. I have a wish”, concluded Fr. Morujão: “I hope we will experience a common pace”.
