CHURCHES IN BRIEF
France: cardinal Vingt-Trois closes the plenary The family, the law on bioethics, work-free Sunday, and ecology are the themes addressed by French bishops during the plenary meeting held November 4 to 9 in Lourdes. These themes – said Cardinal André Vingt-Trois, president of the French Bishops’ Conference – regard “the future” of French society. “This future extends beyond the two weeks dedicated to political speculations and it involves the next generations”. It is from this perspective that the Catholic Church considers the revision of the legislation on bioethics. “Bioethics involves fundamental questions in the lives of our citizens, notably as regards the future of the children that are already born and those who are yet to be born. Bioethics implies the debate on the consistency between the respect for human dignity and the progress of biomedical technology”, His Eminence said. “We expect that our political representatives undertake responsible, serious and attentive reflection for the common good”. The archbishop called for “a peaceful and respectful dialogue” over this issue in France, which is “not partial, but rather objective and complete”. “The bishops of France – assured cardinal Vingt-Trois – will continue taking part in the dialogue with their contribution to ensure that in the future bioethics legislation is more respectful of human dignity from the beginning”.Portugal: the Seminaries Week The “Seminaries Week” is under way in Portugal (until November 14), dedicated to the theme: “Seminary, community of disciples of Christ and brothers in the priesthood”. Recent figures released by the Holy See show a drop in the total number of philosophy and theology seminarians in Portugal: 547 diocesan priests and religious in the year 2000 dropped to 444 in 2008 with a 19% decrease. Lisbon, Braga, Porto and Funchal (Azzorre island) are the dioceses with the highest numbers of candidates to the priesthood. “With this initiative – declared the president of the Episcopal Commission for Vocations and Ministry (CEVM), Msgr. António Francisco dos Santos – we wish to convey a word of hope to all Portuguese seminarians as a token of gratitude towards those devoted to the formation of seminarians”. “It is my belief – he added – that within our Seminaries will always be present the communion of diocesan and religious priests, along with the prayers and the generosity of Christian communities”. The 2010 “Week” is characterized by the Letter of encouragement to world seminarians, read by Benedict XVI past October 18. In reference to the Letter and to the hopes for the future, father João Alves, from the Seminary of Santa Joana Princesa di Aveiro said he hopes “that mature seminarians will show their capability of offering their free service unto others, having acquired and developed human and Christian virtues through self-control and with the integration of individual emotional and affective experiences and drives”.Spain: 2011 World Youth Day hymnOn November 8, the eve of the feast of the “Virgen de la Almudena”, Patron Saint of Madrid, the hymn of the World Youth Day, one of the most distinctive features and “soundtrack” of the WYD, titled “Firm in the faith”, premiered in Madrid. The hymn was performed by Madrid’s youth orchestra (JORCAM) and by the treble choir of El Escorial. Both groups took part also in the recording that will be available starting next November 19. The hymn will accompany the youth in the preparation and celebration of the WYD in Madrid, based on the passage from Paul, “Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”, which the Pope chose as the theme of Madrid’s 2011 WYD. The author is Msgr. César Franco, general WYD coordinator and auxiliary bishop of Madrid. According to the author, “the lyrics highlight the most holy humanity of Christ in the Spanish mystical tradition and seek to bring it close to the youth”. The music was composed by Enrique Vázquez Castro, priest of Victoria and renown composer of church music. “The first challenge was to produce a melody which helped to understand, sing and recite the lyrics”, he said. Three versions of the hymn will be available: a liturgical one, an instrumental one for large choruses and a popular one with guitar accompaniment.
