CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Russia: in prayer for the victims of the attack On January 25 Russia’s Catholic Community held a prayer service in Saint Petersburg to celebrate the memory of the victims of the suicide bombing at Moscow’s Domodedovo airport on January 23, pleading God “to bring peace in those places where it is threatened”. The sorrow and grief of the Catholic community was conveyed by Msgr. Paolo Pezzi, metropolitan archbishop of the Mother of God Archdiocese in Moscow, new president of the Russian Bishops’ Conference. He told SIR Europe: “The attack at the Domodedovo airport, the largest in terms of daily transiting passengers, left us with renewed suffering, prompting the firm condemnation for the new, serious act of violence. Our first thought goes to the victims – at moments like these, when death strikes unexpectedly, our certainty is that there, where no one can accompany us, Christ awaits us. These are our thoughts and prayers for the victims. We are still dismayed and puzzled at how this act of violence was perpetrated, so we pray to Our Lady that she may protect and help us all not to lose our reason and love for life, that we may never choose death as a solution”. “Profound suffering” along with the “strong condemnation of this serious act of violence” were conveyed by Benedict XVI in a telegram to the President of the Russian Federation Dmitrij Medvedev. In the message, the Pope wrote that he “prayed to God” that “He would give heavenly comfort to those mourning the tragic loss of their loved ones”.Germany: a German volunteer at Yad Vashem”We must undertake the path of reconciliation together”, said the President of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) Msgr. Robert Zollitsch, who announced that the German Catholic Church would finance a German volunteer working at Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial in Israel. “In our capacities as Catholic Church we wish to cooperate to history’s elaboration”. “The past cannot be forgotten, Zolltisch said. In fact, “the Holocaust cannot be denied”. “We must do our best to counter the new anti-Semitic trends across society”. The DBK initiative was welcomed by Irena Steinfeldt, responsible of the “Righteous Among the Nations” Office at the Holocaust memorial. “In last year’s visit to Yad Vashem archbishop Zollitsch underlined the importance of addressing a difficult past that is still under way. In this grave story, the religious and lay people acknowledged as Righteous by Yad Vashem represent an example for the next generations, which becomes concrete by sponsoring a German volunteer that will work at the Memorial”. DBK chose 23-year-old Moritz Povel, student of Political Sciences at the University of Münster. He will start working at the Yad Vashem Memorial in March. Switzerland: Campaign for Lent 2011″Mine extraction: an irritating affair”, is the theme of the 2011 Lent Campaign promoted by Christian bodies due to begin on March 9, Ash Wednesday, ongoing until Easter, April 24. The purpose of the campaign is to raise the Swiss population’s awareness on the exploitation of mining resources from developing Countries, notably African ones. The Ecumenical initiative, that is planned to last for several years, involves the right to nutrition and health safety, jeopardized by subsoil exploitation. Ruthless American, Chinese and Swiss companies, state the promoters of the Campaign, exploit and impoverish entire populations: it is a tragic situation that worsens with the outbreak of conflicts. Initiatives include the Feast of the Roses, celebrated on April 2: 160.000 roses will be sold. The proceeds will serve to help 80 thousand street children in Congo’s Democratic Republic. With the bakers’ initiative “Bread for All” 50 cents for each loaf of bread that is sold will go to the Campaign’s partner organizations. The promoters of the Campaign said the purpose is also to ask the Federal Government “to develop a consistent and transparent political framework of international trade and human rights” for mining companies based in Switzerland.
