Ukraine, Germany, Spain

Ukraine: the new Head of UGCC within two monthsCard. Lubomyr Husar officially announced that Benedict XVI accepted his resignations as Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. The cardinal, 77, submitted the request to His Holiness two years ago. “Since I am no longer as strong as I used to be – the patriarch said – I would like to pass on my office to my successor, so that he may assume this post. It does not belong to me and I am not the key. The key is the Church, the objective of our work is to serve the Church, and we seek to carry out this mission at our best and for as long as possible. Cardinal Husar said that after his resignations he will not cease participating in the life of the Church and society: “I will pray for the Church”, making sure “that nothing belonging to the past is lost. I would like to meet young people and groups of professionals.” Already this month the prelate will meet with the students of the Mohyla Kyiv Academy and will start working on the second part of his audio-book titled “Society” that will include the audio-books “Society and power”, “Society and new business” and “Society and law”. “According to canon law, until the election of the new patriarch, Msgr. Ihor Voznyak will serve as administrator of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. The Synod will elect the new head of the Church within two months’ time”, announced Bohdan Dzyurakh, secretary of the Synod of the Bishops. To this regard card. Husar remarked: “In our tradition the Synod is the governing body that sets the pace of Church life. I believe that that our bishops will seek a man with a plan for the future, who will continue the work that has already been begun”. According to the patriarch, his successor should be “a person capable of strengthening, supporting and promoting the Church”. “For our future work we will need to make the most of internal Church unity. We have to extend our glance to the near and distant future. We have already developed strategies for the next decade”. His Eminence said he hopes the strategies will be “put into practice” and that they will not remain “only words”.Germany: combating desertificationOn February 14 Msgr. Ludwig Schick, president of the Commission for the Universal Church of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) urged to step up the fight against desertification. “It is the responsibility of all of mankind” to intervene, said the archbishop, who attended the annual meeting of the board of directors of the “John Paul II Foundation for Sahel”. In view of the UN Conference against desertification, due to begin this week in Bonn, Msgr. Schick called for the urgent need for a greater commitment. “The consequence of climate change is particularly painful for people living in the Sahel region”, he said, and added that “the exemplary interreligious dialogue” existing in Gambia between Muslims and Christians, who “cooperate with great mutual trust and respect for the good of all people” especially impressed him. For 27 years the organization has been combating desertification and the difficulties experienced by the local populations with the promotion of agricultural development, reforestation and land reclamation. The projects also focus on educational programs for the local population, with grants provided regardless of their religious belief. Since 1984 over 40 million euro have been subsidized for the realization of over 3.500 projects.Spain: more Church donations on tax returnsThe number of donations to the Catholic Church reported on tax returns in Spain keeps on increasing in 2010. The figures were disclosed on February 15 in Madrid during a press conference on the outcome of the campaign for donations to the Catholic Church by Spanish taxpayers. In the tax return for the year 2010, on 2009 income, the number of donations to the Catholic Church in Spain raised by 65.983 thus amounting to a total of 7,260138 million. Over the past three years there was an increase of 777,983 returns. In spring over 9 million taxpayers made voluntary tax contributions to the Catholic Church, amounting to 249 456822 euros. The Spanish Bishops’ Conference said the sum will serve to fund the principle activities of the Church at levels of efficiency and austerity as has been customary up to now. Given the ongoing critical economic situation, the new consistent increase in Church contributions, shows that society’s real perception of the Church is positive. The Bishops’ Conference conveyed its appreciation, especially to those who delivered the tax contributions for the first time, and recalled that the other forms of support to Church activity, like money collections and other forms of donations, remain indispensable. The bishops will continue providing information on the work of the Church.