Portugal

Bishops: a “large political consensus” against the crisisThe Permanent Council of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference (CEP) called upon political parties to promote “broad consensus” in these times of crisis for the country heading towards legislative elections scheduled for June 5. Even if the polls “should result in a majority vote, it is clear that in these circumstances a broad consensus is important, fundamental”, said CEP president Fr. Manuel Morujão, at the end of the session of the permanent Council that closed Tuesday April 12 in Fatima. “The ongoing social urgency must be addressed with initiatives for public consensus”, the bishop said, highlighting “the need for a serious engagement by all those concerned”. For the CEP president it is important “that the poor do not endure the consequences of the ongoing tempest afflicting the country”, referring to the high unemployment rates and low pensions. “Politics – he declared – is not an arena where political parties and forces struggle against each other. Instead, it is a platform for dialogue and encounter”. The priest thus augured a “stronger ethical contribution in the political realm”. “The common good must be the fundamental norm for the organization of the Country’s political and social life”, concluded Morujão, recalling that “the Church is on the side of hope”, in the belief that a solution to Portugal’s situation “can be accomplished”.EAPN, EU support “won’t benefit” the poorThe European Anti-Poverty Network Portugal EAPN conveyed its pessimism over the request of aid to the Eurogroup presented by the Portuguese government complaining that the contribution (reportedly amounting to 80 billion dollars ed.’s note) “will not deliver short term benefits to those who most need it”. The President of the association father Agostinho Moreira, said “the aim of the proposal is to redress banking and business crises, whilst disregarding the needs of the poor. It is a purely economically-minded vision, in the framework of liberal capitalism that is not worthy of a society in need of strong social policies”. “The real problem – he added – is that a nation with almost two million poor people, is experiencing a dramatic social situation, that many people are responsible for passing under silence”. According to Manuela Silva , ex-president of the national Justice and Peace Commission (CNJP), “other internal and external measures could have been adopted to meet individual needs, such as a omprehensive reorganization of public administration. The option of interlacing public and private bodies has not delivered the expected results in terms of transparency, efficiency and financial supervision”. The view is shared by the president of FILOS association father José Maia, according to whom “it is the right moment to introduce ethical changes for the future, redressing the ongoing growing depreciation of the common good. Fortunately, a large number of local associations implemented solidarity initiatives and promoted proximity and good neighbourhood policies aimed at problem resolution”. “I cannot understand why the government fails to invest in urban recovery, a strategic area in the creation of employment for the Country’s economic development, which could provide opportunities to the young generations”, said Fr. Maia.CEHR, 100 years of Church-State divisionA conference “to promote a reflection of the historical problems of the Republic” focusing on secularization. The event titled “Religion, State and Society: 100 years of religious history”, took off on Wednesday, April 13, in Lisbon with over 100 world experts “who will debate the historical insights of the law that came into force in 1911” and examine “problems arising in the relationship between religion, politics and State organization”, explained the Director of the Centre for the Study of Religious History (CEHR) of the Catholic University. According to Matos Ferreira religion, society and state “are three key-elements that must be expanded”. Church-State separation in Portugal “acquired its own value” today. As it is linked to secularism – “in the positive sense of the term” – this separation “doesn’t imply the disappearance of religion or of its institutions” but rather “a complementariness” with civil society and with the State. On Saturday April 15, the bishop of Oporto Msgr. Manuel Clemente, and the Patriarch of Lisbon card. José Policarpo will deliver the closing speeches.