chURCHES IN BRIEF
Austria: taxes and the ChurchThe Catholic Church of Austria requested that ecclesial dues be tax-deductible, and called for fiscal cuts for donations to the Church. Peter Schipka, secretary general of the Bishops’ Conference, referred the request during the religious program “Orientierung” broadcast by Austrian network Orf on April 17. The head of Austria’s Evangelical Church Raoul Kneucker also conveyed his support to the proposal. “It would be an evident discrimination if other organizations were to benefit from fiscal cuts while Churches were excluded”, Kneucker said during the program dedicated to the government’s draft-provision extending fiscal cuts to other institutions. “Full deduction of ecclesial levies is justified by the services the Church provides to society”, Schipka underlined, recalling that the “Church assumes commitments that should be carried out by the State, like in the area of education, social works or monument protection”. Already at the end of March Austrian Bishops illustrated their position on tax deduction in an official blueprint, and highlighted the current 200-euro limit to deductible amounts. The bishops said that this disparity of fiscal treatment signals “the poor consideration of the numerous services offered by Churches and religious communities to Austria’s population”.Italy: “Digital Citizens” conferenceThe national “digital citizens” conference, promoted by the national Social Communications Office (UNICS) and by the IT Service of the Italian Bishops Conference (SICEI) will take place in Macerata (Italy) next May 19-21. The initiative is addressed to the heads of diocesan social communications offices, diocesan IT coordinators along with webmasters, animators and coordinators of ecclesial cultural and communication departments and communities. The first Day of the Conference focuses on in-depth analyses. Msgr. Claudio Giuliodori, bishop of Macerata, chair of the Bishops’ Conference Culture and Communication Office, will deliver the opening address. Panel speakers include UNICS director Msgr. Domenico Pompili, Ruggero Eugeni and Massimo Scaglioni from the Catholic University in Milan. The second day will be dedicated to the sharing of experiences, starting with the presentation of a research titled “Digital identities: online and offline relations and personality-building”, by Chiara Giaccardi. Participants will then broach state-of-the art technological formation tools (ranging from e-learning to social networks), with the contribution of Pier Cesare Rivoltella. Finally, the closing day will serve to delve into the possibility of stepping up “digital convergence” for ecclesial media, with a round table attended by Saverio Simonelli, responsible of the cultural palympsest of tv2000; Paolo Bustaffa, editor-in-chief of SIR and SIR Europe, Francesco Ognibene, chief editor of the Catholic daily Avvenire, and Francesco Zanotti, president of the Italian Federation of Catholic weeklies.Portugal: approaching faith at twoThe Catholic Church in Portugal proposes that religious teaching be imparted to children already at the age of two, with the help of families and child institutions. The director of the national Christian Education Secretariat (SNEC) Acácio Lopes believes that “beginning catechesis at six, as happens today, is too late. Religious ‘awakening’ should first take place in the households, in a simple and natural way, and not according to doctrinal timelines”. Parents, grandparents, families and friends are invited to accompany children in the parish activity: “Active Mass participation, not confined to ensuring children’s appropriate behaviour during the celebration, provides excellent catechesis” – the deacon observed. The SNEC coordinator recalled that the process of Catechetical texts revision is due to close in 2012. The formation of catechists, he said, is a major concern of his department. “It is necessary to attract a greater number of people willing to communicate faith, since catechesis is not merely intellectual learning, it is also Christian witness”. These issues will be addressed during the national Christian Education Week that will take place on October 2 to 9 2011, and during the Days of the Catechists, that will be held in Fatima from October 7 through 9.
