chURCHES IN BRIEF
Czech Republic: St. Agnes, 14 martyrs, prisonsHoly year of st. Agnes of Bohemia; preparation of beatification of 14 franciscan martyrs of Prague; pastoral care in czech prisons – those were the highlights of the April plenary assembly of the Czech bishop’conference that took place last week. Its president Mgr. Dominik Duka emphasised need of the Catholic church’s participation in national and international debates about the questions of Islam and relations between Muslims and Christians. The bishops also expressed joy over the interest of czech society towards the Holy year of st. Agnes of Bohemia, at the memory of 800th anniversary of her birth. A unique exhibition named “St. Agnes of Bohemia – princess and nun” will be inaugurated 25 November this year at the occasion of the Holy year closure. The prelates then discussed forthcoming beatification of 14 franciscan martyrs of Prague who died for their faith in 1611. After having been oficially approved by the Vatican on 5 March this year it’s estimated that Bedrich Bachstein and his companions could be beatified in 2012. One of the topics of the plenary was also a pastoral care in czech prisons, actively used by 5 – 12% of convicts. According to the actual statistics 203 priests and pastors of 13 Christian churches provide spiritual guidance in 36 prison units in the country. Next plenary session of the Czech bishops’conference will take place on 16-18 June in Prachatice and will coincide with the pilgrimage in honour of St. Jan Nepomuk Neumann.Poland: John Paul II, “a special gift””The beatification of John Paul II is a grace for all of the Church and for many men of good will; it is also a special gift for Poland and even more for us, Polish priests”. This was written by the Polish bishops in the Letter for Maundy Thursday that was published today. Mentioning that Karol Wojtyla “received the grace of his priestly call in Poland” and that he was “sensitive to the needs not just of the Church of Cracow but of all of the Polish Church and all of his home country”, the bishops wish the beatification of May 1st may “strengthen unity between bishops and presbyters and consecrated and lay people”. In addition, the Polish bishops say they are confident that the beatification will be a powerful reminder of the Pope’s appeals to “the primacy of inner holiness over outward action”. The Letter, inspired by Benedict XVI’s apostolic exhortation “Verbum Domini”, reminds the priests – who are “the heralds of truth and love” – of the need to contemplate the Word in order to be able to “live everyday life in a real, effective way”.Ukraine: 10th anniversary of John Paul II’s visitA plan of events to mark the 10th anniversary of the visit of Pope John Paul II to Kyiv and Lviv has been approved. The plan was developed jointly by various departments of the humanitarian policy of the Lviv City Council, representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and Roman Catholic Church, and public organizations, the press service of the Lviv city Council reported. According to the plan, various thematic events will take place during the year, most of which will be conducted in April and May and on June 23-27. Lviv will develop: an Internet version of the atlas “Sacral Lviv: Religious Objects on the Map of the City”, special pilgrim tourist routes, and a map of religious objects in the central part of the city. It is also planned to put up billboards with photos of the Pope and his statements as well as images of the 28 new martyrs of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church beatified in Lviv and two beatified servants of God of the Roman Catholic Church. The Church will take the most active part in the events. Representatives of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church and the Roman Catholic Church will conduct meetings with priests, hold thematic evening events, publish books, newspapers and magazines and set up a photo exhibition. In all Roman rite churches prayer initiatives will be held. One of them will be led by Cardinal José Saraiva Martins. A medal is to be produced as a souvenir, which will be available to all interested persons. It is also planned to present the book “He Loved Tuesday Most of All” by Mieczyslav Morkczytski, who was the personal secretary of John Paul II. The Roman Catholic Church also prepares events to celebrate the beatification of the Pope and the 10th anniversary of his visit to Ukraine.
