Places of hope

An invitation “to look with hope at the current reality of our parishes, dioceses, as well as to the life of the Church in our European countries”, said Msgr. Alphonse Borras, general vicar of the diocese of Liège, in the presentation of the 26th European meeting of parishes (CEP) “Parishes, places of hope – Always ready to respond to those who seek to know the foundation of the hope that is within you”, scheduled to take place in Nyíregyháza (Hungary) next July 17 to 22. The point of departure of this year’s CEP is a glance at the Churches of Eastern Europe and to the ecumenical movement developed in this area of the Continent. A panel is devoted to recent experiences of faith witness in Communist regimes and in the more distant past of World War Two. There will be moments dedicated to ecumenical prayers along with visits and exchange of experiences with local parishes. The event will be concluded by a final pilgrimage at the Marian sanctuary of Máriapócs. For the youth aged 16-24, there will be a specific parallel program that envisages, among other things, visits to the disabled and to a Roma parish.East and West meet. “The theme of hope and the geographic location of Nyíregyháza in north-east Hungary, on the border between Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia, were decided at the end of the previous meeting in Mons, Belgium, explained Fr Luca Bressan, permanent CEP expert and professor of Pastoral Theology at the archbishopric Seminary in Milan-. During the meeting there will be an exchange of experiences of the parishes and churches that had to struggle to preserve their identity and their faith under communist dictatorship and of those, such as North European Christians, who live in a deeply “secularized” reality, whereby a sort of “faith desperation” seems to prevail. The priest highlighted that East European Countries have shown increasing attention, over the past years, for CEP, almost a yearning for encounter and exchange after many difficult years. He noted that the ecumenical experience of Hungary, marked by the coexistence of Christian Churches of different rites, will undoubtedly be a highlight of the Colloquium. Solidarity between the Churches. The special significance of the seat was underlined also by Fr Claudio Como, priest from the diocese of Udien, CEP president from 2001 to 2009. He said: “this is the second meeting that takes place in Eastern Europe after the one held in Prague in 1995”. “Hungary”, he continued, “is one of the most easily accessible countries for Christians from the Eastern part of the Continent, who conveyed their great interest to take part in the event”. This year CEP will also provide the occasion for the concrete manifestation of solidarity between Churches. The German foundation Renovabis undertook a money collection among the faithful in Pentecost and the funds will be used for participation of groups from Ukraine, Lithuania, Romania and Poland. The Italian delegation will be made up of approximately 25 people from Tuscany, Emilia Romagna, and from the diocese of Udine. The priest equally underlined that the experience of the European Colloquium of parishes took place in the council period, “when Europe was being born”, when perhaps “a new way of performing pastoral action” was deeply needed. Fr Como highlighted that for Christians coming from countries where a consumerist mentality prevails, and where many people have become “indifferent towards faith”, being “immerged” in a world that struggled to rescue their faith” is a precious experience. “I hope we will return from this colloquium with more faith and more hope – he added. These are the values that are needed by our civil societies, which ever more often turn to the parishes – as they are near people and are cognizant of their needs – so as to expand their perspectives and boost their motivation”. Fact sheetThe first parish Colloquium, that takes place every two years, was held in 1961. It is the result of the reflection of a circle of friends from the university of Bonn, who became parish priests in important continental cities, on how the Churches in Europe, marked by diversity, could exchange experiences and mutually support one another. The group wrote to European bishops in many Countries, but only Cardinal Franz König replied. He invited Francis Connan, at the time serving as parish priest in Paris, for a colloquium in Vienna. Since 1973 parish priests of urban centers bring to the Colloqium also their lay collaborators and since then the number of participants has constantly increased. Lay staff constitutes approximately 60%. CEP has two co-presidents at the moment, Josep Taberner and Gudrun Theuninck, and each national delegation expresses a priest and a lay person. CEP is present at the Council of Europe as an NGO. It participates, through its representative, at the works of some of the Commissions. Info: www.cep-europa.org.