England, Spain

England: victims of abuse, Caritas, Catholic ChurchesEnsuring support to abuse victims, new Caritas structures at local level, public funding to Catholic schools, the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth and the Eucharistic Congress in Dublin in 2012. These are the themes addressed by the Catholic bishops of England and Wales during the plenary session held at Hinsley Hall, Leeds, from November 14 to 17. In the press conference that concluded the meeting, scheduled to take place twice a year, the Archbishop of Westminster, Catholic primate, Msgr. Vincent Nichols, commented on the protest movement against capitalism “Occupy London”, which in the past weeks occupied St. Paul’s cathedral and a bank: “These protests voice widely acknowledged concerns over the fact that for years individuals, society and the State have lived beyond their own means years in the disparities of the financial market. Nonetheless, these protesters do not appear to have any coherent analysis or agenda”. He added that “were a Tobin Tax on financial transactions to be introduced – called for by the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams – it would have to be clear where the proceeds of that tax were going”. Archbishop Nichols conveyed his disappointment over the Government’s plan to introduce gay marriage. “I respect the Prime Minister’s insistence and emphasis on the importance of equality in relationships and the vital importance of commitment, But commitment plus equality does not equal marriage. And the distinctive nature of marriage is something that is very important to the wellbeing of society because it is the foundation of family life”. The issue of sexual abuse was also tackled during the plenary. To this regard, Msgr. Nichols and Fr Marcus Stock, Secretary General of the Bishops’ Conference, said that response tools are being developed for the abuse survivors that avail themselves of the support of experts. The bishops received a verbal report from the National Catholic Safeguarding Commission (NCSC), an independent body the Bishops’ Conference established to monitor and audit the compliance of the Church with safeguarding procedures that have been conducting ongoing discussions with survivor organizations. In Leeds, Fr. Keith Newton, in charge of the Ordinariate, the canonical structure whose precise nature is described in the apostolic constitution “Anglicanorum Coetibus”, to enable Anglicans to enter the Catholic Church while preserving elements of the distinctive Anglican spiritual and liturgical patrimony, said that to date 60 pastors and 1000 lay faithful have joined the Catholic Church through a personal Ordinariate, and that further 20, including pastors and lay people, will join soon. Some Anglican pastors that have been re-ordained as Catholic priests are serving their ministry in parishes, others as chaplains. The bishops have requested that on the celebrations marking the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth, next Sunday 3rd, Catholic parishes celebrate a Mass for the Queen. A Prayer for the Queen, which has been approved by the Bishops, will be used after the Post Communion Prayer and before the Final Blessing.Spain: WYD, economic crisis, elections”An exciting ecclesial event; a celebration; sinking our roots into the Lord”. With these words, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid, President of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (Conferencia episcopal española, Cee) described the WYD 2011, in his prolusion to the XCVIII CEE Plenary Assembly in Madrid, (November 21-25). It is now time, said the cardinal, to harvest the fruits of WYD: “We have to collect the apostolic zeal flowing from it to pursue with determination and confidence the challenge of the new evangelisation in all fields, especially in youth ministry”. According to the cardinal, “we cannot measure with precision the spiritual consequences and deep impact that so many young people, with their style and human and religious qualities, have had on the entire society. They stood out for their peaceful, fraternal, generous and joyful attitude and bore witness to a way of life that radiates hope and dedication to work, service and coexistence, in the entire city of Madrid and in its neighbouring areas”. “This – he added – was certainly a special manifestation of the ‘new humanity’ which grows and develops when the faith in Christ is lived out authentically. Such manifestation cannot but underpin the commitment to the new evangelisation”. In the face of this “serious economic crisis”, “we need to intensify our pastoral response”, said Card. Rouco Varela. On the one hand, we have to increase our economic resources, through Caritas, to support people in difficulty. It is also urgent to “look into the root causes of the crisis”: “the loss of moral values which goes hand in hand with relativism and obliviousness of God and of His holy law, whose consequences are economic and political corruption, avarice, pursuit for personal interests at all costs, contempt for human life through pro-abortion policies and contraceptive behaviours, the lack of protection for marriage and the family and their institutional decay, the manipulation and deterioration of education”. All this will inevitably lead to “precarious social and economic situations”. “Our plenary Assembly marks the beginning of a new political period for Spain”, concluded Card. Rouco: “In the name of our ministry as pastors of the people of God, we wish wisdom, serenity and spirit of service for the fulfilment of the noble and crucial commitment of all those elected”.