CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Austria: card. Schönborn on parish electionsThe election of Parish councils in Austria, which took place on Sunday, 18 March, in all dioceses of the country, saw a regular participation, the Catholic news agency Kathpress reported yesterday. The participation of Austrian Catholics in the elections stands at about 20-25%, which is a higher figure compared to the average attendance of the faithful at celebrations. For Card. Christoph Schönborn, president of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, Parish council elections are a "sign of vitality" in the Church and "a strong evidence of the importance of faith in our country", he said just before the beginning of the Bishops’ Conference Plenary Assembly in Tainach, Carinthia, yesterday. Card. Schönborn addressed a greeting to the candidates thanking them for their contribution to the success of the elections: "The commitment of the faithful is of paramount importance, especially in times like these when even the number of practising Catholics has dropped sharply". The outcome of the elections are being discussed by the bishops gathered in Carinthia and will be presented on Friday, 23 March, at the end of the prelates’ meeting.France: upcoming electionsIn the framework of the upcoming presidential elections of April 22 (first round of voting) and May 6 (second round of voting) in the light of the document released past October by the permanent council of the French Bishops’ Conference (CEF): "Elections: a vote for which society?" Msgr. Yves Le Saux, bishop of Mans, proposes a new reflection on the upcoming elections on the website of the Church of France (full text on www.eglise.catholique.fr). "Nobody the prelate writes can remain indifferent before the increasing precariousness looming over our fellow citizens, and especially on the youth who strive to find a job that fulfils their aspirations, those who because of working conditions or the want of them are prevented from enjoying a stable personal and family life, or those who risk being fired". It is therefore important that "political initiative is motivated by the concern for the common good and the promotion of the dignity of the human person". With reference to scientific and technological research the prelate underlined that "every person is unique in the eyes of God" and while it’s legitimate to seek to improve the treatment of diseases, all forms of "embryo manipulation" are unacceptable. Given the economic crisis, "we expect the representatives of our Country to consider the whole of humanity", he writes. In the closing paragraph, bishop Le Saux pointed out that migration "calls us to the mutual acceptance of the receiving and the received person".Germany: no to attacks on measures against abuseIn an interview published on March 21st by Catholic News Agency KNA the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), through its spokesperson Matthias Kopp, defended the Church provisions against sexual abuse. Ensuing the polemics triggered by the periodical Der Spiegel in the past days, which accused Msgr. Stephan Ackermann, in charge of abuse cases for the DBK, of being too neglectful in addressing the situation of his diocese of Treviri, Kopp said that "the person and the role of Msgr. Ackermann are unquestionable". As regards to the possibility of a generalized ban on the activity of priests found guilty of sexual abuse, Kopp pointed out that the provision has not been adopted "especially in the light of the advice of experts who recommended the adoption of differentiated procedures". Thus "a strengthening of the tolerance zero approach" is out of the question. Kopp recalled that the directives introduced for a trial period in 2010 are valid for three years. "We will obviously consider the experiences collected, especially regarding the guilty. But we see no reason to release an early evaluation".Slovakia: the bishop on the 70th anniversary of the Jews’ deportation"The secularization of modern European society engendered totalitarian ideologies aimed at replacing religion. These ideologies led Europe and the whole of humanity to experience waves of violence and injustice", Slovakian bishops write in a statement released on March 20 on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the deportation of Jews from the country, more than 70 thousand, almost all of whom perished for the inhuman conditions of Nazi concentration camps. "These painful events motivates us as Catholic Christians to convey our sincere and profound sorrow for this tragedy", they write. Slovakia is the European country with the highest number of rescued Jews. In fact, the title of "Righteous among the Nations" was conferred to 540 Slovakian citizens. "The intervention of bishops, priests, and lay people, the hiding of Jews in convents and Christian homes, the release of false documents" were the "expression of Christian love for the neighbour", the bishops concluded, adding that the past "may serve as a lesson" and that Christians are thus the "conveyors of hope".
