CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Ukraine: in memory of WWII victimsRepresentatives of various Christian Churches and religious communities gathered in Kyiv on 23 June, to commemorate one of the most tragic events in the history of Ukraine – the beginning of the World War II between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany 71 years ago. The memorial started by placing flowers at the Monument of Eternal Glory and continued in the Park of Eternal Glory with a prayer service for all those who died during the war and sacrificed their lives for Ukraine’s freedom. Bishop Bohdan Dziurakh, secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), noted that "it is important to see the whole context of those dramatic events in our country and to pay attention not only to the soldiers of the Soviet army, but also to all those, who in difficult circumstances carried on the national liberation struggle against both occupation regimes those of Hitler and Stalin". According to bishop Dziurakh, it is necessary to remember also the civilians, prisoners of death camps, victims of ethnic "cleansing" and forced resettlements. War, emphasized the prelate, leaves deep wounds in the souls of people and nations which need God’s healing. "This is exactly why for us, the initiative of the community and representatives of various political groups to commemorate this day in silence and prayer, was so valuable", added the secretary of the Synod of Bishops of the UGCC.Portugal: the youth and the future of the Church On June 23 the National Council for Youth Pastoral Care (Cnpj) closed in Portugal. The meeting was dedicated to the following theme: "The mission is to evangelize". At the end of the encounter the director of the national Secretariat for Communications João Aguiar, said: "In the new times of communication the future of the Church belongs to the young, and it should be directed at the creation of concrete meaning and content". "The role model of communication is the journalist Jesus, capable of evaluating circumstances, environments, speaking the language of his interlocutors, in order to reach communion with them" Aguiar added, challenging all the pastoral workers present: "Are you all aware of this? Are you ready to leave to spread the Good News and follow his example of communication?" In his address, the bishop of Viseu, Msgr. Ilídio Leandro, highlighted the importance of the Second Vatican Council for the development of the pastoral care of the young. "We must always remind the young that they are chosen and invited as apostles to form their contemporaries". The new director of the national Department (Dnpj) Father Edoardo Novo, co-presented with a director of Paulus publishing house, Fra Darlei, ha the volume "Piano Youtravel" on fomarion, based on Youcat (Youth Catechism). The publication will be distributed across dioceses in order to "improve the quality of the contribution of pastoral workers for the young, whilst at the same time spreading awareness on experiences of youth pastoral care at national level". Finally, it was announced that the 14th Youth Ecumenical Forum will take place next November 10 in the Casa dos Órfãos di Porto. It will focus on the theme: "Enhance the youth within yourself".Slovakia: drop in the number of artificial abortions "Very positive trend". With these words the Forum for Life commented on the statistics regarding the decrease in artificial abortions performed in Slovakia in 2011. According to the report of the National Center of Medical Information published last week, whereas in 1990 abortion was committed by almost 48,000 women, in 2000 their number dropped to 16,580 and last year’s figures show a decrease to 8,818. "We believe that the law on pre-abortion counselling adopted in 2009 has helped the situation, as well as offering alternative solutions to the problem of unwanted pregnancy", explains Marcela Dobesová, president of the Forum for Life, adding that the number of women who seek relevant information and support in this regard, continually grows and it’s very encouraging. "On the other hand, there has been a significant rise in the use of contraception, so there is still a lot to do in the field of the protection of life", says the head of the biggest pro-life organization in the country, emphasizing the need to talk not only about the negative impact of contraception on women’s health but also about the moral aspects of this problem.Czech Republic: days and people of good will The "Days of people of good will" are going to take place on 3-5 July in Velehrad, Czech Republic. The program will start with a conference entitled "European cultural path of Ss. Cyril and Methodius", followed by various sports activities, a course on "School of love in family" and an opportunity to participate in the project "The Velehrad Manuscript" by rewriting books of the Old Testament. The "Days of people of good will" traditionally offer space and events also for the disabled. This year’s edition will witness the 12th national meeting of wheelchair users. The program will culminate with an "evening of people of good will", due to include introduction of four Church projects and possibility to support them financially. Holy mass on the last day of the event will be presided over by archbishop of Prague, cardinal Dominik Duka. According to the organizers, the Days of people of good will in Velehrad are the "biggest" celebration in Czech Republic, associated with state holiday: "Their aim is to build a bridge among all people, to introduce the roots of our culture and to point to the spiritual message of Ss. Cyril and Methodius". For more information: www.velehrad.eu/dy-lidi-dobre-vule.sk.
