CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Ukraine: rights of religious organizationsThe Government of Ukraine passed a resolution regarding alterations to the Provision on the Committee on Ensuring the Realization of Rights of Religious Organizations and renewal of its composition at the session on 25 July, taking into account particularly the latest changes in relation to transformation of the Cabinet of Ministers. The draft resolution was developed by the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine on the base of the instruction of president of the country Viktor Yanukovych from April 2012, regarding the resumption of the Committee’s activity. According to the Institute for Religious Freedom, alterations to the Provision and renewal of the composition of the committee are aimed to take into account the results of the reformation of the system of central bodies of executive power. The All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations repeatedly called on president Yanukovych and premier Azarov to renew the activity of the Committee, in order to develop and coordinate a unified state policy in the area of ensuring the freedom of worship.Germany: Dbk, appeal for Syrian refugees Msgr. Robert Zollitsch, President of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), launched an appeal for Syrian refugees. In a release issued on July 28 Msgr. Zolltisch guarded against the risk of a humanitarian catastrophe, with a public appeal to donations. "An ever larger number of people are fleeing from sanguinary clashes, and the number of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries is dramatically increasing", said Msgr. Zolltisch, referring to the figures made known by the UN: over 120 000 people and a similar number of refugees that aren’t officially recorded. "The refugees urgently need our help and our solidarity", added Msgr. Zollitsch, highlighting the joint efforts of Caritas, Misereor and Missio: "Owing to the worsening of the refugees’ tragedy, joint commitments must be urgently stepped up", said the DBK president. "The entire country is living a situation of insecurity and fear". "Christians and other minorities are seriously worried" and "nobody knows what will happen in the future". For this reason, concluded Msgr. Zollitsch, "I call upon Christians in Germany to pray for all those in the region and to put an end to violence". "We must find solutions that will enable all population groups to coexist in peace, justice and mutual respect, in the free expression of their faith".Slovakia: a debate on the Feast of Our Lady of Seven SorrowsThe Holy Mass on 25 July in Bratislava, with prayer intentions to preserve the feast of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, patroness of Slovakia, as a public holiday, marked the beginning of a series of activities against the cancellation of 15 September as a work-free day. The Slovak Government intends to abolish two days of public holidays to "reduce the impact of the crisis on government finances", and the feast of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows could be one of them. The faithful are not happy with this development, because economic measures are not an adequate argument for the abolition of a public holiday. "This year, the feast falls on Saturday and next year on Sunday", explains Martin Dilong, one of the signatories of an open letter to the president and prime minister of Slovakia, appealing to authorities not to proceed with steps leading to the cancellation of the feast of the patroness of the country as a public holiday. "Nations and states have their patrons and Slovakia is no exception", affirms Mária Guregová, one of the authors of the appeal. "For the majority of Slovaks, the Virgin Mary represents "hope and support. We want to keep venerating her and continue in our traditions", concludes Guregová. According to Beatrice Hudáková, spokesperson of the prime minister, discussion is still open to suggestions and comments.
