CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Justitia et Pax: economy to the service of society In a joint document 31 national Justitia et Pax Commissions in Europe proposed a "Long-term vision to place the economy at the service of society". The document, published March 27, addresses the ongoing times of crisis: "It’s not too late to learn from our past mistakes and break the pattern of the past decades. But it requires a collective and individual assumption of responsibility". To forget that "the purpose of the financial sector is to serve real economy, and that it should be at the service of society" enabled the financial sector to "cross the limits that govern all other aspects of social life". The document criticizes "austerity measures aimed at financial recovery which resulted in a serious burden on the poorest brackets", thereby causing "a drop in confidence and feelings of alienation from society which are a threat to democracy". There derives that "significant reform proposals are those which address the ethical crisis". The document underlines that decision-making processes should comprise ethical evaluations; economic and financial education should be marked by reflections on ethics; while legislation in defense of human dignity and integral human development is needed for everyone’s good. The document thus call for a form of "global governance" that may function within the limits imposed by "solidarity and subsidiarity", "intervening where necessary to support the States in addressing questions that cannot be addressed on their own" (such as international crime, climate change, hunger and access to water and national resources) and ensuring that "the same standards are met by all Countries". Moreover, the positive aspect of the crisis is the "increased transparency of financial activity", to which the governments are called to provide an appropriate answer. The document thus makes concrete proposals that include "the definition of a joint code of ethical behaviour for financial institutions"; in order to "set up an international, independent supervisory body that draws inspiration from the moral code"; the adoption of legislation stipulating company transparency in all aspects of economic activity as well as taxation of financial speculation to the benefit of international development and social justice, as proposed by the European Commission in 2011". Austria: Orthodox Bishops’ Conference online "With this website the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference (CEO) in Austria intends to give a living and sign of the vitality of Orthodoxy in this welcoming Country. For centuries our Church has been strongly anchored to Austria, and it continues to be an active and integrating part of Austrian society", writes Metropolitan Arsenios on the home page of www.orthodoxe-kirche.at. We intend to boost access to information in this "new phase of the activity" of the Orthodox Church set in motion with the establishment of the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference in Austria in 2010. The Metropolitan hopes that the website may become "a platform for communication, interaction and cooperation at the service of the Orthodox as well of all Christians and men of good will and with a good heart". Arsenios underlined that "Orthodoxy is hereby presented in its multifariousness but also as a unity that is expressed with a single voice". In Austria live some 400-450thousand Orthodox faithful, members of the seven CEO member Orthodox Churches (the patriarchate of Constantinople, which by statute always holds the presidency, that of Antiochia, the Russian, Serbian, Romanian, Bulgarian and Georgian Orthodox Churches). The website is part of a larger project aimed at "stepping up the presence of the media", as explained by CEO spokesperson Mirko Kolundzic in the first reception for journalists in which was presented, in addition to the website, the new edition of the trimonthly "Orthodoxen Kirchenzeitung". In fact, through the website the Orthodox Bishops’ Conference made known that in the assembly of past March 26 it decided to step up the pastoral work with the youths through "the establishment of a Young Orthodox Union, to establish a link with "efforts addressed to the youth and to provide young people greater possibilities for commitment inside the Church". CCEE: University Pastoral Care meeting in Paris On April 4 the meeting of university pastoral care delegates convened in Paris for a three-day meeting on "Faith and Science: prospects for university pastoral care in Europe". The meeting – ongoing until Sunday April 7 – organized by the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), is set to bring together university pastoral care delegates of bishops’ conferences from all over Europe. Monsignor Marek Jêdraszewski, president of the CCEE Commission "Catechesis, School and University" will deliver the opening speech. In a keynote lecture scheduled for Friday, Andrew Pinsent (GB) will address the "challenges and opportunities" of the dialogue between science and faith in university pastoral care. The meeting in Paris will provide the opportunity to learn more of the French reality of university pastoral care. An encounter with university students will close the meeting. "We have gathered to contemplate together on the importance of the relationship between science and faith with regard to university pastoral care", Father Michel Remery – CCEE Vice-Secretary-general – told SIR. The theme is of inevitable relevance for university chaplaincies, which deal on a daily basis with young people who often are taught to base their thinking on purely scientific proof alone. It is a great challenge to help them realize that there is more than just empirically proven facts. Hard science, though of great importance, does not stand alone. True science is also open to the arguments presented by philosophy and theology". Moreover, Padre Remery pointed out: "objective observation of certain scientifically obtained results leads to surprising conclusions with regard to the origin of man and the reason for his existence", therefore "science can help man to understand who he is, where he comes from, where he stands and where he should go. These questions are of special importance to young people", who need "at least a partial answer to those questions in order to become responsible and dedicated citizens within human society, living well together with others and contributing to the common good". This is the "main task of university pastoral care": "to help young people and scientists to recognize the essential relationship between science and faith concluded Father Remery.
