CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Slovakia: youth and faith "mission possible"The catechesis due to represent an essential part of a program of the National Youth Meeting in Ruzomberok will be led by Greek Catholic eparch of Bratislava, Mons. Peter Rusnák, and auxiliary Roman Catholic bishop of Bratislava, Mons. Jozef Halko. This information has been confirmed by members of coordination team of the event that will take place paralelly with World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro in July this year. "On Saturday (27/7), the events will be inspired by Brasilian carnevals and we prepared a very special activities on this occasion. During the morning prayer we’ll symbolically reflect over the face of God and over our own face, reflected in the mirror of our soul. During the catechesis we’ll be trying to define the masks that we wear and we’ll look for the ways of substituting them with truth", explains Pavol Danko, responsible for dramaturgy. The program of Sunday (28/7) will bear a title "Mission Possible" and it will focus on the mission of Ss. Cyril and Methodius and its example for young people of today’s world. As stressed by the organizers, despite some particularities associated typically with Slovakia, all events and activities of the National Youth Day will be prepared in a spirit of connection to young people experiencing WYD in Brasil.Ukraine: fine art and prisonersA presentation of the National Contest of the prisoners’ fine art works entitled "Transfiguration by the Lord’s Love" took place in Boryspil, Ukraine, on 30 April, with participation of representatives of the regional department of the Criminal Enforcement Inspection, Department of socio-educational and psychological work with prisoners of the Boryspil Correctional Camp of the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, as well as the Curia for Pastoral Care in the Penitentiary Institutions of the Ukraine Greek Catholic Church (UGCC). According to statistics, there are more than 10 million prisoners worldwide. Ukraine, taking into consideration the absolute number of people in places of deprivation of freedom, occupies the 11th place in the world and the 2nd in Europe. The Penitentiary Pastoral Care of UGCC together with Caritas Kyiv, in cooperation with the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine, will hold the National Contest Exhibition of fine art works of prisoners in August 2013. According to the organizers, the purpose of the exhibition is to contribute to "better social communication and to the reintegration process of our fellow citizens who found themselves in places of deprivation of freedom, and also, using this opportunity, to familiarize the public with the fruits of cooperation between the Church and the State Penitentiary Service of Ukraine in regard to reintegration of prisoners in society". The prisoners involved at the contest will be assisted by the National Union of Artists of Ukraine whose members will personally supervise the participants. "With help of the fine art, the most human dialogue and the involvement of all us, as members of the civil society is taking place, so as to overcome the walls of alienation in favour of understanding. We will have the opportunity to see the pictures. The authors will hear our commentaries. Such events are able to change the society", comments Fr. Costiantyn Panteley, head of the Curia of the UGCC for Pastoral Care in the Penitentiary Institutions of Ukraine. Czech republic: 20th anniversary of Pilsen dioceseA pilgrimage to the Kladruby monastery on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of foundation of the diocese of Pilsen in Czech republic took place on 8 May with participation of local bishop Frantisek Radkovský, bishop of the partner German diocese of Regensburg, Mons. Rudolf Voderholzer whose mother was born in Bohemia, and apostolic nunzio Mons. Giuseppe Leanza. The program included a lecture on "faith as a journey" given by Mons. Ales Opatrný, vicar of the Prague archdiocese, holy mass presided over by Mons. Radkovský, and a concert of selected works of J. S. Bach, W. A. Mozart, G. F. Händl performed by wind instruments quartet and one of the best contemporary Czech sopranists Ivana Veberová. The program culminated with consignment of awards for a "devoted service for the Pilsen diocese" by Mons. Radkovský to several representatives of Church and social life. Another part of celebrations of the 20th anniversary of foundation of the diocese by blessed John Paul II will take place on 31 May at the premises of the Cathedral of St. Bartholomew in Pilsen.
