CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Czech republic: Churches support rural areasA memorandum about the support of rural areas was signed on 18 May in Prague by the representatives of Churches and institutions dealing with the issues of regional development in the Czech republic. “The aim of activities in rural areas should be a liberation of their inhabitants from the feeling of vagueness by allowing them to participate at development activities and successfull realization of partnership projects”, reads the document entitled “Rural areas as a place of social reconciliation and spiritual development”. Among its signatories there are cardinal Dominik Duka, archbishop of Prague; Joel Ruml, president of the Ecumenical Council of Churches; Frantisek Winter, president of the National network of local activity groups; Eduard Kavala, president of the Association for the renewal of rural areas; and Jana Jurencáková, president of the Association of local municipalities of the Czech republic. According to a joint statement, it’s necessary to support not only material development of rural community but also its moral and cultural values. “We ask for the support of realization of projects focusing on renewal of cultural heritage (restoration of churches, parish buildings), as well as projects created for renewal and construcion of the social services facilities (hospices, asylum houses etc.)”, concludes the memorandum.Hungary: Budapest, the Week of the BookThis year the Stephanus prize was awarded by the St. Stephen Association, the official publisher of the Holy See in Hungary, to Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi for the category of theology, while for the category of literature it was awarded to the Hungarian classical philologist Tamás Adamik. The awards were presented on May 13 in Budapest by the primate Cardinal Péter Erdo, on the occasion of the inauguration of the most important Festival of Christian Books in Hungary, the “St. Stephen Book Week”. Gianfranco Ravasi, who was in Mexico, sent a letter to thank for the awarding of the prize. Géza Kuminetz, Dean of the Faculty of Theology at the Catholic University of Péter Pázmány, said that in the book “Guide to Navigators”, written by the president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, lives the spirit of Catholicism. “Cardinal Ravasi emphasizes the indispensable role of dialogue in building culture, which in his view is obstructed by a behaviour characterized by superficiality, dependency, and fragmentation”, as the principal observed. Géza Kuminetz recalled that Christian culture awakens in people “their great objective duties” in relation to others and that the dissemination of Christian culture is an integral part of the new evangelization.Ukraine: UCU at International Museum Day The Ukrainian Catholic University (UCU) in Lviv participated at the International Museum Day held in Ukraine on 16 May. According to the organizer, the main idea of three events held at the premises of the University was to offer the visitors an opportunity to “seek God by means of modern art”. The program included opening of the exhibition entitled “The House Icon of Bukovyna Region of the 19th Century”, showing some of the best examples of house icons of folk artists collected by Andriy Tsybko from Lviv. The visitors had an opportunity to compare this type of art with icons painted on glass by artists from the Pokuttia and Hutsul regions from a private collection Ivan Hrechko. The second exhibition was entitled “The Master of Castles” and was dedicated to Borys Voznytskyi, a famous museum promoter in Ukraine. The third event was a seminar “Modern Sacral Art” that took place within the framework of an artistic project Sacred Space.Slovakia: pilgrimage of Radio Lumen to Krakow About 20,000 people participated at traditional annual pilgrimage of Slovak Catholic Radio Lumen to the Sanctuary of the Divine Mercy in Krakow-Lagiewniky, Poland. The nineth edition of the event entitled “Faith is a treasure of life” took place on 18 May, with participation of Mons. Tomás Galis, bishop of Zilina, who presided over the eucharistic celebration. The pilgrimage of those who “look for renewal of their faith and peace for their lives” was transmitted through a live broadcasting to whole Slovakia which enabled the listeners of Radio Lumen to participate at the program even though they couldn’t travel to Krakow personally. The pilgrimage took place on a day of the 93th anniversary of birth of blessed John Paul II who was born in Wadowice near Krakow, often used to come to Lagiewniky and felt a special closeness to whole Slovak nation. The program included a greeting by cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, archbishop of Krakow, adoration, and lecture of sister Klareta from the Congregation of the Divine Mercy on the role of faith in life of St. Faustina. Fr. Juraj Spuchlák, director of the radio, mentioned the importance of service to our neighbours, as “only in listening to their problems we find Christ in the communion of the Church, among eployees and listeners of Radio Lumen”.
