EUROPEAN CHURCHES
Spain/1: Ad limina visit, 83 bishops to the Pope 83 Spanish bishops are engaged in the ad limina apostolorum visit begun on February 24, ongoing until 8 March. The bishops travel in two separate groups, the first until March 3rd (44 prelates to the ecclesiastic provinces of Burgos, Pamplona, Zaragoza, Madrid, Toledo, Mérida-Badajoz, Valencia, Valladolid and the archbishop of Spain) and the second from March 3 to 8 (39 priests from the ecclesiastic provinces of Barcelona, Tarragona, Granada, Santiago de Compostela, Oviedo and Sevilla). On 3 March the entire Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE), will be received in audience by Pope Francis with speeches delivered by CEE president cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, and by Pope Francis. During the visit, the prelates will have the opportunity to meet with the heads of the dycasteries of the Roman Curia. The latest ad limita visit of the Spanish bishops took place March 17 2005. Spain/2: “Cyber-society and social doctrine” The virtual Campus of the Communication faculty of San Jorge University in Spain established the first online courses leading to a diploma in “Cybersociety and Social Doctrine of the Church”. The purpose of the initiative that avails itself of the cooperation of the Secretariat of the Commission of media Communication of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, and the Delegation on means of communication of the archdiocese of Zaragoza, is to become “an area of education, analysis and reflection on the new scenarios developing in the framework of cybersociety, which demands in-depth studies from a professional, academic and ethical perspective”. The diploma on “Cyber-society and Social Doctrine” will tackle the analysis of new communication models that stemmed from the development of information and communication technologies from the perspective of the principles of Church Social Doctrine. The purpose of this analysis is “to adopt a critical vision of the current communication processes developing across society”. Austria: ecumenical platform for immigrants Salzburg Caritas has created a platform for indigent and homeless immigrants from EU Countries, along with its evangelical counterpart Diakonie and other organizations, such as the St. Peter foundation and the Roma association “Phurdo”. The first common project launched by the organizations is the online petition – www.armut-hat-platz-at for adhesions – “aimed at giving a sign in favour of the poor and to create a climate of respect and humaneness in our city”. The platform was set up “as a reaction to the climate of division towards begging in the local population”, in order to obtain “greater solidarity and support” towards the poor, namely, to improve the living conditions of the homeless with accommodation centres, warm meals, and the possibility for them to wash and get dressed. The initiative is supported by several personalities in Austria, which include archbishop Franz Lackner. “As a result of poverty, migrants have no perspectives in their countries and end up beging in order to survive”, said Johannes Dines, director of Caritas Salzburg. According to a survey on the situation of beggars in the city, 80% of migrants are Romanians, followed by Slovaks and Poles, all of whom are denied accesses to social services and to a large part of public services. Portugal: bishop of Oporto, “God always loves us” The new bishop of Oporto, Msgr. António Francisco dos Santos, 65, nominated by Pope Francis in substitution of Msgr. Manuel Clemente, appointed patriarch of Lisbon in May 2013, said he began his mission with the “objective of being close to all the faithful in the diocese in a simple and fraternal way”. “I wish to bring my availability, the joy of Gospel proclamation, the certainty of closeness, to that everyone may find a pastor and a brother in me”, the prelate added. “I want to be spokesman of the voice of God, a God that loves each one of us in every circumstance and situation, to spread hope in the heart of everyone”. In his farewell speech from the diocese of Aveiro, where he served as bishop since 2006, Msgr. Francisco dos Santos admitted his sadness for having to separate from his church: “I’m leaving a diocese rich of projects, happy, united, with an extraordinary desire to continue along the path that was brought to us by Jubilee Mission, and I am sure that the blessing that God has imparted to Aveiro will find the right continuators”. The new bishop of Oporto said he welcomes with enthusiasm the new and demanding challenge that lies ahead in the most populous diocese in the Country.
