CHURCHES IN BRIEF
COMECE: on “EuropeInfos” politics and future of the EU The March issue of EuropeInfos, the monthly of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the European Community (COMECE), in conjunction with the European Jesuits’ Office, is online (www.comece.eu/europeinfos in French, English and German. The issue features an editorial by COMECE general Secretary Fr Patrick Daly, providing an overview of the relations that the EU, “a new form of super-power”, is called to re-examine in 2014. José Ramos-Ascensão broaches the Greek six-month presidency of the EU Council of Ministers through the lenses of health policies, while the focus is on Serbia, which past 20 January began EU access negotiations, with an interview to Chief Negotiator Tanja Miscevic. The contribution by Stephen N. Rooney is centered on “The EU’s 2030 Climate and Energy Policy”. Continues the serious of interviews to MEPs nearing the end of their mandate ahead of the European elections. In the next issue Johanna Touzel dialogues with Stephen Hughes, from the UK, Labour MEP since 1984. Churches of Russia: family and adoption on the agenda The crisis of the family and the problem of orphans in particular were at the center of the fourth plenary assembly of the Christian inter-confessional consultative Committee, held February 26 in St. Petersburg. The committee was set up in 1990 to promote cooperation between the Christians of various confessions in the former Soviet Union. Today it is co-chaired by the head of the department for external ecclesial relations of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Metropolitan Hilarion, by the metropolitan of the Catholic archdiocese of the Mother of God in Moscow, Msgr. Paolo Pezzi, and by the president of the department for external relations of the Russian Union of Christian evangelicals, Baptist Rev Vitaly Vlasenko. February’s meeting was attended by the delegations of thirteen Countries that released a joint document. The focus was on the theme of the care of abandoned children, with the exchange of experiences on ongoing projects and initiatives in the various Churches. Participants convened to carry out joint efforts to step up awareness on the theme of adoption, as highlighted in the government project “Vanya”, adopted with the support of the Orthodox Church. The initiative consists in a data bank and a support tool for families interested in the adoption of one of approximately 74thousand children that since 2013 are “left without parental care” in Russia, who would otherwise be raised in orphanages. In an appeal to the media, Church delegates underlined that “not enough is done to protect the family, maternity and childhood”. The theme of paternity was described as critical to tackling family problems, whereby the formation of youths to parenthood is crucial. Cyprus: religious leaders on the resumption of negotiations “We feel encouraged by the declaration of political leaders who say that the status quo is unacceptable, that the rights and fundamental freedoms, along with the identity and the integrity of each and every person should be respected. We welcome their explicit determination to resume negotiations to obtain results and implement measures to restore confidence”. The statement is contained in a joint declaration signed by religious leaders in Cyprus engaged with the Office of the Religious Track of the Cyprus Peace Process, under the auspices of the Embassy of Sweden, in reply to the communiqué by political leaders on the resumption of peace talks in Cyprus. In the document, (drawn up on February 26 but published on March 3rd by the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem whose jurisdiction comprises the island) signatories demand that “the political conflict” be “solved”, pointing out that “religion has been and still is a victim of long-lasting conflicts. We have been prevented from meeting each other, listening to each and understanding each other for too many decades. Over the past years we all tried to find practical solutions, build confidence, and we have succeeded. We realize that our responsibility is to ensure that political conflict is solved. There is no alternative to communication, cooperation and coexistence”. Spain: in Seville the Peace and Justice Days Next week-end, March 7-8, the national Justice and Peace Days, on the initiative of the Secretariat of the General Peace and Justice Commission (CGJP) will be celebrated in Seville. For two days participants will discuss the effects of the crisis on employment, dignified work, in the light of the Social Doctrine of the Church in the framework of “Dignity and Work”. Initiatives in support of employment will be presented during the days which include: Cardinal Spínola Foundation against unemployment, Solidarity Wheel, Communion Economy of the Focolari Movement and the Onna Project promoted by the Adorers Sisters. The event will close on March 8 with the presentation of concerted Action 2014 of Justice and Peace of Europe on Youth Unemployment.
