CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Germany, the Church and “missionary progress” The election of the archbishop of Munich-Freising Cardinal Reinhard Marx, as the new president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) was the event and probably the most anticipated result of the bishops’ recent spring assembly held in Münster from 10 to 13 March. The assembly was characterized by in-depth debates on many themes, whereby the 62 bishops concluded the meeting with a set of decisions, in addition to the election of the new president, bound to mark the life of the Church over the next five years. First, German bishops renewed their adhesion to the path traced by the Holy Father. DBK outgoing president, Archbishop Robert Zolltisch, said: “In the apostolic letter Evangelii Gaudium Pope Francis, more than anyone else, shows us the way to address his missionary dream by putting our hearts” in this “fundamental challenge”. The focus on this missionary breakthrough is reiterated in all the items tackled during the assembly. The bishops highlighted the continuation of the process of dialogue inside the German Church, critical to the development of all actions. As per the question of sexual abuse already in 2010 German bishops developed a wide range of measures to address the scandal of sexual abuse on minors by representatives of the Catholic Church. On March 24 the bishop of Treviri, Msgr. Stephan Ackermann, member of DBK panel of experts on sexual abuse, will present a multidisciplinary survey on the problem, developed in cooperation with the Lower Saxony Criminology Institute. As regards questions on the family, during the debate on the pastoral for divorcees and remarried divorcees the bishops developed a common approach ahead of the Synod scheduled for October next. In particular, on the occasion of the Synod the bishops decided to share the document containing pastoral guidelines leading to a path of reconciliation drawn up by DBK permanent Committee in January. As regards social and international social themes the German bishops reaffirmed their intention to confirm the ecumenical headway featured in the ecumenical social document “Shared responsibility for a just”, published 28 February, intended as a cornerstone for future commitments. The celebrations for the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, the continuous attention to international crises developments that involve the solidarity and the reception of the German Church are to be seen from this perspective. Notably, the focus is now on the crisis in Ukraine, the serious situation of Christians in the Near and Middle East, and the attack on religious freedoms in world countries. Czech Republic: young people, Lent vocatios A relation between searching for an answer to God’s vocation for life and the Lent is the topic of the March letter of Mons, Jan Vokál, bishop of Hradec Králové, to youth of his diocese, on the occasion of the Year of Vocations. He writes about insecurity and disability to find clear answers in this regard that often appear in lives of young people and points to the example of Christ “who gave up not only a bread, but also the temptation of the earthly reign over all kingdoms of this world, to come from the desert filled by the power of the Holy Spirit, ready to fulfill his mission”. Bishop Vokál affirms that “no Christian vocation can be accomplished without self-renunciation especially in this Lenten period”, underlining the virtues of fidelity and stability, respect towards life, and in regard to the spiritual vocation also obedience, celibacy or virginity. “Today’s modern world is provoked by these virtues, often misunderstanding that it’s not about giving up something at the first place, but giving it up for a higher reason, for the eternal God’s kingdom”, concludes the prelate, wishing the youth that this Lenten period would strengthen them on their way of searching and discernment. France: religious leaders’ about municipal election “Choosing responsibility, not renunciation”, “pursuing trust, not division”, “building the future, not fearing it”. These are the three directions provided by the leaders of France’s religions, who are members of Crcf, in a message written to coincide with the municipal election due to take place on Sunday 23rd and 30th March. The religious leaders – mainly the president of the French Bishops Conference, monsignor Georges Pontier, pastor Francois Clavairoly of the Protestant Federation, and the metropolitan Emmanuel for the Orthodox churches – ask the French citizens to keep in mind, when they cast their vote, the “issues” that are most important in France: social exclusion, unemployment, poverty, as well as economic development, education, health, social life, justice. Confronted with such issues and challenges, “choosing responsibility means proving to make a wise choice among the proposals that are put forward, taking seriously the key values of justice, mercy, the respect of other people’s dignity and care for the most vulnerable ones. In other words: fraternity”. Against “the temptation of regular debasing and mocking, against the spirit of suspicion towards politics, against those speeches that sometimes instigate to hatred and divide citizens”, the religious leaders ask to “pursuit trust” and “prove to be wise”.
