CHURCHES IN BRIEF
England: solidarity and ecumenism during Lent “Listen to God: Hear the Poor”. It is the slogan chosen by Cardinal Vincent Nichols and by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby to accompany with prayers the visits of the leaders of the Catholic and Anglican Churches to two social action projects during the Lenten period. It’s the English way to ecumenism that decided to take the road of the peripheries to bring support to all those who are near the poor, victims of an economic recession that is afflicting the country. On Sunday April 6 the Catholic cardinal and the Anglican archbishop will visit the “Giuseppe Conlon House” that offers hospitality to immigrants. Sunday April 13 will be the turn of the “Rainbow” centre in Kent, a Christian charity providing relief to families during the crisis, to children in particular. The two Churches have posted a brochure online inviting the faithful of their respective Churches to join them in a common prayer. Spain: agreement between Jesuit universities Andalusia-Tokyo The Jesuit University of Andalusia and Tokyo have laid the grounds for a joint cooperation agreement. The meeting took place at the Campus Palmas Altas in Seville. Sofia University in Tokyo is among the most prestigious in Japan: founded in 1913 as a special school of the Company of Jesus, since then it became one of the top three private universities in Japan, renowned for the high level of its studies at international level. The cooperation agreement between the two university institutions will step up student opportunities for professional development bringing more advantages to students’ education abroad. Relations between Spain and Japan are of topical relevance, considering the celebration of the so-called ‘dual Year’ 2013-2014, marking the 400th anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two Countries. The Ways of Saint James in Central Europe The Moravian town of Brno, the Austrian Stockerau and Slovak village Zohor witnessed presentations of the “Ways of St. James 2014” in central Europe at the end of March. Participants from three countries met a the conference in Brno to discuss details of three main routes: Kosice-Levoca, Brno-Mikulov and Stockerau-Weinviertel; planned activities and international cooperation in regard to future development of the project and connection of the routes to other regions and countries including Poland. Participants of the conference had an opportunity to walk personally part of one of the routes at the borderline between Austria and the Czech republic, with an introduction of spiritual and historical dimension of the project. A “board” of the Way of St. James has been installed at the entrance of St. James’ church in Brno by dean Václav Slouk, who appreciated mutual cooperation of Austria, Moravia and Slovakia and invited to construction of the Ways of St. James in the central Europe. As he noted, they “ingratiate the attention, hearts and feet of young and older, single and married people, laymen and clergy”, which can bring benefit to the development both of their “historical knowledge and spiritual life”. Slovakia: legal protection of marriage The Alliance for Family (AF) is pleased by the successful votation of the members of the National Council of Slovakia in favour of the constitutional definition of marriage as a bond between a man and a woman. “We carefully monitor activities of the parliament and we want to express our gratitude towards its members who have shown a responsible approach toward values like family and marriage, and supported the amendment to the Constitution of the Slovak republic”, says Anna Veresová, spokesperson of the AF, inviting the politicians to adopt another measures in favour of protection of marriage, “to stop devastation of its value”. Although it might seem as a natural thing that does not need any special attention, the example of some western European countries shows the opposite, affirms the leader of AF Anton Chromík, adding that the experience shows the necessity to focus on two main points – “respect towards the best interest of a child in the process of adoption, which means that he or she is rised in a family with mother and father, and to guarantee the exclusivity and uniqueness of marriage amidst various forms of cohabitation to avoid any parallel institutions”. The constitutional amendment was passed to the second reading last week.
