CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Portugal: CEP, “Voting for a better Europe” In view of the European elections of May 25 the Portuguese bishops issued a Pastoral Note titled: “Voting for a better Europe” calling upon the entire population to go to the polls: “absenteeism is a dangerous weapon that easily penalizes those who use it, although the gap separating our vote from its practical consequences is widely experienced”, is stated in the opening statement. Whilst underlining that Europe isn’t just a mere geographic area, but rather a community of ideas and values, to which Christian faith has given an enormous contribution in the course of the centuries, the bishops pointed out that the current “28 States find in Europe their common home whose commitment reposes on a project of civilization, aimed at ideals of peace, social justice, religious freedom, cultural dialogue and solidarity, open to other peoples, which should enjoy the contribution of Portugal”. From this perspective, the document points out that the faithful should not consider going to the polls as mere formal act, but rather as the reaffirmation of values and as a request of responsibility to those who are called to be at the service of citizens, to increase solidarity and justice in Europe. “A better Europe, which we justly long for, also depends – the bishops say – on each one of us”. Czech Republic: pilgrimage of the families Work and rest, the tradition of faith in the family, inter-generational solidarity, the family and the community: these are the main areas of interest in the framework of the preparations for the national Pilgrimage of the Family in the Czech Republic, scheduled to take place August 29-30 2014 in Zdár nad Sázavou. The coordinators of the event, envisaging the participation of Bohemian and Moravian bishops, have set up a new website with a catechesis dedicated to these three areas, to news and details on the pilgrimage www.narodnipoutrodin.cz. “Reflections are written in three different forms: for young people and for adults, and we hope that they will be used in parishes, in the teaching of religion in schools or in communities to inspire the preparation not only of the national pilgrimage but also for a general celebration of the 20th anniversary of the International Year of the Family, that recurs this year”, explained the members of the organizing committee. Family registration for the Zdár event is open along with the first activities that regard it. An exhibition titled “The international Year of the Family in the European environment”, resulting from the cooperation between the Czech Bishops’ Conference, the Association of Family Counselling and the Senate of the Czech Republic is open to visitors until May 26 in Prague. Spain: a special year with Theresa of Avila “Pope Francis has granted all Spanish dioceses the grace of a Theresa Jubilee year for the solemn celebration of the fifth centenary of Saint Theresa of Avila”. The announcement was made by the Spanish Bishops’ Conference in a release that underlines that the special Year will last from October 15 2014 to October 15 2014. “The Holy Father – continues the note – has granted the president of the Bishops’ Conference and the bishop of Avila the grace of imparting, during the Jubilee Year, a papal blessing and plenary indulgency to all Christian faithful present for the scheduled celebrations”. Saint Theresa of Avila, known also as Theresa of Jesus, Christened as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda Dávila y Ahumada, was born on March 28 1515. After having entered the Order of the Carmel at twenty, after a demanding self-reflection process that led her to what she later described as her “conversion”, eventually became a leading figure of Catholic reformation thanks to her activity as a writer and reformer of the monks and nuns of the order of the Discalced Carmelites, and thanks to the foundation of monasteries in several places. She died in Alba de Tormes on October 15 1582. Russia: theology and art at Saint Thomas in Moscow The St. Thomas Institute in Moscow opens again after a year of thorough overhauling. Established in 1991, over the years the centre for theological and religious formation became a cultural centre of the Company of Jesus. Now the theological curricula, that was decreased from five to three years, will be accompanied by a two-year course in the Psychology of Spirituality and by a one-year course on “Creative spirit at the service of human culture”. “The theology programme is open to everyone, regardless of their religious affiliation, to those who seek personal growth in human terms, those who wishe to better understand and learn more about the faith of the Catholic Church and the reasons of European civilization”, said the director, Father Tomás Garcia-Huidobro Rivas. “Psychology and spirituality” is aimed at “uniting psychological knowledge with the spiritual vision of the world”, notably for those who carry out a ministry of accompaniment of people (priests, nuns, lay people) interested in spiritual direction”. The art programme “will highlight the extent to which cultures, notably Christian tradition, have influenced the cultural development of Eastern and Western societies”.
