CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Comece: on “Europeinfos” elections, future of the EU “The alienation expressed in the election results”, “crisis of legitimacy” that the European Parliament has to address and the presence of “parties committed not to reforming the EU but to disrupting or even destroying it”, these are the three main aspects emerged from the European elections according to Jesuit Fr Frank Tuner. Yet “a politics defined by negativity cannot build a future”, Turner wrote in the editorial for June’s issue of “Europeinfos”, the monthly publication of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE). “Only an enhanced sense of political community, finding expression at regional, national and transnational level – in which we accept our solidarity with and responsibility for each other – can offer hope for the future”. To the “change in legislature” after the vote of May 25 is dedicated the article by Johanna Touzel, who describes the “Sudoku competition” to form “political groups in the European Parliament”. Stefan Lunte describes the possible options that lie ahead of the European Council in the appointment of the President of the European Commission in a “tug of war” between the Council and the Parliament in Strasbourg. “There is a large freedom of movement of EU citizens when they work, but freedom is strongly limited when they are economically inactive”: the situation was highlighted by José Luis Bazán who described on “Europeinfos” the measures enshrined in EU legislation enabling Member States to expel a European citizens who becomes “an unreasonable burden” for the hosting Country with strong limitations on his residence permit, which shows that “the concept of European citizenship has not been completed”. The June issue of the COMECE monthly also features an article on “Copernicus”, the new European Flagship Programme for earth observation through a set of satellites, like the new satellite Sentinel 1A, launched at the beginning of April to monitor the environment and safety of planet Earth. Finally, José Ignacio Garcia writes of the European Central Bank and of the risk whereby “The fragile growth that is being generated in Europe may have come up against a surprising obstacle: deflation”. Czech Republic: social housing project The Prague office of Caritas Czech Republic has decided to give an original contribution to help solve the problem of the homeless. Caritas representatives have offered to share apartments that they own for social housing purposes, in order to give a home and other forms of sustenance to six families in need. “In this way we wish to give a concrete contribution to extend the debate on social housing. We consider rent at reasonable prices as an urgent need of people in situations of difficulty”, Jaroslav Nemec, director of Caritas diocesan office, told Sir Europe. The idea underlying the initiative is the result of decades of experience in this sector, “especially as relates to the situation of those occupying these homes”, conceived for mothers with children. “They often fall victims of a vicious cycle, constantly resorting to various kinds of social services, although their basic need is to have a home at a reasonable price”, Nemec said, adding that he hopes that the pilot project “will inspire also other institutions and authorities to take concrete measures” to improve this situation. Belarus: a website for Christian journalists A new website was launched at the end of May for Christian journalists and bloggers in Belarus. It is currently in the testing phase. All those working in the media sector or in any form of private publishing and share Christian values, promoting them in their journalistic activities, are invited to register and publish on the website http://krynitsa.info. At present the website provides an overview of news, events and Christian activities in Belarus, along with reflections on various aspects of social life with special focus on Christian values, a list of significant events in the history of Christianity in the Country, as well as information on the Community of Christian journalists. A data bank on Christian churches, shrines and congregations will be published soon. There is also the intention to compile surveys on social and political issues, along with contributions of experts on relevant themes linked to Christianity.
