CHURCHES IN BRIEF
COMECE: two meetings on the economy and eco-justiceThe Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is the focus of the meeting organized by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) on June 27-28 in cooperation with the Catholic Centre for Social Sciences in Mönchengladbach (Germany). US scholars and experts will address two major themes: “social and economic responsibility” along with TTIP “risks and challenges”. As confirmed by Cardinal Reihnard Marx, COMECE president, at the Summit of religious dignitaries and EU leaders on June 10 in Brussels, the hope is that through the agreement the two transatlantic partners “may promote clear, ethically sound regulations within the global economy”. COMECE will also promote a debate involving “young Europeans” on the “Defence of sustainability and eco-justice”. The event is co-organized by the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches, Don Bosco International, the Young Protestants Federation in Germany. In a release for the presentation of the event, organizers point out: The EU is among the major players in the global climate negotiations. Nevertheless, great discrepancies between different components of eco-justice can be witnessed in Europe – there is pollution, extreme poverty, injustice and isolation. Sustainability is not yet at an affordable price for many Europeans”. Bulgaria: “funds to renovate religious buildings” An increase in European funds for the restructuring of churches, monasteries and places of worship from the Rural Development Project for the period 2014-2020 is the request presented by the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, by the Catholic Church and by the Muslim Community to the Bulgarian Minister for Agriculture Dimitar Grekov and to the parliamentary Commission for confessions during the meeting held a few days ago at the Bulgarian Parliament. For the period 2007-2013 confessions made known that they benefited of some 90 million euro, approximately 18% of the funds for municipalities, while for 2014-2020 the sum falls to 5-5%, amounting to some 35 million euro. “This sum is enough to rebuild not more than 15 places of worship – Fr Nicanor Mishkov, in charge of European Funds for the Holy Synod, told SIR Europe – and some of the Churches in Bulgaria are in urgent need of conservation works”. Spain: saint Francis pilgrim in Compostela The bishop of Ciudad Rodrigo, Monsignor Raúl Berzosa, and the President of the deputation of Salamanca Javier Iglesias, have signed a cooperation agreement on the occasion of the Franciscan Year celebrated in 2014 to mark the eight centenary of the pilgrimage of the Poor One of Assisi in Santiago de Compostela, according to the tradition. One of the special events of the Year will be the exhibition “Saint Francis, Juan Carlos Sánchez y Eduardo Azofra”, that will be showcased in the major chapel of the seminary of Saint Cajetan of Ciudad Rodrigo from July 11 to November 2. The first part of the exhibition is dedicated to a reflection on significant moments in the life of Saint Francis (the stigmata on Mount Verna, the contemplation of the Crucifix, the devil’s temptations, the embrace with Saint Dominic of Guzmán) and the image o fthe dead saint according to the vision of Pope Nicola V. For the occasion, the exhibition will showcase masterpieces from the dioceses of Castiglia-Leon of XV-XVIII century by painters and sculptors. The second part of the exhibition will focus on the relationship between the founders of the two Franciscan and Dominican mendicant orders founded in the XIII century. Finally, another part of the exhibition will be dedicated other major figures in the progress of Franciscanism. Poland: “selfie sacrum”, faith during the summer “Take a selfie sacrum during the holidays and win” taking part in the open competition on Facebook. It is the invitation of Fr Bartlomiej Krol, (from the Society of the Divine Savior), who during the year teaches catechesis in the Polish city of Mikolow. The religious launched the idea of the competition to “remind young people on holidays of faith and the Church”. A selfie sacrum can be taken during a pilgrimage, in front of a church or a shrine, during a meeting with a religious person. Don Krol hopes that “participation in the competition will encourage young people to gather in prayer or for a meeting on faith”. The competition ends on September 1st. The 10 selfies most appreciated by the visitors of the fanpage will be examined by a special jury that will select the winner. Krol hopes that the author of the best picture will be awarded with a smartphone or a camera, but “we still need to find the sponsor”; he remarked. The selfies of the author of the competition with the students during a meeting of young people in Lednica or with the archbishop Msgr. Wiktor Skworc, are visible on the fanpage.
