CHURCHES IN BRIEF " "
Churches in Europe: family and religious vocations “The family is the first place of the transmission of faith. That is where is often discovered and developed the vocation to the priesthood and to consecrated life. At the same time the family can be the place where a new vocation can be suffocated if it isn’t adequately accompanied and sustained”. With these remarks, Fr. Michel Remery, CCEE vice-general secretary, opened the European meeting on vocations ongoing in Prague (July 6-9). “If we loose track of the concept that the family institution is a community of faith for the wellbeing of married couples and their children, it will impact the natural harmony of family life, and with it the quantity and quality of vocations”, Remery added. “When a young boy or girl expresses a growing wish to follow Christ in a radical way through a path of discernment to the priesthood or consecrated life, the family could feel inadequate and lonely in accompanying the questions, doubts and challenges linked to such a radical choice in life. Today this choice is considered poorly attractive and weird, to the extent that often the Christian family places obstacles and bans to youths who take into account this vocation”. “The path leading to vocation is a personal journey of God with the person who received the calling, and the choice can only be made by that person. At the same time, as Christians, we are not alone and we need the help of others”, Fr Remery added. “It is necessary that the entire Christian community, the Church, accompanies and helps families fulfil together the path of discernment and maturation of an eventual vocation to consecrated life or to the priesthood”. The theme “How to accompany the youths to the priesthood and to consecrated life in the family today” in Prague was attended by over 70 participants among whom figure 9 bishops, along with the coordinators of the pastoral care of vocations and the delegates of Bishops Conferences in Europe and religious Congregations. Twenty countries are represented. Spain: two communication courses in Avila This year’s communication courses promoted by the Bishops’ Commission for Social Communication (CEMCS) will take place in Avila in cooperation with the Faculty of Communication of the Pontifical University of Salamanca (UPSA) and the Spanish Conference of the Religious (CONFER). The lessons are held as of July 6th and will continue until July 17. They are intended for all coordinators and collaborators of diocesan or religious delegations of social communication media outlets, and for all those with an interest in this area, professors, educators and catechists. The organizers chose the city of Avila as the venue of the courses to participate in the commemoration of the fifth centenary of the birth of Saint Teresa. The first course, “Journalistic production and institutional communication”, directed by Nuria Quintana, began July 6, ongoing until the 10th; while next week (From Monday 13 to Friday July 17th) will be held the course “Communication and organization of events”, directed by Fernando Martínez Vallvey. The first course is aimed at spreading information on the main tools of journalistic production, the rules on the processing of news reports and social repercussions. The second course focuses on the organization of events for the dissemination of an institutional image, the tools and working strategies for the organization of an event and finally to “design” an event as an instrument of communication. Portugal: Porto, “a new ecclesial perspective” With a message to his diocese, the bishop of Porto announced the presentation of a pastoral Plan directed towards a “new ecclesial perspective”, in view of which he called upon the faithful to “undergo a deep reflection on the recent encyclical of the Pope dedicated to the environment”. “It’s a document that falls within Church social doctrine, rich with opportunities, which reveals a prophetic courage on the part of Pope Francis, as it highlights the mission of the Church, the urgent need to protect the gifts of creation, to care for the common home of humanity and to safeguard the earth, which as a mother, nourishes and educates us”, said Mons. António Francisco dos Santos. In the pastoral document, the prelate underlined that the encyclical Laudato si’, other than an opportunity for reflection “is an appeal and an invitation to all the inhabitants of planet Earth, that they may undertake a joint commitment for a new culture and a different education aimed at creating an alliance between humanity and its living environment”. Mons. dos Santos said that the new diocesan Pastoral Plan, titled “A new ecclesial perspective”, that will last five years, will be officially presented on July 10, at the Seminary of Vilar. It is intended as “a veritable synodal journey” capable of involving everyone in pastoral activity.
