CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Portugal: political elections, the voice of the Catholics Ahead of the legislative elections scheduled for October 4 the Portuguese Federation for Life (FPV) wrote an open letter to 22 political parties represented in Portugal to make a public declaration regarding “their position on the defence of human life and of the family as founding pillars of society”. The Catholic association claims that the kinds of answers to the six questions on both issues contained in the letter “can help voters who identify themselves in Christian values to decide on the recipient of their vote”. “The importance of human life does not depend on its stage of development or capabilities”, states the document as concerns questions on abortion, medically assisted procreation and euthanasia. As concerns the family the Federation recalls that it is not only the place where life is generated but that it is “also the social unit par excellence, where man can find, in case of difficulties, the greatest help and the greatest protection”. The questions submitted to the political parties on the latter issue entail their opinion on the Law for support to maternity, paternity and the right to birth, family quotient and concrete birth-support measures, in order to reverse the negative demographic trend. “Without the family there is no people, there are no workers nor welfare state, Portugal does not exist”, FPV concludes in the letter. Also Caritas Portugal, the national Justice and Peace Commission and the Society of Saint Vincent de’ Paoli delivered a public appeal to parties “to give early communication on their economic and social support programs for poor people along with the measures they plan to take in the field of health and education”, which the three associations consider priority areas of the next Portuguese government. Germany: the Church celebrates the unity of the Country On Saturday October 3 recurs the 25th anniversary of the reunification of Germany. For the occasion the president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK), Cardinal Reinhard Marx, and the president of the Council of the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD), bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, published a joint document highlighting the fact that the recent history of united Germany is a success despite all the differences that linger on at various levels, notably economic, social and regarding resources for young people. The presidents wrote that in 1989 “the peaceful revolution of DDR citizens had torn down the Berlin Wall that had divided Germany and Europe. The Churches were in many ways involved in this convergence as places for prayer, for encouragement and understanding”. For Marx and Bedford-Strohm, “Germany has successfully found a new role in a peaceful, united Europe, despite many difficulties in the internal convergence processes”. In showing that “united Germany is a force of peace” this force must go hand in hand with the assumption of new responsibilities. “Today, this responsibility involves the question on how to manage the situation of so many displaced persons entering our Country”. The document underlines that “the coexistence of the European common home” is “an indispensable aspect of the national interest of the Federal Republic of Germany”. For this reason, conclude Marx and Berford-Strohm, “support to the European reconciliation and unification project is an obligation and a sincere concern of united Germany at the centre of the continent”. France: plan of the Paris diocese for refugees A three-level “action plan” will respond to Pope Francis’ appeal to open the doors of parishes to refugees. Everyone is involved: parishes, dioceses and associations. The “three-level action plan” developed by the archdiocese of Paris was presented three days ago by Monsignor Renauld de Dinechin, auxiliary Bishop of Paris, responsible for the Pastoral Care of migrants. “While it is the responsibility of the State – the Bishop wrote on the website of the Paris diocese – to organize emergency lodgings, there is something that the State is unable to do, i.e. to create personal bonds, and the Christian community is expert in human relations”. The plan involves all parish communities where a dedicated group of experts will focus on the response to the appeal of the Pope. The équipe will be formed by a tutor who will accompany the refugees, by a person in charge of reception and lodgings, and a person in change of the project’s funding. Others will be responsible for ensuring constant contact with social services and with the parish community.
