Ukraine, Slovakia, France

Ukraine: UGCC and the post-elections situationDuring a meeting on 9 November between the Head of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC), His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk; Canadian Ambassador to Ukraine, Troy Lulashnyk; and Gregory Lemermeyer, counsellor at the Embassy of Canada in Kyiv, the participants touched upon the subject of the election in Ukraine. His Beatitude Sviatoslav expressed his gratitude for the large number of observers from Canada. He touched the problem caused by various deputy candidates who attempted to use Churches and religious organizations to achieve "political gains". "We encountered mass bribery, including priests", said His Beatitude, pointing to the fact that the UGCC emerged wounded from this process and needs healing because "when the Church is used for achievement of political goals, its trustworthiness is undermined and its perception by people is distorted". As he stressed, "for twenty years we have rejoiced in religious freedom, yet each time we have to defend it", emphasizing the importance of independence of the Church. The head of the UGCC expressed his concern over the law proposal on religious freedom which has recently been approved by the Parliament of Ukraine, adding that it will "translate into more intense state control of religious organizations, limitations on religious freedom and complications in the registration procedure for religious organizations".Slovakia: conclusions of the Bishops’ plenaryThe election of the presidency of the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia was one of the main points on the agenda of its last week’s plenary session held in Donovaly (6-8 November). Upon its results, Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský, archbishop of Bratislava, was confirmed in the office of president, and Mons. Viliam Judák, bishop of Nitra, was reelected as vice-president for another three-year term. As Mons. Zvolenský said on the occasion of his reelection, next year will mark the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of Ss. Cyril and Methodius to the region of Great Moravia, and the Catholic Church also celebrates the Year of Faith. According to Mons. Zvolenský, in the light of these two events, the "greatest challenge for the Slovak nation is the renewal of its Christian faith". Participants in the plenary decided to organize a National Pilgrimage to Rome, due to take place in February 2013, in the framework of the celebrations of the Holy Year of Ss. Cyril and Methodius. The meeting also focused on the proposal to establish an Institute of Canon Law in Slovakia, in cooperation with the Catholic University of Ruzomberok. According to bishop Stefan Secka, responsible for the project within the Bishops’ Conference, the institute should satisfy the "demand for lawyers educated in the Church law". The prelates approved the allocation of financial resources to projects in the area of Catholic media, for a total amount of 181,263.00 euro. Among the projects to be funded is a documentary about blessed Zdenka Schelingová, a documentary on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Slovak Institute of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Rome, as well as several Internet projects. The plenary session confirmed Jozef Kovácik in the office of spokesman of the Bishops’ Conference for the next three years, and Mons. Jozef Haľko, auxiliary bishop of Bratislava, was elected new delegate for the COMECE. Finally, the bishops approved the text of the message addressed to all Slovaks living abroad, with an appeal to "uphold their Christian identity". It will be published on the First Sunday of Advent.France: first meeting of European Melkites From 1st to 3rd November, Aubazine in Corrèze (France) hosted the first meeting of European Melkites, which brought together, in addition to Gregorios III, Patriarch of Antioch and all East, Alexandria and Jerusalem, the leaders of the parishes of Paris, Marseille, Aubazine, Vienna, Brussels, Stockholm, Rome as well as some Spanish ones. The topic discussed during the three-day meeting, as stated by the final report posted by the Melkite Patriarchate, "Being a Melkite in Europe: being rooted in faith and tradition", is evidence of their concern for the risk of losing their identity in such secularised societies as those of the European countries, which leave no room for faith or Christian values. The meeting placed special emphasis on the importance of the Divine Liturgy, which, as stated in the final release, "nourishes, teaches and unites". In their speeches, the guests spoke, above all, of the geographical scattering of their devotees, "many of whom do not hesitate to drive over one hour to attend the Divine Liturgy". Sunday liturgy "becomes a way to gather the parishioners around their pastor". On his part, Gregorios III pointed at "the obligation to adhere to the rite and abide by the English, French and Spanish translations of the Liturgy". The next meeting will take place in Paris in 2014, and the topic will be "Emigration and Melkite identity".