Slovakia, Czech Republic

Slovakia: Bishops against the law on registered partnershipsThe Council for the Family of the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia has published a statement regarding the proposal of the Law about registered partnerships. The president of the Council, bishop Milan Chautur, criticizes that the proposal puts homosexual partnership on the same level as marriage with its privileges and appeals to the members of parliament to refuse it. "Such law would put pressure on Christians not only in regard to acceptance of homosexual malpractice but it would make them assist in its direct application, which contradicts Christian teaching", reads the document, pointing to the discriminating aspect of the proposal. "A Christian wouldn’t be able to run for the office of the mayor or be employed at the municipal registry, if he/she refuses to support acknowledgement of registered partnership of homosexuals", continues the statement, warning that such law would put Christians living in a democratic society in a type of isolation that they "hadn’t experienced even during the totalitarian regime".Slovakia: Project for evangelization of youth "We want to go to all corners of Slovakia with the strong message of the Gospel and fight for the faith of young generations. We want to invite young people to step out of their "averageness", to take over responsibility and change". With these words Julo Slovák, leader of the project "Godzone", describes the aims of the fourth edition of the campaign, due to take place in six towns on 12-17 November. Last year it attracted the attention of 10,000 people, and this year the organizers are even more ambitious. The project is a part of the Week of the Church for Youth and is organized by the Association of Christian Youth Communities, in cooperation with the Council for Youth and Universities of the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia. "It is a great encouragement for us to hear dozens of testimonies of teenagers about what God does with their lives, to see new growing youth communities", continues Julo Slovák. Dávid Slavkovský, member of the coordination team, expressed hope that the campaign will be "extraordinary" and will bring a "new dimension to the evangelization of young people". For more information: www.godzone.sk.Czech Republic: European Jesuits and New EvangelizationA Conference of European Jesuits and their collaborators in the area of university pastoral care will take place on 8-11 November in Prague. About 30 delegates from whole Europe are expected at the third edition of the event entitled "New Evangelization – Ignatian Road", including professor of systematic theology from Dublin, James Corkery; the president of the Conference of European Provincials, John Dardis; and the director of the new Secretariat of the General Curia for the Promotion of Faith, Gerald Blaszczak. "The main topic of the conference is more than suitable in this period of time when the Church celebrates the Year of Faith, at the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council", says father Jan Regner, coordinator of the conference. During the event two Eucharistic celebrations open to the public will take place – on 9 November in the St. Ignatius Church and a day later in the St. Salvator Church.Czech Republic: Culture and art in the life of the Church"Culture and art in the life of the Church" will be the main theme of the conference organized by the Archdiocese of Olomouc, the Department of pastoral and spiritual theology of Palacký University, the Michal Lacko Center of Spirituality in Kosice, and Centro Aletti in Olomouc and Rome, due to take place on 16 November. Experts from Czech Republic, Slovakia and Italy will gather in Velehrad to present their lectures on various aspects of spirituality, liturgy and art. The program will also include the presentation of two books: "Contemporary Music and Speculative Theology" by C. Gottwald, and "Theory of Music in the Middle Age" by J. Morawský. Participants in the conference will watch the record of the lecture of deceased cardinal TomᚠSpidlík on "Theology of beauty" and the event will culminate with the opening of the exhibition of icons and the holy mass, due to be celebrated by Mons. Josef Hrdlicka, archbishop of Olomouc.