CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Austria: metropolitan Arsenios for Greece Greece needs support, not only financially but above all morally: this was stated in Athens on October 15 by the metropolitan Arsenios (Kardamakis) of Austria. Interviewed by the Austrian Catholic news agency Kathpress, Arsenios said that at the end of his visit to Greece, where he saw the social projects carried out by the Orthodox Church. 10 thousand rations of food are distributed every day in downtown Athens alone, over 100 thousand all over Greece. The metropolitan spoke of a new "network of solidarity that bodes well for the future". "Even more disappointing", he went on, "is therefore the negative image drawn by the European media, which does not match reality. All of Europe should make more efforts to understand each other better and also acknowledge the existing cultural limits and different mentalities". The role of the Church in this state of crisis, caused first and foremost, according to Arsenios, by politics and by the banks, is not just effectively helping those in need, but above all being concerned "about the unity of the Country", because "the crisis is also an opportunity to rediscover the Christian values that have gone lost in Europe, so as to give a more effective response to this rampant materialism".Germany: the Eucharistic on Facebook The Eucharistic Congress, due to take place in Cologne in 2013, has its own official page on Facebook: it was announced by the German Bishops Conference (Dbk). "The Facebook profile provides information about the preparations for the great feast of faith, as well as the option to virtually attend it", a Dbk release states. "The page will contain photos, videos, comments as well as an option for exchanges and contacts. Everyone is invited to give their contribution and share with their Facebook contacts the information and the joy to attend the Eucharistic Congress 2013". Another tool provided by Dbk to inform about the developments of the preparations for the great event in Cologne is a monthly newsletter, "telling small and big stories around the events, the topics and the people who are taking care of the Eucharistic Congress". To subscribe to the newsletter, users must visit the Congress’ website (www.eucharistie2013.de). With the title "Lord, to whom shall we go?" (John 6,68), the German Catholic Church celebrates the Eucharistic Congress organised by Dbk and hosted by the archdiocese of Cologne.Slovakia: museum on crimes and the victims of Communism The Museum of the Crimes and Victims of Communism in Slovakia has found its official place at the premises of St. Elisabeth University of Health and Social Sciences in Bratislava. The agreement between the university and the civil association "Silent Heroes" has been signed for the period of five years and will take effect on 18 October. First visitors will be allowed to see the "trial exhibition" at the end of November this year while the official opening is planned for March 2013, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of the Candle Demonstration. "Our members have conducted research regarding the lives of the so-called silent heroes – the people whose attitude during the communist persecution has contributed to the return of freedom", explains Frantisek Neupauer, one of initiators of the project. The civil association "Silent Heroes" invites all people of good will to help with the establishment of the museum, which plans to document violation of freedom not only by the communist regime but also all kinds of injustice committed in various regions of the world today.Czech Republic: plenary on the church in society Czech and Moravian bishops will meet on 23-24 October in Vranov u Brna for the 91st plenary session of the Bishops’ Conference. They will listen to the presentation of the results of this year’s National Youth Meeting in Zdár nad Sázavou which took place in summer and watch the documentary on its preparations entitled "Fruits of the Spirit". Among other topics to be discussed there will be liturgical matters, property composition between State and Churches and the position of the Catholic Church in contemporary society. The plenary session will be preceded by a Study Day of the Czech Bishops’ Conference on 22 October, dedicated to the matters of family.
