CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Ukraine: in streets to evangelize pedestriansOn the last week of August, the participants of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church (UGCC) School of Theology and the UGCC School of Evangelization went out to the streets of the Donetsk-Kharkiv Exarchate to evangelize pedestrians through the pantomime. "We tried hard to attract the attention of people passing by, to make them think at least for a while about the fundamental truths of life, about the essence of their earthly journey and mission, the existence of God who controls everything", explains father Ihor Holovchak, executive secretary of the Patriarchal Commission of the UGCC on Matters of Evangelization. According to the report of the volunteers of the "Street Evangelization", people showed a great interest in information about the UGCC and about Christianity. "People’s reactions varied", said father Holovchak, adding that their words have made him understand that "in order for them to think about their spiritual life, a first concrete step in this direction has to be taken.Scotland: a family and marriage committeeThe Scottish Bishops Conference has set up a marriage and family committee, which will start working in October. In an article published on the "Mail on Sunday", card. Keith O’Brien, archbishop of St. Andrew’s and Edinburgh, expressed, once again, his "fears and concern" about the gay marriage legislation the Scottish government decided to enforce. In the article, the cardinal, who is the president of the Scottish Bishops, states that the debate about the new law did not properly explore all the implications of Parliament’s go-ahead to gay marriage and did not consider that, in a public survey, 65% of Scottish people said they are against calling gay unions "marriage". The archbishop of St. Andrew’s and Edinburgh also expressed concern about a redefinition resulting in the admission of multiple partners into such unions or even the obligation for ministers of religion to celebrate gay marriages, as it happened to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark: "All these developments justify the fears raised by the Catholic Church and other parties, and impair the protection offered by the Scottish government".Czech Republic: European Heritage DaysThe doors of the most interesting monuments, buildings, premises and areas will open to the public in European countries during the second week of September, including those that are otherwise partly or totally inaccessible. The cultural event known as European Heritage Days (EHD), held from 1991, will take place also in Czech Republic, with national theme "Young people discover heritage". The official opening is planned for 8 September in Kutná Hora, under the patronage of the Association of Historical Settlements in Bohemia, Moravia and Silesia. The latest edition of 2011 attracted the attention of about 600,000 visitors, with 225 local guarantors and 1100 monuments opened to the public. The importance of EHD for the development of tourism is evident from the fact that the Ministry for Regional Development is a partner to the EHD main guarantor in the Czech Republic, together with the Ministry of Culture. Both ministries are thus demonstrating their interest in the further development of EHD as a means of making more efficient use of the Czech cultural heritage to promote tourism.Austria: world prayer congress for life"Behold your mother" (John 19,27) will be the main theme of VI World Prayer Congress for Life, due to take place on 4-8 October in Vienna. According to the organizers of the event, "inspiring talks by renowned speakers, who have a heartfelt desire to promote the protection and dignity of human life, will help participants learn from an abundance of up-to-date information, practical experience and wisdom". Among the speakers there will be apostolic nuncio to Austria, Mons. Peter Stephan Zurbriggen; members of the Pontifical Council for the Family, Mons. Andreas Laun and Mons. Klaus Küng; founder of the Helpers of God’s Precious Infants in the USA, Mons. Philip J. Reilly; secretary of the World Apostolate of Fatima, Nuno Prazeres from Portugal; director of the Human Life International in Poland, Ewa Kowalewska. Apart from lectures and workshops, the program will include everyday holy masses, Eucharistic adorations, moments of prayers and reflections over topics like the right of Catholics to oppose laws and policies that contradict God’s law, or consequences of abortions. On 6 October, the participants of the congress will hold a rosary prayer vigil in front of Austria’s largest abortion center.
