Germany, Austria, Bulgaria

Germany: bishops’ delegation to Algeria"I am deeply impressed by the faith witness of this small Church", said Monsignor Ludwig Schick, president of the Bishops’ Commission for the Universal Church of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) at the end of the first visit of a delegation of German bishops to Algeria April 2-6. "The delegation", continued the archbishop, has "encountered communities with only a few thousand Christians which are nonetheless marked by various forms of religious commitment". Monsignor Schick presented the activities for women, for migrants arriving from Western Africa, for the disabled, as well as the efforts made in the realm of interreligious dialogue: "Thanks to her social and cultural works the Church has earned the respect of the Muslim societies", said Msgr. Schick. The delegation visited Algeria on the invitation of the local bishops, taking part in solemn celebrations diversified at liturgical level according to the different cultures present in the country. The Algerian Church registers a growth also thanks to the students and immigrants from Africa, conferring new features to the local Church, traditionally shaped on the French model. The German bishops visited the historical sites of Algeri and Annaba, as well as the tombs of the monks of Thibirine, killed in 1996.Austria: initiatives for the integration of the Roma and Sinti populationOn the occasion of the International Day of the Roma (April 8), various organizations and public personalities in Austria raised public awareness on the theme of the Roma and Sinti population in Austria and across Europe. The Vincentians of Eggenberg, with several projects devoted to the situation of the Roma, launched an appeal to address the issue "with respect and willingness to help", said the director of the community Fr Wolfgang Pucher in a release issued by Austria’s Catholic News Agency Kathpress. For Pucher, the Roma and Sinti "are discriminated and excluded from social life" especially in their countries of origin. It is evident also at the level child education in unemployment rates – in many countries amounting to over 90% – of the members of these ethnic groups. Pucher underlined that "in rich Western countries "begging is the only possibility they have of improving their living conditions in the short run". "This often leads to their discrimination, not to mention the accusations – often ungrounded by evidence – of being members of criminal organizations to which they are allegedly accused of handing over most of the money they receive". Conversely, the activities carried out with Roma people in Graz, Insbruck and Salzburg across the years, "has shown that they use most of the money to feed their children and ensure medical assistance to their families". "Ungrounded accusations of carrying out criminal activity should be avoided. The EU, notably the countries of origin of the Roma people, should assume their own responsibilities towards these peoples". However, he concluded, "their needs cannot be solved in the short run".Bulgaria: the president of the religious leadersThe president of the Bulgarian Republic Rossen Plevneliev called upon the representatives of all the religious confessions in the country to pray for peace and health. "The population is on the verge of desperation, growing numbers of people commit suicide and set themselves to fire", said President Plevneliev. "I call upon you all to pray to overcome this situation with patience and dignity, in order to prevent extreme decisions. I believe that in this time of crisis religious plays a crucial role". Religious leaders representing the Orthodox and Catholic Churches, Muslims, Armenians, the Israeli Central Council and the Evangelical Churches attended the meeting. "In these difficult moments in time people need consolation, support and encouragement – the President of Bulgarian Bishops, Monsignor Hristo Proykov, told SIR Europe. We need to be near them and defend human virtues, especially the gift of life that ought to be closely cherished". In times of severe economic and social crisis "drawing close to the Church is very significant", said the vicar of the patriarch for the city of Sophia, bishop Joan. Prayers will be recited until April 15 in places of worship across the Country asking the Lord for peace and wellbeing in the Country.