CCEE, Spain” “

CCEE: forum on Catholic teaching “Christian formation and the spiritual accompaniment of Catholic teaching in schools” is the theme of the Congress to be held from May 15-18 in Sarajevo, capital of Bosnia-Herzegovina, organized by CCEE (Council of European Bishops’ Conferences) and by CEEC (European Committee for Catholic teaching). It will be attended by some seventy bishops and national leaders for pastoral care in schools of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe, along with representatives of national Catholic teaching networks (CEEC) representing over 35 thousand schools, 8 million pupils. Participants will focus their reflections on four “challenges” faced by Catholic teachers, namely, their initial and lifelong formation within their personal faith journey; how teachers communicates to students the relationship with Christ; how the Church accompanies teachers, and finally, what are the future prospects for the pastoral care of teachers. The meeting, due to be opened by CEEC president Christine Mann and by cardinal Vinko Puljic, archbishop of Sarajevo, will delve into the situation and the role of Catholic schools for the future of Bosnia-Herzegovina, a country that still bears the scars of the war in the Balkans. Spain/1: the ancient hospital is an Ignatian centre The ancient hospital of Magdalene of Azpeitia (Gipuzkoa), rebuilt by the Society of Jesus to be transformed into an Ignatian centre, was inaugurated a few days ago. Located in the neighbourhood of the Magdalene of Azpeitia, it’s the site where St. Ignatius of Loyola stayed from April to July 1535, upon his return from Paris. The inauguration was attended by two Jesuit provincials: the superior of the Loyola Province, Father Juan José Etxeberria, and the superior of the Spain province Fr Francisco José Ruiz Pérez. During the Eucharistic celebration held in the cloister of the Magdalene located in front of the hospital, Fr Etxeberria recalled that at the Magdalene “we see Ignatius living in the hospital, begging for food and money at the doors of relatives and neighbours and bring all he had collected to the hospital to feed and dress the poor and the sick. He was devoted to preaching and to teaching, inviting others to reform their lives. This synthesis of his apostolic charisma gave birth to the Society of Jesus”. The Jesuit priests promoted the renovation of the building that risked falling in ruins, thereby preserving the original features of the ancient hospital. Renovation works lasted an entire year, from April 2013 to April 2014. A sculpture of St. Ignatius of Loyola was placed outside the building, made by the sculptor, Capuchin monk Antonio Oteiza. The renovated hospital of the Magdalene will now serve as an Ignatian centre for the pilgrims of the Ignatian Way (the pilgrimage from Loyola and Manresa, covered by St. Ignatius in 1522). In the centre, signs and audiovisuals will cherish the memory of the Saint, founded of the Society of Jesus and his stay in the site. Moreover, the centre will highlight the preferential option of the Society of Jesus for the poor. The building also has a conference hall. Spain/2: the diocese of Granada on social networks The archdiocese of Granada has landed on social networks such as Facebook and Twitter, that add on to its presence on Youtube (the uploading of videos on Granada’s archdiocese’s video channel) and Flickr (regarding photo galleries). The Secretariat for Means of social communication of Granada’s archbishopric has recently created a Facebook page called “Archdiocese Granada”, which internet users are invited to join, just as in the case of Twitter it is necessary to become followers of @Archigranada, open to users of this social network. The purpose of the Facebook and Twitter profiles is “the dissemination of the life of the Church of Granada – the diocese explained – and at the same time contribute to promoting communication at the service of a culture of encounter, following the appeal of Pope Francis to the members of the professional world social communications in his Message for the for the 48th World Communications Day, that will be celebrated June 1st”.