CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Card. Marx President of German bishops The archbishop of Munich-Freising, cardinal Reinhard Marx, was elected president of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) during the spring plenary meeting held a few days ago in Münster. He succeeds the archbishop Emeritus of Freiburg Msgr. Robert Zollitsch, who in recent months led DBK to elect the new president. Seventy-year-old cardinal Marx was elected in the fifth ballot. Born in Geseke (north Rhine-Westphalia) on September 21 1953, Marx was ordained to the priesthood of the Archdiocese of Paderborn in 1979, and was consecrated auxiliary bishop of that diocese in 1996. Pope John Paul II appointed him bishop of Trier in 2001; in 2007 he became archbishop of Munich and Freising. He was created a cardinal by Pope Benedict XVI in the 2010 consistory. He is the president of the Commission of Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE). He is a member of the Council of Cardinals instituted by Pope Francis to assist him in the governance of the universal Church and to draw up a plan for the revision of the Apostolic Constitution “Pastor Bonus” on the Roman Curia. Spain, Msgr. Blázquez Pérez at the lead of CEE On March 12, the archbishop of Valladolid, Monsignor Ricardo Blázquez Pérez, was elected president of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE) for the years 2014-2017. The appointment took place in the framework of the 103rd plenary Assembly held in Madrid from March 11-14. Msgr. Monsignor Blázquez Bishop replaced in his role the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio M. Rouco Varela, who was at the helm of the Spanish episcopate for twelve years (1999-2005 e 2008-2014). The archbishop of Valladolid has served as CEE president in two three-year mandates (since 2008). He was CEE president in the years 2005-2008. Monsignor Ricardo Blázquez was born in Villanueva del Campillo, Ávila, on April 13 1942. Ordained priest in 1967, he graduated in theology at the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome. Appointed Auxiliary Bishop of Santiago de Compostela by John Paul II in 1988, he served as bishop of Palencia, Bilbao and, finally, from 13 March 2010, archbishop of Valladolid. Bishop Carlos Osorio, was elected CEE Vice-President, he assumes the post of Msgr. Blazquez for the 2014-2017 period. Msgr. Gadecki President of the Polish bishops “We do not exclude anyone, and serve everyone with benevolence” said the president of the Polish Bishops’ Conference (KEP), archbishop of Poznan, Stanislaw Gadecki upon his election to the new post March 12. The prelate spoke of the challenges the Polish Church is called to face, and underlined “the need for a greater spiritual effort”. Among the priorities, he said, figure “young people, the family, vocations and support to poor people”. For the KEP President the new assignment requires “strength to address the various initiatives which are positive in nature: we all want what is good for the Church”. Msgr. Gadecki said that in his capacities he will focus “on the bishops’ unity as well as on that of the entire realm of consecrated and religious, and of lay Catholics, who deserve recognition for their effort inside the Church”. Msgr. Gadecki, born in Strzelno 64 years ago, has the experience of 40 years in the priesthood. In 1992 he was consecrated bishop. Since 2002 he is at the head of the Archdiocese of Poznan. In 2004 he joined Archbishop Jozef Michalik as a vice president of KEP. Portuguese bishops: voting for a better Europe On March 10 the permanent Council of the Portuguese Bishops’ Conference (CEP) gathered in Fatima adopted the pastoral Note “Voting for a better Europe” up for approval in the next plenary Assembly, scheduled from April 29-May 1. The document is an “appeal to participation” addressed to all citizens for the upcoming European elections of May 25, and to the adoption of “policies against unemployment and in favour of intercultural and interreligious dialogue in the continent”. “Voting isn’t a purely bureaucratic action” – father Manuel Morujão said during the press conference. “Instead, it is an act whereby we assume our responsibility in relation to the common good, and in this case not only with regard to our country, but also to all the other countries. And this shall apply especially for those who will be elected”. The CEP spokesperson pointed out that the Pastoral Note conveys the hope that “Europe will not indefinitely postpone the problem of unemployment, and that it will be a continent with open doors, not an isolated fortress with access only to those in positions of power”.
