CHURCHES IN BRIEF" "
Spain, Bishops’ Conference plenary in Madrid The Spanish Bishops’ Conference (CEE) will elect its new president during the plenary meeting held in Madrid March 11-14. It is the 103rd meeting during which 2014-2017 posts are renewed. The bishops are called to elect the CEE President and vice-President, the governing board and the presidents and members of all bishops’ conferences, Episcopal subcommittees, the Episcopal council for legal affairs and the economic Council. The only post that will be reconfirmed is that of the Secretary General José María Gil Tamayo, elected past November for a five-year period. Elections are tabled for March 12-13. During the plenary meeting 80 bishops: 2 cardinals, 14 archbishops, 53 diocesan bishops and 11 auxiliary bishops are entitled to vote. The remaining bishops (32 of whom bishops emeritus) can attend the plenary but they have no voting rights. The Assembly was inaugurated on March 11 with the prolusion by the archbishop of Madrid, CEE president, cardinal Antonio M. Rouco Varela, preceded by a Eucharistic celebration in the Almudena Cathedral on the occasion of the tenth anniversary of the terroristic attacks of March 11 2004 in Madrid. Online Lenten period support in Germany The dioceses of Essen, Hamburg, Mainz, Osnabrück, Treviri and Würzburg jointly organized an initiative for Lent, to use the web as a place for reflection and community meditation. The idea is to enable network users to experience a new “spiritual discovery”, in the 40 days ahead of Easter, so they may not be experiencing it only with a spirit of renunciation but also of sharing. “Fasting is a topic discussed in many publications during this period, but in the Lenten period Christians have much more to offer”, said Jens Albers, theologian, social media manager for the diocese of Essena. He and his colleagues in charge of communication in five interested dioceses, have developed the idea of the website www.meine-fastenzeit.de, where web users can post their reflections, the pictures of their choices along personal testimonies of internauts, circulated also on Instagram and with links posted on Facebook pages of the dioceses involved. The initiative will provide “new prospects for Lent”, said social media supervisor of the diocese of Hamburg Christian Wode, “with a concrete social service that accompanies the faithful through Lent”; a place to delve into personal spiritual themes on the Internet to unite the community of faithful also online. Portugal: solidarity of young people to Syrian children The Movement of the Apostolate of Portuguese children and adolescents (MAAC) sent a letter to young people in Syria, wishing peace and hope for the future of the Country. “We pray for you and your political leaders, so they may reach an agreement and put an end to the armed conflicts in your beautiful land”, they wrote in a statement released a few days ago in Fatima, upon the conclusion of the national meeting of delegates. The message conveys sadness for the situation of war in Syria: “We would like to know that you are happy, that you run in the streets, play, go to school, do everything without being afraid of bombs”. “Be strong and hopeful, do not let yourselves be discouraged by difficulties you are experiencing now, don’t be sad. One day you shall be free with a better future ahead of you”, are the encouraging words conveyed in the document. Finally, Portuguese youths address adult Syrians asking them to cease the armed strife that destroys their homes and their own families. “Children have no fault, you adults should reach an agreement and try to be happy, without killing people and creating immense suffering around you. You should live in peace and joy with your children”, the letter concludes. MAAC is a movement comprising Portuguese children and adolescents of all walks of life, living in rural and urban areas, aged between 6 and 16 years, with particular attention to the protection of young people with the greatest emotional, cultural and economic needs.
