CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Italy: for the family, gathering with the Pope On the eve of the third Special General Assembly of the Bishops’ Synod (Rome, October 5-29) dedicated to a reflection on “Pastoral family challenges in the framework of evangelization”, The Italian Bishops’ Conferences “calls upon the people of God to take part in a public prayer and reflection, that will culminate with the speech by the Holy Father”. The purpose of the initiative, endorsed by increasing numbers of lay associations, while prayer initiatives are planned simultaneously with the event in dioceses across the Country, “is to show the Italian Church’s attention vis a vis the crucial theme of the family, a vital unit of society and of the ecclesial community as a whole”. There derives “the yearning to accompany the activity of the Synod Assembly, invoking the light of the Holy Ghost to shine upon it”. The event, attended also by Synod Fathers present in Rome, will take place in Rome on Saturday October 4, from 6 to 7,30 p.m. It will be filmed by the Vatican Television Centre (http://www.vatican.va/news_services/television). Nordic countries: refugees and vocations “We call upon the governments to generously support the United Nations and humanitarian organizations operating in the Middle East. Nordic countries can afford it”: the appeal comes from the Bishops’ Conference of the Scandinavian countries gathered in Turku (Finland) a few days ago (September 12-15). “As bishops – states the final declaration – we also call upon the government and peoples of our Countries to act generously, enabling people to stay where they can find security and welcome refugees”. They addressed a “heartfelt appeal” to their governments (Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland and Finland) to “revoke the decision to repatriate Iraqi and Syrian refugees in risk of death, thereby granting them permanent asylum”. During the assembly Caritas Scandinavia representatives provided an overview of the situation of crisis while bishops met with the Chaldean bishop of Teheran, Ramzi Guarmou, a witness of Christians’ suffering in the Middle East. In particular, there emerged the need “for equality for women in the fight on poverty”, along with “the importance of education for women”. The bishops, states the final report, “hope that women be increasingly encouraged and sustained in achieving their economic independence, according to the teaching of Church Social Doctrine”. “In our Country there are considerable numbers of vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life, while other local and regional churches are in a state of deep suffering owing to a drop in vocations”, the bishops of Nordic countries pointed out in the final statement, and announced the preparation of a pastoral letter ahead of the Year for Consecrated life – 2015 called by Pope Francis. The encounter was also marked by an ecumenical initiative with a visit to Lutheran archbishop of Turku, Kari Mäkinen, that highlighted “the good relations between Lutherans and Catholics in Finland and in all Scandinavian countries”. Spain: the activities of the Conference of Religious CONFER activity (Spanish religious conference) will resume in October. The calendar of initiatives opens with the Area of Youth Pastoral Care and vocation, which every year brings some 700 people to Madrid during dedicated days. The event will take place on October 10-12, the chosen theme is “The restlessness of love: living and proposing consecrated life today”. The Days will be celebrated a month before the opening of the year of consecrated life called by Pope Francis. On October 18 the chapter of Social Action of the Justice and Solidarity Area – in cooperation with the Secretariat of the Pastoral of Migrations of the Bishops’ Conference, Justice and Peace, Caritas Spain, and the White Cross Foundation- will dedicate a day to raising awareness on human trafficking. On October 25-26 the mission and cooperation Area will hold the Days for Missionary Delegates titled “The joy of missio ad gentes: its central role in the Gospel”. Various scenarios that missions face will be tackled during the meeting. The event is addressed to all those who have a passion for mission. The proposal is to deepen the reflections on missio ad gentes and life with concrete experiences of mission. On October 30-31 will begin the Days for Administrators that are the promoters of the Technical-Legal Office with Confer Administration. These first days will deal will the theme of transparency law and insurance, the inventory of risks, typical policies, labour agreements, negotiations with insurance companies, statute of development workers.
