CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Visit of the Pope to EU Parliament in November Since the visit of John Paul II to Strasbourg in October 1988, a Pontiff makes a visit to the seat of the European Parliament. Pope Francis accepted the invitation to address the European Parliament during its plenary assembly in Strasbourg on 25 November 2014. Bergoglio was invited by president Martin Schulz during the official visit to the Vatican past October. The official program of the visit will be published in the coming weeks. Cardinal Reinhard Marx, president of COMECE (Commission of the Bishops’ Conference of the European Community) said: “It makes me very glad to hear today that Pope Francis, in response to the invitation of President Martin Schulz, is to visit Strasbourg on 25 November”. “This is very good news”, particularly as 2014 marks a series of challenging beginnings for the European project. His Eminence pointed out that “the decision to come to Strasbourg before visiting any individual EU member state as such gives a strong signal that the Pope supports and encourages the pursuit of European integration and unity”. “The decision to come to Strasbourg before visiting any individual EU member state as such – the Cardinal pointed out – gives a strong signal that the Pope supports and encourages the pursuit of European integration and unity”. Pope Francis is “acknowledging the unique significance of the European institutions in the life of our continent. He is saluting the achievements of the European project, not least the peace dividend which merited the EU the Nobel Peace Prize”. The COMECE president added: “European integration has enjoyed the benevolent support of the Catholic Church right from its inception”. “Pope John Paul II visited the European Parliament in 1988; this second papal visit highlights that continuing support from the Church for the noble ideals of European integration”. “We hope that the Holy Father will encourage European parliamentarians in their work and that he will indicate how the foundational values of the Union – inspired to a large degree by the Christian faith – may shape the Europe of tomorrow”. WYD Cross in Ukraine: “We pray for peace” The Cross and the Icon of the World Youth Day (WYD) that are travelling across the world in preparation for the WYD Day in Poland were given to Ukraine last week by youths from Lithuania. They will be brought in pilgrimage nationwide until October 4. “May the permanence of the Cross in our beloved Ukraine be a sign of force, truth and victory of God”, said the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Lviv Benedict Aleksiychuk, for the occasion, with the hope that the people direly hit by the conflicts may draw strength from the Cross to “continue with their lives”. Bishop Brian Bayda, president of the Synod Commission for Young People of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church (UGCC) pointed out that the presence of the Cross and Icon in Ukraine is “especially important” given “the difficult situation in the Country”, and called upon the faithful to pray for peace. More information on the pilgrimage of the WYD Icon and Crossin Ukraine and the related programme are available on the website http://dyvensvit.org/. Czech Republic: relic of St. John M. Vianney A precious relic – the untainted heart of Saint John Marie Vianney – arrived to the Czech Republic on September 13 to be brought throughout the dioceses of Bohemia and Moravia. The visit began last weekend during the pilgrimage to the diocese of Hradec Králové, on the occasion of the Year of Vocations proclaimed by Msgr. Jan Vokál for 2014. The program of the visits of the relic to 13 sites, involving several parishes until September 23, includes conferences on the life and works of John Marie Vianney, Masses, adoration, along with a special spiritual retreat dedicated to vocational discernment on September 19-21. “His heart, that irradiates virtue and sainthood, has lived with the sole purpose of bringing all souls to God”, said the coordinators of the pilgrimage, with the hope that many faithful may take advantage of this unique opportunity of venerating the relic, reflecting on their lives and on how to achieve sainthood.
