CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Germany: an exhibition on the History of Charity The exhibition “Caritas – charity from early Christians to our times” – ongoing at the Diözesanmuseum in Paderborn is enjoying enormous success. The exhibit inaugurated on July 23rd to the presence of 600 invited guests, will be open to visitors until December 13th, although there is already talk of extending the deadline. “A beautiful exhibit” titled “Die Zeit”; while Süddeutsche Zeitung described it as “enlightening”. The history of charity is narrated through an artistic and cultural journey through the various epochs. Organized under the auspices of Cardinal Oscar Andrés Rodríguez Maradiaga, president of Caritas Internationalis, in conjunction with the archdiocese of Paderborn, it showcases masterpieces from important museums and art collections from all over Europe and the United States, from the Vatican Art Gallery, the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin, to the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Ancient sarcophagi, frescos from the Roman catacombs, illuminated manuscripts and medieval art treasures and paintings as well as drawings by renowned artists – such as Raphael, Lucas Cranach the Elder, Eugène Delacroix, Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and Käthe Kollwitz – tell different stories, motivations and the forms that had led the early Christians to help the poor. The Netherlands: an “environmental” pilgrimage A five-step pilgrimage from the north to the south of The Netherlands in five weekends from September 19-20 to November 14-15 as well as two major national events on October 24 in Utrecht and November 21 in The Hague. This is how Christians in The Netherlands intend to take part the Climate Summit in Paris. Each event has a dedicated theme (urgencies; justice; gratitude; hope; exodus). Anyone can participate: the 15 km journey always reaches railway stations so that the pilgrims don’t need to take a car to reach the points of departure or arrival. Each stage will be enriched by reflections and a Eucharistic celebration in the city of destination. A delegation from the pilgrimage will then go to Paris and join the pilgrims from other European Christian initiatives to bring to the world leaders convened in the French capital for the summit a message of “concern” about climate change; of “hope, so that Paris may finally reach effective agreements”; as well as an encouragement to “bravely”, implement “fair and effective climate policies”. A stopwatch on the Dutch website of the pilgrimage (http://www.klimaatloop.nl/) keeps track of the time remaining until the beginning of the journey, with materials for the celebrations that the churches are invited to hold on September 6 in particular, the “Sunday of Creation” of Dutch Christians. Portugal: mental health and unemployment At the Scouts Centre in Penha (Guimarães) is ongoing the “National Week of Youths” of Portugal that opened Sunday, July 26, coordinated by Young Christian Workers. The week focuses on an analysis of “the relationship between unemployment and mental health”. “The choice of this theme stems from the need revealed in the same Gioc groups, as it is a problem experienced by youths in their daily lives”, said the national president Lisandra Rodrigues. “It is a very common concern, caused by too much stress and anxiety over personal and professional situations, which in many people results in a state of depression, and in some cases becomes the cause of serious diseases”. In order to help participants reflect on the subject, the organization has also invited a psychologist, who will try to “identify key emotions of young people”, and a priest involved in the Pastoral Care of Health, whose goal is to “show that difficult situations can be perceived also as signs of light and hope”. At the end of the workshops, the “Week” envisages a meeting during which will be presented the findings of a national Campaign against unemployment. “Statistics fail to provide a complete picture of unemployment. In fact, some categories are not included, such as those involved in vocational training”, concluded the head of the youth movement: “Unfortunately during the campaign were not achieved concrete occupational results, however, it highlighted possible options and it stirred enthusiasm in numerous young people, through the educational offer and new tools of knowledge”.
