CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Churches in Europe: general secretaries and spokespersons in Prague It is a very intense week for the European Church, in particular for CCEE (Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe). From June 17-21 Prague will be the venue of the meetings of the press officers and spokespersons of European Bishops’ Conferences (June 17-19) and of the general secretaries of the same Bishops’ Conferences (18-21). Under certain aspects the meetings will proceed at the same pace. Participants will address various themes ranging from the management of ecclesial communication in the digital era to “transparency inside the Church”, to the presence of the Christian community within the current cultural and social environment. Dedicated panels will focus on the Synod on the Family and the Year of Mercy. Pope Francis’ new Encyclical on the environment will also be presented. The program of Wednesday June 17, opening the event, envisages the welcoming address by cardinal Miloslav Vlk, archbishop Emeritus of Prague, and Msgr. Duarte da Cunha, CCEE secretary general. The theme of the first session is “Managing digital profiles of a bishops’ conference or its president.” The days of Prague will end with the Eucharistic celebration of Sunday June 21st in the city’s cathedral. Czech Republic: ecumenism and reconciliation Ecumenical services “for reconciliation” are being held this week across all the regions of the Czech Republic on the occasion of the commemoration of the 600th anniversary of the death of Jan Hus, sentenced for heresy during the Council of Constance, burnt on the stake in 1415. A special letter “for all Churches and Christians” in the Country was written by cardinal Dominik Duka, president of the Czech Bishops’ Conference, and by Daniel Fajfr, national president of the ecumenical council of Churches. They both invite Catholics and Christians of other denominations to take part in the ecumenical services and make this step of reconciliation, so that “people may no longer be separated by the figure of Master Jan Hus and by his tragic death.” The signatories of the letter said they hope that this act of reconciliation may represent a token of the effort of “uniting the Church of Christ before God and before the entire nation”, and that this act may be carried out not only by Church dignitaries, but also across all dioceses, parishes and communities. The act of reconciliation refers to the mutual requests of forgiveness presented by Saint John Paul II during his two visits to the Czech Republic in 1995 and in 1997, and by Pavel Smetana, ex national president of the Ecumenical Council of Churches in the Czech Republic in 1997. Portugal: Fatima, children’s annual pilgrimage Presiding the annual pilgrimage of children at Fatima’s Shrine, the auxiliary bishop of Braga Msgr. Francisco Senra Coelho, called upon the young faithful, accompanied by their relatives, catechists and teachers, to “never accept violence and report acts of bullying that should occur in their schools.” “The world has a great need of the spirit of solidarity that dwells in our hearts, to respect others with the same love that we are given at school and in the family, to jointly become the builders of peace”, he added. The program of the 2015 pilgrimage, focused on the message pronounced by the Virgin of Fatima in the apparition of August 1917 – “Pray, pray a lot” – already began in the month of May with an offering of roses to Mary in the small chapel of the Apparitions, followed by the scenic representation titled “learn to pray with the young shepherds”, held in the basilica of the Most Holy Trinity. Referring to the homage made on that occasion, the bishop compared the Shrine to a “garden”, explaining to the youths “flowers dry if they aren’t appropriately cultivated”. Prayer is like a flower we hold towards God, but we should also desire the good of all people, in particular of those who are most distant from his love”, concluded Msgr. Senra Coelho. The invitation the bishops sent to the children, to constantly irrigate this love with their prayers was finally symbolically represented through the gradual inflation of a large plastic flower placed at the centre of the Shrine, marking the closing of the ceremony.
