CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Spain: Msgr. Osoro, “raising children in the faith” “With flowers for Mary” is the theme of the flower offering to Our Lady of Almudena, promoted by the archdiocese of Madrid Sunday May 31 in the Almudena cathedral from 10 to 20. The archbishop of Madrid, Monsignor Carlos Osoro, will consecrate children to the Virgin from 11 to 17. For this occasion the prelate wrote a letter addressed to his diocese where he outlines the importance of the growth of children in all their stages. These are the best students of the ‘school of the greatest Love’, which is the one of Jesus Christ and from them we learn to see everyone and everything with Jesus’ eyes”. Monsignor Osoro made a request: “To bring small children close to Jesus, so they may see with His eyes, it’s a proposal I’m making you so this world may change. So that their joy and their life may be reflected in the families, that children will transform into schools of love and of hope”. The archbishop invited the families to bring close to Saint Mary of Almudena all children in the diocese: “Offering children to Mary is to place our own future and that of our society into her hands”. The prelate called upon the faithful to bring the children of the Holy Virgin and place them under her protection on Sunday 31, the day on which is celebrated the feast of the Visitation of Mary. “She will fill your family with joy”, the prelate said. And Jesus “will welcome, guide and protect your children”. Portugal: the religious and the “grammar of proximity” The Portuguese Conference of Religious Institutes (CIRP) wants to make itself known better by young adults in the country, through an opinion survey that may lead to the development of “a grammar of proximity”. The institutional expression “consecrated life” is still quite unknown. In fact, a survey carried out by Ipsos Apeme shows that “31% of respondents, aged between 18 and 34 years old, has no knowledge of it ; 29% identified it with the profession of vows (chastity, poverty and obedience); and only 16% related it to a balanced and fulfilled life, which reveals happiness”. In the year dedicated to consecrated life called by Pope Francis, and in relation to the context detected, CIRP coordinator Carlos Liz, recommended that during the pastoral activities that will take place in parishes until February 2016, “the faithful know and enter into contact with a religious or a nun. “At the same time, there will be four quartely “ethnographic incursions” by the consecrated in youth circles, “in order to observe and better understand their characteristics”: in the first they took part in the night life of the city of Lisbon, will the next one will involve their temporary placement in the precarious world of call-centers. According to Carlos Liz “consecrated life possesses all the right qualities to be shared publically, it has a favourable vocabulary, with people and stories that convey the notion of a fully accomplished life”. Germany: liturgical volunteers for funeral services The Diocese of Essen has the first volunteers for the liturgical celebration of funeral services. They come from the Ruhr area, namely from Duisburg, Mülheim, Bottrop and Gladbeck Three men and three women who have completed an intensive course of spiritual and pastoral preparation will be available not only in their parishes; their formation is also seen as a forerunner for other lay people who will officiate at funeral services. On May 21, at the end of a Mass, they received the pastoral mandate. “Our students are retirees who want to learn a completely new task, or parishioners, who already had experience in this field, such as those working in the field of palliative care”, said Nicole Stockhoff, Secretary for liturgy in the diocese of Essen, who planned and directed the new formation course with Michael Kampmann, diocesan secretary for hospital chaplaincy. In addition to the certifications, the six volunteers also received an Albe, the robe with purple lining, which they will wear during each funeral service and for the burial prayers. They will accompany the period of mourning”.
