Thoughts, voices and projects” “” “

Collegiality between the Episcopal Conferences of Europe with a view to an ever greater common commitment in the process of the reunification of the continent, the intensification of collaboration between the Churches of Europe and Latin America, ecumenism and interreligious dialogue, the protection of the environment and the promotion of human rights: these are just some of the issues on which the activities of the European Churches have been particularly concentrated over the last few months. Below we give a brief review of the more significant events in the life of the various Churches, as seen by the CCEE (Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe). Albania. The Jubilee Year of the Albanian Church is in progress, marking the 300th anniversary of the Synod of Arberi. The 10th anniversary of the Pope’s historic visit to the country (1993), after the collapse of the Communist dictatorship, was celebrated a month ago, on 25 April. The celebrations on the programme of the Jubilee include the ordination of four Albanian bishops, the start of the beatification process for 40 martyrs, and the tenth anniversaries of the interdiocesan Seminary in Scutari and of Caritas Albania. The climax of the whole year will be the beatification of the Albanian-born Mother Teresa of Calcutta. Belarus. The Episcopal Conference published a special pastoral letter in March to explain the charitable activity of the Church and to invite the faithful to get involved in this field. In recent weeks the bishops addressed a second letter to the faithful on the mercy of God, as a way of responding to the social process underway in the country. Since all religious organizations must be registered in conformity with the new law on religious confessions and religious freedom, the Episcopal Conference and the dioceses have taken the necessary steps to fulfil the legal requirements. Bosnia Herzegovina. Cardinal Vinko Puljic was proclaimed “personality of the year” by the readers of the popular paper “Vecernjakov list”: the cardinal was chosen from among twenty candidates. The Committee for the preparation of the Mittleeuropäischer Katholikentag (Congress of the Catholics of Central Europe), chaired by Bishop Franjo Komarica, met in recent months to prepare the celebration scheduled to be held as part of the event in Kupres on 29 July. Czech Republic. A Conference of Christian Churches dedicated to the process of European integration was held in Prague in recent months. Foreign Minister Cyril Svoboda presented the commitment of the Czech government to ensure a positive result in the referendum on EU entry to be held in June. In this regard the Churches have published a joint declaration under the title: Christians support the integration of the Czech Republic in the European Union, and are distributing explanatory brochures and other information in the parishes. The joint declaration of the Czech and Austrian Episcopal Conferences Reconciled proximity at the heart of Europe was signed in Prague on 21 March. In this historic declaration, the two Churches, for the first time, tackled positive and negative aspects of their own shared history and expressed their desire to dedicate themselves together for the promotion of the spiritual dimension of the European continent. Hungary. The Hungarian bishops participated in the beatification of Lászlo Batthyány-Strattmann, father and doctor to the poor, in Rome on 23 March. The ecumenical meeting of the young – the second such meeting – took place, with enormous success, in Budapest on 6 April: some 16,000 youngsters, representatives of all the Christian Churches of Hungary, took part in the event. Lithuania. The Vatican’s Secretary for relations with States, Msgr. Jean-Louis Tauran, visited the country in March. He inaugurated the international conference “Holy See and Lithuania: past, present and future”, convened to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the signing of the Concordat between the Holy See and Lithuania, ratified in 1927, prior to the interruption of diplomatic relations following the Soviet occupation. These relations were resumed in 1991 and obtained legal recognition in 2000. On 23 April the president of the Episcopal Conference Cardinal Audrys Backis and the Minister of Justice Vytautas Markevicius signed an agreement on pastoral care in prisons. This accord had been envisaged in the procedure set out in fulfilment of the international accord between the Holy See and the Lithuanian Republic. Poland. The permanent Council of the Polish Episcopal Conference met in Warsaw on 18 February. It analysed the text of the government statement, recently approved, on questions of morality and defence of life, annexed to the treaty of accession to the European Union and considered too vague by the bishops. The bishops also discussed the social situation in the country, with particular attention to the difficult situation of women, the growing poverty in rural areas and the spreading disease of corruption. Portugal. In line with the Apostolic Letter of John Paul II, Rosarium Virginis Mariae, the bishops of the country welcomed the proposals for the Year of the Rosary and decided to make some significant gestures at the national level: a prayer in the Chapel of the apparitions at the sanctuary of Fatima presided over by the bishop twice each week, from March to October, and broadcast by Rádio Renascença, and the publication of a booklet “The Rosary with John Paul II” with biblical texts, prayers and reflections by the Pope for each mystery. Other events are also in progress at the diocesan level. Russia. A study week for young priests who work in Russia and in the countries of the former Soviet Union was held at the “Mary Queen of Heaven” Seminary in St. Petersburg in February. Meanwhile the St. Thomas College in Moscow for philosophy, theology and history has received a licence to teach, with specialities in “The foundations of Catholic theology” and “The foundations of the religious sciences”. Scandinavia. During their ad limina visit in April, the Scandinavian bishops described to the Pope the situation of the Catholic Church in the countries of Northern Europe. Meeting together in the mother house of the Sisters of Saint Brigida, the bishops later discussed a series of ecumenical questions, including the work of the ecumenical Council and the preparation of the meeting with the Lutheran bishops of the Nordic countries scheduled to be held in Finland in 2004. A report on the activities of COMECE was also presented, with particular reference to the work of the European Convention and the ethical principles of research on embryos and stem cells. Bishop Müller of Trondheim described a report on catechesis in the Nordic countries. Slovakia. During the 44th plenary assembly of the Slovak Episcopal Conference (March 2003), the bishops discussed the planned journey to the country of Pope John Paul II from 12 to 14 September 2003. Bratislava, Banska Bystrica and Roznava are the towns that the Pope is expected to visit. On 7 April, the only Christian radio station in the country , “Lumen”, celebrated the 10th anniversary of its inauguration. The newly appointed military ordinary, Bishop Frantisek Rabek, reported on the first steps in the ordinariate, of which 15 priests so far form part. The total number of priests envisaged for the pastoral ministry to the Armed Forces is 60. Ukraine. The 22nd assembly of the Conference of Ukrainian bishops of the Latin rite was held in the Seminary of Lvov in April. The Prefect of the Holy See’s Congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Dario Castrillon Hoyos, participated in the meeting and presented a report on “The parish priest is the leader of the parish community”, focusing on the priest’s service as the foundation of the life of the parish. During the assembly the bishops also discussed the draft of a joint letter to the faithful by the Catholic bishops of both the Latin and Byzantine rite, on collaboration between Catholics of both rites.