Not only an observatory” “

Episcopal Conferences and European unification, ethical questions, communication and evangelization, and collaboration between the Churches are the four basic themes to be discussed by the spokespersons and press officers of the episcopates of Europe at a meeting to be held in Brussels from Thursday 10 and Sunday 13 April. The meeting is being promoted by the Council of the European Episcopal Conferences (CCEE). Also on the programme are a debate with the spokesman of the European Convention, which is busily preparing the draft constitutional treaty, Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, and a meeting with Cardinal Godfried Danneels of Brussels. We discussed the meeting with Sarah Numico , head of CCEE’s social communications office. What’s the aim of these meetings? “These annual meetings which, together with other events, now form part of the history of the CCEE, are especially aimed at providing a forum for discussion between press officers, and a chance for them to exchange information (and experiences) on topical issues at the political, social, cultural and ecclesial levels. The press offices have the role of building a bridge between the institution and public opinion: they have to “recount” and inform on the life and activities of the episcopal conferences; they have to offer the mass media the point of view of the Church on topical issues. But they must also be able to grasp what are the basic expectations and questions that the mass media and public opinion pose to the Church”. What about dialogue between the spokespersons of Eastern and those of Western Europe? “It seems to me to be a very fruitful dialogue. Of course there are differences between the press offices of the Conferences of Eastern and Western Europe, especially linked to the fact that there are well organized structures in the Western countries (websites, staff, in-house publications….), whereas in the countries of Eastern Europe the offices for social communication often work on a shoestring, with few resources in terms of personnel and facilities. Of the 34 members of the CCEE, 9 episcopal conferences don’t’ have their own press office and, in other cases, the office coincides with that of press attaché; 11 conferences don’t have their own internet site. The episcopal conferences in Western Europe are in the process of hiring lay personnel, trained journalists, for these offices; in Eastern Europe it’s priests who – apart from a long series of pastoral commitments – also have to handle communications at the national level. As for the themes of common interest, it seems to me that the number of questions involving both the churches of Eastern and Western Europe has increased. But the relation between Church and information or communication is not only different between east and west, but also alters from country to country”. What’s the role of the CCEE office that you’ve been coordinating for six months ? “I would sum it up in three tasks. First, promoting communication between episcopal conferences; this happens through an internal newsletter issued every three months, which gives an update on CCEE activities and on the main events in the various countries. Second, it tries to provide the mass media (both those of Christian and lay inspiration) and the “friends” of the CCEE with information on the life of the Council. It does so through press releases and through its website (www.ccee.ch)”. Prospects for the future? “There are short-term objectives (such as renewing the website!) and mid- and long-term objectives: better publicizing the life of the CCEE and reinforcing the network of personal contacts with journalists. This seems to me one of the secrets to promote the flow of information and be able to communicate. What interests the CCEE are the basic questions on how to evangelise, how to encounter culture, especially lay culture. In the field of the mass media that means reflecting on the “media role” of the Church, on attitudes to the mass media, on communication itself. Promoting the sharing of these reflections among the episcopal conferences is for the CCEE a concrete way of contributing to the life of the Church and of our continent. I believe in fact that such European institutions as CCEE or COMECE or KEK are experiences of “European union” ante litteram“.