Thoughts, experiences, projects” “

Collegiality between the Episcopal Conferences of Europe, the ecumenical process and the role of the Churches in the society and culture of the continent have represented, as usual, the main commitments of the European Episcopates in recent months. As regards the first point, a meeting of the preparatory commission for the Symposium of the bishops of Africa and Europe was held in Rome in May. Scheduled to be held in the Italian capital from 10 to 13 November, the Symposium is being jointly promoted by the Council of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe (CCEE) and the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM). The meetings of the general secretaries and of the spokespersons of the Episcopal Conferences of Europe were both held in June: the former in Belgrade and the latter in Athens. As for the ecumenical process, Monsignor Aldo Giordano, CCEE general secretary, and Keith Clements, general secretary of the Conference of European Churches (CEC), paid an official visit to Romanian patriarch Teoctist and to the Catholic archbishop of Bucharest, Ioan Robu, also in June, to ascertain whether it is possible to celebrate the final event of the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Romania in 2007. Forthcoming CCEE appointments include the congress of recently nominated European bishops (Rome, 15 September); the CCEE plenary assembly (Leeds, 30 September); the Africa-Europe Symposium (Rome, 10-14 November); and the plenary assembly of the Commission of the Episcopates of the European Union (COMECE) in Brussels (18-19 November). We present a review of the more recent events in the life of the European Churches and projects planned for the next few months. ALBANIA. The general assembly of the Albanian Bishops’ Conference, held in May, announced the Holy See’s approval of the interdiocesan ecclesiastical tribunal; defined the calendar of Albanian saints sent to the Vatican; and approved the publication of the Albanian translation of the Leon-Dufour theological dictionary. By decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship, the Blessed Virgin Mater Boni Consilii was confirmed as Patron of Albania. Her feast shall be celebrated on 26 April. BELGIUM. As part of the liturgical year “Called to celebrate”, a practical handbook for liturgical teams, mainly inspired by the instruction Redemptionis Sacramentum, will be published . The episcopal Commission Gaudium et Spes is preparing a document on the ecumenical, social and cultural consequences of globalization. A further project is a two-year course to study in a scientific way the multicultural and multireligious aspects of society in the wider context of the search for the causes and solutions of conflicts. BELARUS. The bishops of Belarus, meeting in plenary assembly on 25 June, have decided that the text of prayers, celebrations and hymns that belong to the tradition of the Catholic Church in the country shall be added to the next edition of the prayer book “Our Father”. After the approval of the rite of baptism for children in the Belorussian language by the Holy See’s Congregation for Divine Worship, the episcopate is trying to find the financial resources to publish the necessary number of copies for the country’s parishes. BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA. Freedom of religion and the legal position of the Churches and religious communities were the focal points of the 31st ordinary session of the Bishops’ Conference of Bosnia and Herzegovina held in Banja Luka from 12 to 14 July. The bishops also focused attention on the condition of priests and pastoral workers in the parishes; each bishop will draw up a spiritual and pastoral plan on the matter, involving pastoral councils, families, youth and Caritas in the consultations. The bishops also examined the provision of pastoral care in the army, in the police force and in prisons. FRANCE. Reflection on the reform of the structures of the Bishops’ Conference was the main theme of the plenary assembly of French bishops (Lourdes, 11-13 May). The introduction of a second vice-president, and the reform of the system of representation within the permanent Council were approved. In future it will be composed by the president of the Conference and two vice-presidents, by the archbishop of Paris (member by right), by three bishops elected according to a demographic criterion, and by three bishops elected according to seniority in the episcopate. The elections will take place in the course of the next plenary assembly (November 2004). GREECE. The spring meeting of the Greek Episcopal Conference was held at Patrasso in May. The main theme for reflection was that of vocations to the priesthood and to consecrated life: difficulties and prospects for the future. The bishops promised to consult the Presidium of the Union of priests and the Presidium of the Union of religious of the Catholic Church in Greece in the autumn, before formulating any responses or issuing any instructions on the question. Further items on the agenda: the legal status of the Catholic Church in Greece, the Greek translation of the new Roman missal, and collaboration with the Ccee and Comece. SPAIN. A reform of the statutes that will permit the creation of ecclesiastical regions was approved during the spring plenary assembly of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference. Barcelona, Europe’s second most populous diocese, was elevated to metropolitan status and its territory divided, thus giving rise to two new dioceses: Terrassa and Sant Feliu de Llobregat. The bishops of the three dioceses and the archbishop of Tarragona were nominated. There are now 69 Spanish dioceses. POLAND. Entry into the European Union, the country’s social and political situation, and the new challenges for the pastoral ministry in the Polish language in Europe were the main issues tackled by the bishops of Poland in the two plenary assemblies (the 327th and 328th) respectively held in May and June. The common problem of the failure to respect the sanctification of Sunday and the growth of religious indifference of some regions of Lithuania were at the centre of the 18th Meeting of the Commission of the episcopates of Poland and Lithuania for reciprocal contacts, held at Siauliau (Lithuania) on 25-26 July. Some Lithuanian bishops have expressed the wish to entrust pastoral care to Polish priests. SLOVAKIA. To mark the country’s entry into the European Union, a national pilgrimage was organized to the sanctuary at Nitra, in the presence of almost all the bishops and the Apostolic Nuncio H.J. Nowacki. Over 20,000 pilgrims and 1,200 youth from Slovakia participated in the pilgrimages of peoples to Mariazell on 22 May, as part of the Mitteleuropäische Katholikentag organized by eight Episcopal Conferences of Central Europe. The preparation of WYD 2005 in Cologne was the centre of discussion of the bishops meeting in plenary assembly at Spišská Kapitula on 1st and 2nd June. SLOVENIA. The Holy See ratified the Accord with the Republic of Slovenia on 28 May. Signed on 14 December 2001, the Accord had been ratified by the Slovene Parliament on 28 January 2004. “Ethical responsibility in a changing world” was the theme of the international and interdisciplinary Symposium promoted in Ljubljana by the Slovene Academy of Arts and Sciences from 4 to 6 June. The guest speakers included Cardinal Paul Poupard, president of the Pontifical Council for Culture, and Carlos de Sola of the Directorate for Juridical Affairs at the Council of Europe. Youth ministry, its current situation and prospects for the future, was the focal point for reflection at the third international consultation for youth apostolate jointly promoted by the Slovene pastoral office and by the Austrian diocese of Graz-Seckau, held at Celje (21-25 June). UKRAINE (BYZANTINE RITE). The preparation of the order of the day for the next Synod of bishops, scheduled to be held in Kiev in October, and the question of the recognition of the patriarchate of Kiev, were the main issues discussed at the permanent Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church held in Rome from 1 to 5 June. On the latter point, on receiving the bishops in private audience, John Paul II said: “I share your aspiration, well founded also in canon law and in conciliar discipline, to enjoy full juridical-ecclesiastical configuration… Your request is being seriously studied, also in the light of the assessments of other Christian Churches”. The 23rd session of the Synod of bishops of the metropolitan church of Kiev and Halycz was held a Jaremcze on 8-9 June. Discussion also focused on the pastoral care for the armed forces and efforts to cope with the crisis of drug addiction, alcoholism and Aids in the country. UKRAINE (LATIN RITE). The 24th plenary assembly of Ukrainian bishops of the Latin rite was held in Lviv in May. The central issue discussed was education and training in the diocesan seminaries. The rectors, vice-rectors and spiritual directors of the three Latin-rite diocesan seminaries and the rector of the Byzantine-rite seminary of Lviv all participated in the meeting. Guest speakers included the prefect of the Congregation for Catholic Education, Cardinal Zenon Grocholewski. In recent weeks the representatives of the Ukrainian government have returned the residence of the Latin-rite metropolitans of Lviv to the metropolitan archbishop Cardinal Marian Jaworski. HUNGARY. The negotiations on the Accord between the Holy See and the Republic of Hungary continue. After the signing of the Accord (20 June 1997), and especially over the last two years, the government had unilaterally modified some parts of the document. The summer plenary assembly of the Hungarian Episcopal Conference was held from 1st to 3rd June. It placed at the centre of reflection the provision of pastoral care to workers; the Catholic Church has recently opened some schools for their formation. On 8 June the secretariat of the Conference organized the annual study day for journalists, traditionally dedicated to the meeting between professionals of lay and Catholic information.