For the first time in history the Presidents of the Catholic Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE) will meet in St. Petersburg in Russia, from 4 to 8 October, at the invitation of Msgr. Joseph Werth, President of the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic bishops of the Russian Federation. The aim of the meeting will be to give a sign of esteem for and communion with the country and for all the Christians who live in its territory. During their plenary assembly, the Presidents of the 34 Bishops’ Conferences of Europe that are members of the CCEE will proceed to the election of the new presidency for the five-year period 2006-2011. At the same time the bishops to head the CCEE Commissions for the media, for the pastoral care of migrants, for catechesis, schools and universities and for vocations will also be elected. The main theme of the plenary assembly will be reflection on the service of the CCEE, which in 2006 completes its 35th year of activity, and on future activities for evangelization. The programme includes interventions by a representative of the Orthodox Patriarchate of Moscow and by the Catholic Archbishop of Moscow Tadeusz Kondrusiewicz, on the situation of religion and the Church in Russia. Other themes on the agenda: pastoral vocation in Europe; marriage and the family; and the Church in Europe. The bishops will be informed, lastly, of preparations for the Third European Ecumenical Assembly (4-9 September 2007).
