France: communication campaign on offerings “Donations are the sole source of income for the Church in France, since it doesn’t receive state subsidies (nor from the Vatican, as largely believed). Donner à l’Eglise, c’est donc soutenir sa présence et son rôle dans la société et lui donner les moyens d’accomplir sa mission. Donating to the Church means supporting its presence and the role it plays in society while providing the means for its mission”. The first information campaign on the means of sustainment of the French Catholic Church was launched in France that is scheduled September 29 through October 26. The campaign avails itself of a series of advertisements that will appear on the press, on the radio and over the television. Useful information can be downloaded from the website www.legs.catholic.fr. To date, French dioceses have been collecting 65 million Euros each year. The advertising campaign doesn’t dwell so much into the technical aspects of donations, since it rather focuses on the fact that the future mission of the Church largely depends on voluntary contributions. Ireland: the bishops on civil unions and financial crisis Civil unions, economic crisis, Northern Ireland, millennium objectives, the Bishops’ Synod: these were the major issues addressed in the meeting of the Irish Bishops’ Conference held in the past days in Maynooth, in the county of Kildare. The Bishops remarked that the new bill on civil unions risks contradicting the single marriage stand in current legislation while at the same time expressed their support to the request made by prison chaplains that political refugees, immigrants and all refugees be detained in centers other than prisons while waiting to receive legal entry permits to Ireland. As relates to the Millennium objectives of the United Nations, that include the uprooting of child poverty, the prelates welcomed the statement of Finance Minister Brian Lenihan, stating that despite the difficult financial situation, Ireland is still working to achieve the objective of allocating 0.7% of its GDP to the millennium objectives by 2012. The bishops encouraged the faithful to pray that the Bishops’ Synod in Rome, whose delegates are cardinal Sean Brady and archbishop Diarmuid Martin, respectively president and vice-president of the Bishops Conference, may follow the voice of the Holy Spirit and increase the word of Jesus in the world. Scotland: Cardinal O’Brien against nuclear warheads Cardinal Keith O’ Brien voiced his support to the new campaign advocating the transfer of British nuclear arsenal to Scottish management, as reported by the Catholic weekly “Tablet”. This move would lead to the abolition of the “Trident” missiles discharged by submarines. His Eminence championed Scotland’s anti-nuclear movement “CND” who argue that a minor change in Scottish legislation would enable to transfer the responsibility of the nuclear arsenal to Scotland. The submarines are harbored in the Faslane base, west of Glasgow, on Scottish land but under Westminster’s control. Opinion polls revealed that most Scots are against the “Trident” missiles while last year the cardinal declared that the Scots are disappointed about the Parliament’s inertia in dismantling the nuclear arsenal. “They wish that Scotland be a safer place for them and for their children”, the Cardinal remarked. Scotland’s Bishops’ Conference has always opposed the nuclear arsenal, which Gordon Brown’s British government intends to renew.Czech Republic: the pilgrimage in Saint WenceslasPast 27 September, the national pilgrimage in Saint Wenceslas, Patron saint of the Country was held Stara Boleslav presided over by the bishops of the Czech Republic who officiated the Mass with the apostolic nuncio, Msgr. Diego Causero. Over 4 thousand participants commemorated Saint Wenceslas martyr, the Czech prince killed his brother Boleslav in 924. Cardinal Miloslav Vlk declared that “the pilgrimage is a place of encounter between history and the present, the Saint is venerated so much because he practiced the love of God”. During the Mass Czech President Vaclav Klaus and the nuncio took the floor. Both speakers drew attention upon Church-State cooperation and their mutual respect. The pilgrimage represents the zenith of the celebrations for the year of Saint Wenceslas promoted by the archdiocese of Prague and begun in January this year.
