Ccee , put an end to the journeys of death”The Governments of Europe and Africa must use any legitimate way to put an end to the dangerous journeys bound for Europe that for many African migrants end up in death. Regardless of how they have arrived in Europe, they must always be treated as human beings”. This is the recommendation that the national directors of the pastoral of migrants of 21 European countries put forward at the end of their meeting, that took place in Vienna from 12th to 14th September, chaired by mgr. José Sanchez, bishop of Sigüenza-Guadalajara and president of the Commission for the pastoral of migrants of the Council of European Bishops Conferences (Ccee). The main focus of the meeting was “African migrants in Europe and in the Church – Pastoral responsibility”. Many migrants are driven to set out on such journeys, according to the directors, “by the state of many African countries, with attendant poverty, underdevelopment and dramatic desperation”. Hence the request to the European countries for “more justice and cooperation in the development of the poorer countries”. The main theme of the meeting was “African migrants in Europe and in the Church: pastoral responsibilities” and was highlighted in two keynote addresses: one was from Jan Sterk, of Mechelen/Malines university, “The African continent and its significant aspects in history, culture, religion and society” and the other was from mgr Franz Scharl, auxiliary Bishop of Vienna, “A theological-pastoral reflection based on an experience”. Three subsequent testimonies which were then related formed the basis for group work. These were presented by Fr Oliver Eitel, Caritas director in the diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara (Spain), who presented experiences form the point of view of migrants, political refugees, and asylum seekers; by mgr Dr Petrus Bsteh, Rector of the Vienna Office for World Religions, who spoke of the situation from the students’ point of view; and by Fr. Claude Musimar, representative of the Belgian organisation Pro Migrantibus, who addressed the situation from a pastoral point of view. The meeting, which was also attended by delegates of the Holy See and international Catholic agencies (Comece, Icmc, Caritas Europa), decided that a conference about migration will be organised in Spain in 2010.Scandinavia: bishops’ plenary meetingLiturgy, the Swedish translation of the Mass and of its rites in particular; holy Sunday; the preliminary work for the Bishops’ Synod on the Word of God to be held next October in Rome; the religious formation of candidates to priesthood and the possible conflict between Scandinavia’s civil legislation and the freedom of worship. These were the main issues debated in the Autumn session of the Bishops’ Conference of Copenhagen, Oslo, Reykjavik, Stockholm Trondheim, held a few days ago in Lourdes (France). Since “in Scandinavia, like in many West European Countries – is written in a Note of the Scandinavian Bishops Conference (Nbk) – Sundays are becoming increasingly commercial, and are viewed as any other day of the week, the bishops urge Catholics and Christians of all denominations to keep Sunday “as the Day devoted to worship, rest and prayer”. Bishops said they plan to issue a Pastoral Letter on Sunday’s sanctification. Bishop Müller will be representing the Conference in October’s Synod, at the end of which “the bishops will submit their reflections to Benedict XVI”. While “for several decades religious freedom wasn’t viewed as a problem by North European Catholics – is written in the Note – there are signs that a number of laws, such as those on workers’ rights”, could “conflict with Church teaching”, while “it is assumed that Canon Law is of no significance if it differs from State legislation when it comes to Church rights and duties”. No “North European country has ever signed a Concordat with the Holy See”, declared the Nbk. “Bishops express their unease after the diocese of Oslo has been summoned to Court for a case regarding the implications of a vow of obedience of a priest”.Germany: Zdk, no to unilateralism in the Caucasus The President of the Central Commission of German Catholics (Zdk), Hans Joachim Meyer, guarded Germany and the EU against taking unilateral stands in favor of one of the parties involved in the Caucasus’ conflict. During the meeting of the executive committee, held a few days ago in Bonn, Meyer pointed our that “the objective of Germany and of the European Union should be to urge that peaceful solutions be found while doing their utmost to diminish the human suffering which these conflicts tragically bring about. Humanitarian and financial aids are crucial”, he claimed. Mr.Meyer declared that the ongoing conflicts in the Caucasus are caused primarily by “ethnic- national and cultural-religious sentiments”. These “are distant from concepts such as freedom and democracy”, that add up to “the economic interests of Russia and of the West, especially as relates to energy”. Meyer voiced the need to “step up political action in the European Union, both from a mental and structural viewpoint”. It is therefore necessary “to support the efforts of the Federal government of the European Union in order to play an active mediating role in this conflict and speak with a single voice on behalf of the EU”, asking that “the six-item plan of the EU” be “respected”, especially as relates to the “complete withdrawal of the Russian troops”. Slovakia: the first Catholic television network On September 15th Slovakia’s Bishops’ Conference signed an agreement with the Salesian fathers and “Lux communication” regarding the management of Tv Lux, the first Catholic television network in Slovakia. The President of the Republic of Slovakia Ivan Gasparovic attended the event also. The agreement was signed after ongoing dialogue and at the end of a four-month trial period. The signatures were affixed by father Karol Manik, Salesians inspector in Slovakia, by Msgr. Stanislav Zvolensky, archbishop of Bratislava, representative of Slovakia’s Bishops Conference and by Tomá Straka, representing the “Lux Communication”. The meeting was co-chaired by Father Filiberto Gonzalez Plasencia, Social Communication advisor of the Salesians.
