Immigrants: “large cities” for AfricanA few days ago, the city of Mödling (Vienna) hosted the annual meeting of “The Pastoral Care of Migrants in large European cities” which this year focused on ‘Africans in Europe, a pastoral approach for a crucial encounter’. The conference was attended by diocesan and national pastoral care coordinators along with pastoral workers for migrants in Barcelona, Basel, Bonn, Brussels, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Lyon, Lucerne, Luxembourg, Milan, Paris, Turin and Vienna. In their stimulating contributions, a significant number of priests and laity from Africa highlighted that migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa are a minority of all European migrants, although their presence is increasing. “An appropriate pastoral commitment entails the knowledge of the cultural and religious traditions of the countries of origin, along with the underlying causes of emigration and the often precarious social conditions of African migrants arriving to Europe”, participants stated. Finally, “it’s important to consider the changes which migration can bring about also as relates to religious practices and the development of new religious movements”. “Cooperation between the Churches of the country of departure and those in the country of arrival, notably, the reception offered by priests, religious and African pastoral workers must act as a bridge between African Christians in Europe and the local Churches. Public-awareness and advocacy of migrants and refugees’ rights in different areas of society is equally important”. England: regularizing clandestine workers According to a survey by the “London School of Economics” 725.000 people are in clandestine employment in the United Kingdom, that confirms the thesis of the campaign “Strangers into citizens”. Accordingly, non-U.K. citizens with expired visas but who have been living in the Country for over four years and were granted two-year working permits ought to have the right to a permanent resident status. The campaign launched by Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor in May 2006 points to the fact that the Ministry of Interior’s estimated number of clandestine workers is far too low. “We always said that realistic figures amount to 700 or 800.000 illegal workers”, declared Austen Ivereigh, coordinator of “Strangers into citizens”. “A survey conducted by the ‘Institute of public politics’ in 2006 revealed that it would take 25 years and 5.4 billion euros to remove a population of five hundred-thousand illegal workers”, Ivereigh pointed out, “while it would take 34 years and almost 8.7 billion euros to repatriate those who are living in the United Kingdom without a residence permit”. According to Ivereigh this shows that repatriation or removal is not the solution. Rather, it is necessary to envisage the regularisation of migrants’ status similar as was done in Spain in 2005 when 700,000 regularised their residence status. Next May 4, the Campaign “Strangers into Citizens” will organize religious ceremonies in the different Churches and associations that belong to this movement and will convene for a mass meeting in the centre of London. Belgium: the weekend for religious patrimony On March 21-22, the weekend of religious patrimony will be celebrated in the diocese of Malines-Bruxelles. Churches, chapels and museums will be open for the occasion and the visits led by expert guides will highlight the religious importance of the treasures kept in the museums along with their artistic and cultural relevance importance. The diocese hopes that many people will be attracted by this initiative that provides the opportunity of admiring artistic masterpieces. Each site has been encouraged to exhibit its riches that include vestments, chalices, artistic stained-glass windows, statues and paintings. According to Christian Kremer who chairs the association of Parish Churches’ Works of Art (AOP), which coordinates over 800 churches and chapels in the diocese, “it’s necessary to understand and respect this long chain of generosity expressed through this patrimony that was passed down to us. It’s a significant heritage of the past marked by prayers that we ought to preserve for the future”. Info: www.act-asbl.be.Poland: in defence of life on the web On March 25 the Polish Church will celebrate “The Day of the Holiness of Life” to support the defence of human life from the moment of conception to natural death. “Pro-life” movements will actively participate also on the web. According to International News Agency Fides, Polish Catholic weekly “Niedziela”, in these days (and until the 24th) will be promoting pro-life initiatives posted by the 5 Polish Catholic websites: www.niedziela.pl, www.YouthFl.org, www.duchowy.pl, www.PrzystanekJezus.pl, www.PokolenieJP2.eu. The initiative, titled “Save the Saint” envisages daily spiritual meditation on life, dignity and sanctity of the human person and provides texts of prayers.
