From the South to the North, From East to West

An editorial by the Editor-in-chief of SIR Europe Paolo Bustaffa, dedicated to this fall’s two recurrences – the 70th anniversary since the beginning of World War II and the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall – opens the last issue of “Litterae Communionis Episcoporum Europae”, that refers to May-August 2009. CCEE meetings, past and future events (until May 2010), news items from COMECE and the Council of Europe are covered in the publication. Wideangle is a new section devoted to the initiatives of the European Bishops’ Conferences, hereby reported in brief. Each issue of SIR Europe devotes ample space to the activities of European Churches. Albania. On June 18, the Day of Prayer for Sanctification of Priests, the priests that perform their ministry in Albania convened in Shenkolle, Lezhe, to address the theme: “Priests towards spiritual perfection – the fidelity of Christ and the fidelity of priests”. Msgr. George Frendo, auxiliary bishop of Tirane-Durres led the meditations. On the occasion of elections for parliament renewal (June 18), the Bishops’ Conference wrote a letter to the faithful reminding Christians to take part in the Country’s political life. Belarus. On July 4-5 Cardinal Kazimierz Swiatek performed the solemn coronation of the Icon of the Virgin Mary Trokiele with the papal crowns in the diocese of Grodno’s sanctuary. The second yearly youth prayer meeting was held at the end of the month in Ivianets (archdiocese of Minsk- Mohilev), while the first encounter of Belarus priests took place on August 4 at the Church of Saint Simon and Saint Alena of Minsk. The event, which coincided with the feast of Saint John Mary Vianney, lies within the framework of the Year of the Priest proclaimed by Benedict XVI. Bosnia-Herzegovina. The 46th Ordinary Assembly was held in Banja Luka in the month of July. Delegates of the Croatian Bishops’ Conference, of the International Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius in Belgrade and of the Slovenian Bishops’ Conference attended the Assembly. The Bishops were briefed on the delegates’ European meeting on Islam-Christian dialogue, on the annual meeting of the European Vocation service, on the meeting of the bishops responsible for Justice and Peace and on the Ordinary General Assembly of Italian bishops, attended by Msgr. Pero Sudar. The Bishops appointed the Bishops’ Conference Council and Commissions members and presidents for the period 2009-2014. Bulgaria. The President of the Republic of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov, the representatives of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church and the President of the Bulgarian Bishops’ Conference Msgr. Christo Proykov, went on pilgrimage to Rome to pay homage to the tomb of Saint Cyril on the occasion of the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodious, co-Patrons of Europe. On May 22 the delegation was granted audience with Benedict XVI who expressed the wish that “Bulgaria may make an effective contribution to building a Europe faithful to its Christian roots”. Bulgarian President Parvanov invited the Holy Father to visit Bulgaria. Czech Republic. The upcoming apostolic visit of Benedict XVI was the central theme of the 77th CEC Plenary Assembly (Velehrad, 2-4 July). On July 4-5 the National pilgrimage of Saints Cyril and Methodius took place in Velehrad. On July 5th, 25 thousand people attended the Mass presided over by Cardinal Jozef Tomko, prefect emeritus of the Congregation for the evangelization of the people, and co-celebrated by the bishops of the Czech Republic and the representatives of the Bishops’ Conferences of Poland and Slovakia.Sts. Cyril and Methodius. On August 17-18 in Nis, the city of birth of emperor Constantine, the Catholic bishops of Serbia convened to plan preparations for the Consantinian Year (Edict, 313-2013). The Serbian Orthodox Bishop Irinej Gavrilovic attended the reunion also. Catholic bishops proposed to co-organize the event with the Orthodox Church. The prelates addressed the question of Church-State relations, and remarked that the registration of Serbia’s Catholic Church institutions begun a few years ago has reached a standstill due to the minister of Religion’s claim to register all the institutions and the juridical bodies of the dioceses under the name of the diocese, which doesn’t comply with the usual procedures. Croatia. On July 7-8 in the framework of the debates triggered by legislation regarding medically assisted procreation, CEC released a statement reiterating the fundamental principles of Catholic Church thought to this regard. Also the Office for the Family, to the light of Church teaching and of the ongoing scientific advances, said in a statement that the provisions of the bill are “questionable and unacceptable”. In order to give its own contribution to overcome the ongoing economic crisis, on July 24 CEC renounced a part of the financial contribution of its state funding as provided for by the Agreement between the Holy See and the Republic of Croatia. Russian Federation. On May 17-18 the “John Paul II Days” were held in Moscow (at the Curia of the Archdiocese of the Mother of God. On June 8-9 the 29th Plenary Assembly of the Russian Bishops’ Federation took place in Irkutsk. Special attention was devoted to the study of the material and pension situation of the priests. From August 13-16 the V meeting of young Russian Catholics took place in Kazan, attended by 230 people. Lithuania. In the course of the Plenary Assembly (May 26-28), Lithuanian bishops examined proposals for the Year of the Priest. The bishops also drew up a letter in view of European Parliament election and discussed the initiatives to be carried out for the millennium of Gospel Proclamation in Lithuania. The Lithuanian minister for Heath endorsed and granted legal status to spiritual assistants and chaplains’ service in hospitals and health centres. The question was debated for many years in view of an agreement. Moldova. The parish feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus officially opened the year of the priest in the diocese of Chisinau. The event was attended by a large number of priests. Bishop Anton Cosa conferred new ministry responsibilities to priests and addressed the reception of priests from abroad. During the summer large groups of young volunteers, mostly from Italy, were received by the local Church and animated the life of Modavian, Catholic and Orthodox youth. Romania. Over 2.000 Romanian young people period gathered on July 22-26 in Baia Mare (in the North-Western region of Romania) to attend the 11th National Youth Meeting, organized by the Greek-Catholic Eparchy of Mamamures on the theme: “A fire that lights other fires”. The event was also attended by youth from France, Italy and Ukraine. “Save the Cathedral of Saint Joseph!” is the appeal of Catholic bishops from Bucharest, following the definitive ruling of past June 25, with which the Court of Ploiesti endorsed the resumption of construction works on an enormous building near the place of worship. A petition for the defense of the Cathedral was put online. Slovakia. During the 63rd Plenary Assembly (Donovaly, June 16-17) the bishops approved the project for the national pilgrimage of priests to the Marian Sanctuary of Šaštín, scheduled for next October 8, along with the project “The Year of Christian Culture 2010”. The prelates positively welcomed the first “Family Day” held in Bratislava and suggested organizers to hold it yearly at regional level, and every three years at national level. Slovenia. The life of the Slovenian Church was marked by the beginning of the Year of the Priest. Another front of the commitment is the organization of the national Eucharistic Congress scheduled for June 13, 2010. Deep concern regarding the future of Catholic Church-government relations was conveyed by the Bishops’ Conference in a note, ensuing the appointment of the new director of the government’s Office for Religious Affairs that took place on September 3rd whose “position in the debate on the Law for religious freedom” is reason for concern. The prelates also voiced their concern over “anti-Church sentiments present in the present Government coalition”. Turkey. During the last Assembly of the Turkish Bishops’ Conference the bishops appointed a new CET spokesperson: Rinaldo Marmara. The Church is in the process of defining her contribution to Istanbul as capital of culture 2010. This period also marks the anniversary of diplomatic relations with Turkey promoted by Pope John XXIII.Ukraine (Byzantine rite). On July 1st the Holy Synod of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church submitted to the Country’s state authorities an appeal regarding the situation of migrant workers. The first annual meeting of the Secretaries General of the European Bishops’ Conferences (July 9-13) was held in Lviv. “Ecological guide. Small advice for great changes” is the title of the handbook published by the office for the environment of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church. Ukraine (Latin Rite). On May 26-27 Catholic Latin rite bishops convened with Byzantine rite bishops in the Latin seminary of Lviv. On June 29 bishops’ representatives attended the bestowment of the pallium to the new Matropolite of Lviv, archbishop Mieczyslaw Mokrzycki. Following the request of Msgr.Mokrzycki, Ukrainian Prime Minister Julia Timoschenko on September 5 granted long-term visas to foreign priests and religious who serve the Ukrainian Church. Hungary. On the occasion of the millennium of the diocese of Pécs, on August 23rd the Pope’s special envoy cardinal Christoph Schonborn, presided over the Mass with apostolic nuncio Juliusz Janusz, Hungarian bishops and foreign prelates. In the circumstance, the Right Hand of Saint Stephen, king of Hungary, was brought to Pécs. On August 20, that marks his liturgical memory, Cardinal Peter Erdo celebrated Mass to the presence of the HCBC members. The homily was delivered by Cardinal Joachim Meisner.