Italy: Catholic laity “together for Europe””At this crucial time marked by the challenges of disintegration, immigration, social justice, defence of life, of the economy, which require responses and shared commitments”, Christian “movements” and associations in Italy will convene to deliver their own contribution to the necessary process of social recovery at national and European level”. “Together for Europe” will bring together national Christian movements and associations in the international centre of Loppiano (Florence) on September 19-20 following the wake of 250 European movements of different Churches that undertook this path in Stuttgart (2004 and 2007). Some 1000 participants have already registered for the event promoted jointly by the ‘Pope John XXIII community’, the Sant’Egidio Community, Equipe Notre Dame, Focolari movement and Holy Spirit Renewal movement. Azione Cattolica, Cursillos, Sermig, Agesci, Regnum Christi, Istituzione Teresiana, Mondo Migliore, ProSanctitate, Missionary Youth movement, Mary Community, Matrimonial Encounter, Turris Eburnea, Villa Regia, CVX and l’Emmanuele Community equally support the event. Italy’s “Together for Europe” encounter is in synergy with dozens of similar encounters held this year in France, Belgium, Northern Ireland, Hungary and Slovakia. “It is the expression of a united population that follow the light of the Gospel for the spiritual renewal of Europe, taking our Country as their point of departure”, the organizers said. The programme includes retracing the path undertaken by European movements, associations and new communities since 1988, followed by the lectures delivered by the coordinators of the movements, namely, G. Paolo Ramonda (Pope John XXIII community), Salvatore Martinez (RnS), Maria Emmaus Voce (Focolari), Marco Impagliazzo (Sant’Egidio) and Carlo and Maria Carla Volpini (Equipes Notre-Dame) “on the renewing force of the Word and on the mission we are called to fulfil as Christians in Italy and across Europe”. Two seminars will delve into crucial issues such as “Frailty and the family”, “Poverty and the economy”. Representatives of the different movements will share their experience to this regard.Spain: anti-abortion rallyOver 40 associations in Spain are preparing to march next October 17 from Plaza de Colón up to Puerta de Alcalá in Madrid, to protest against the new bill on abortion and for the defence of life, women and maternity. The march is advertised on a poster highlighting that the new bill on abortion will “strip women from their right to maternity” while “it will not prevent abortion thus contributing to this failure”. For this reason pro-life movements urge the public administration to promote a network in support of pregnant women, so that “no woman may be forced to undergo an abortion because of a lack in information and in feasible alternatives”. As the same time associations ask that national adoption processes be simpler, so that women may be informed about the alternative in case of unexpected pregnancy and in order to “protect the right to maternity, that is being viewed as a failure”. Germany: Christians for European unityOn September 13, marking the traditional pilgrimage of Danube Swabians (the German-speaking populations living in the Danube river valley, expelled after World War II) the President of the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) Msgr. Robert Zolltisch – who is himself a Danube Swabian as he was born in former Jugoslavia – called upon Christians in Vienna to ‘Work for the unity of Europe’. “As Christians we have the duty to remain united. We cannot afford being separated into different nations and peoples”, Msgr. Zolltisch declared during the Mass officiated in the Schönstatt Sanctuary in Kahlenberg attended also by ex-refugees from German background with their families. The bishop of Freiburg defined the “overspreading nationalism” arisen in mid 19th century, as “a serious sin”, which “destroyed the multifaceted regions of southern Europe”. Msgr. Zolltisch urged European Christians to be coherent “so that the European building may be more than an economic area. Europe needs a soul and its Christian roots ought to be upheld. Christians ought to ensure that justice is not two-dimensional in united Europe and that the EU shall devote primary attention to the human person. We must side with the forlorn and with the weak and fight for their rights”, he added, recalling the commitment for life that Christians are obliged to promote also in the political realm.
