Switzerland, France, Romania

Switzerland: a Day for the Jewish peopleAlso this year the Catholic Church in Ireland will be celebrating the “Dies iudaicus”, the day dedicated to the Jewish people, on Sunday March 20. “This day – explained Msgr. Vitus Huonder, bishop of Coira, delegate of the Commission for Catholic-Jewish understanding of the Swiss Bishops’ Conference – pursues a twofold purpose. First of all, to underline the Jewish roots of Christianity and secondly, to make Christians aware of their special bond with the Jewish people”. The theme of the Day is “Irrevocable calling and bestowal”. The bishops conveyed their “concern in acknowledging the spread of episodes of anti-Semitism over the past year – says the bishop of Coira – the Church in our country feels the need to underline her ties and her solidarity with the Jewish People. Considering the fears and suffering of many Jews, the Church feels it is her duty to firmly condemn hatred, persecution and all forms of anti-Semitism, and to invite to peace and reconciliation as well as to the respect and esteem for mankind, to be expressed also to our Jewish fellow-citizens. The Swiss Church is equally committed in ensuring that political controversies and debate refrain from propounding generic condemnations and from spreading ideological propaganda in the Country”. The bishop pointed out, “The bonds with the People of the Bible remind us of the permanent, ongoing responsibility of the Church vis a vis the Jewish people, notably the memory of the atrocities committed against the Jews during World War Two step up the Church’s sense of responsibility”. Indeed, the statement of the Council document Nostra Aetate 4 preserves its relevance: “Indeed, the church reproves every form of persecution against whomsoever it may be directed. Remembering, then, it’s common heritage with the Jews and moved not by any political consideration, but solely by the religious motivation of Christian charity, it deplores all hatreds, persecutions, displays of anti-semitism directed against the Jews at any time or from any source”.France: Paris invests on fathersA pilgrimage for fathers will be held in Paris, on the same day on which the Church celebrates Saint Joseph, March 19. The event was called by the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris André Vingt-Trois, on the basis of his experience of the event in other French, in preparation for the Year for the Family promoted by the Church of France. “We propose a privileged time of prayer for fathers”, said Fr.Denis Metzinger, Episcopal vicar for family pastoral care in the diocese of Paris. “The fact that fathers, family-men with busy professional lives, decide to take a day off to reflect on the time of Lent, a day devoted to God can shed further light on the family as a whole”. The program of the pilgrimage includes a procession to the Sacred Heart Basilica, a moment of reflection on paternity, a vigil of Eucharistic Adoration. In fact, Paris isn’t the only French diocese that has decided to dedicate a place of reflection to fathers: similar initiatives will take place also in the diocese of Rennes on April 10 (on the theme, “Forgiveness, source of joy to the heart of the family”) and in Cotignac in the first week-end of July (on the theme, “Oh Lord give me a heart that listens”).Romania: Fr. Rupnik to the priestsA course of spiritual exercises led by theologian, Jesuit Fr Marko Rupnik for Bulgarian and Romanian priests is ongoing in the monastery of the Carced Carmelites in Snagov, near Bucharest, from March 7-11. The course is attended by 15 priests from the Roman-Catholic diocese of Nicopole and from the Apostolic exarchate of Sofia (Greek-Catholic) including diocesan priests, Passionists, Salesians and Redemptorists. They are accompanied by the Greek-Catholic exharch Msgr. Christo Proykov. 20 priests and one deacon are participating from the Archdiocese of Bucharest and from the diocese of Iasi. Most of them are diocesan priests along with religious from the monastic orders of Don Orione, Somascans, and Calced Carmelites. The Archbishop of Bucharest Msgr. Ioan Robu accompanies the delegation. A similar initiative took place in Bucharest already 139 years ago, from February 23-27 1872, when Romanian and Bulgarian priests were called by the then bishop of Nicopole, Apostolic administrator of Valacchia (territory of the current archdiocese of Bucharest), Msgr. Ignazio Paoli, for a diocesan synod. On the afternoon of Monday March 7, Fr Rupnik presented the lines of the spiritual exercises, which are not designed to offer “theological or pastoral insights. Rather, their purpose is to undertake a common journey along an itinerary of prayer”.