CHURCHES IN BRIEF
Germany: Pro-Life WeekAn ecumenical celebration that took place on 21st April, at Freising Cathedral, marked the beginning of the Pro-Life Week all over Germany, organised by the Catholic and Evangelical Churches. The theme is "Committed for life: with all generations", and lots of events will be held in the communities, churches and academies until 29th April to provide ideas and real examples of intergenerational cohabitation. "Families can be supported only if one acknowledges the principle that society has an essential responsibility for the family", card. Reinhard Marx, bishop of Munich-Freising and president of the Commission for Social Issues of the German Bishops Conference, stated during the sermon. In addition, card. Marx defined the family as the "decisive spring of life for society, culture and education" and urged the political world to be more supportive. Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, evangelical bishop of Bavaria, spoke of the new state of cohabitation in today’s society: "Sometimes, such attitudes are censored, but it is in fact a great opportunity", the bishop said, also rejoicing for the many initiatives presented in Freising for the Pro-Life Week.Hungary: new rules regarding religious educationTalks have started between the government and Churches in Hungary on the organisation of religious education, which will optionally be offered during regular school hours as of September 2013, under new public education laws. New rules, requiring pupils to attend one ethics class per week or choose religious education organised by Church instead, will apply to all primary schools. The ethics classes will be taught by teachers at schools, after they complete a 60-hour training. Religious education will be provided by Church teachers and catechists from outside the school. Parents will be able to choose among classes offered by several Churches registered in Hungary. Kornel Papp, head of the education office of the Hungarian Reformed Church, stated for the daily newspaper Magyar Nemze that talks with the state secretariat in charge of education addressed the practical matters regarding establishment of religious education. The guidelines should be ready by summer 2012.Slovakia: catholic church on government programPreparing the National plan for the support of the family and the constitutional law on the protection of marriage; ensuring equal financing of health-care, social and educational institutions regardless of the type of their ownership; increasing the minimum hours of religious education at school per week; and contributing financially to the preservation of historical and cultural monuments owned by the Church. These are some of the suggestions officially submitted by the Bishops’ Conference of Slovakia to contribute to the program of the new government. The offer for cooperation has come out of the recent round table meeting of representatives of various institutions with deputies of the winning party in the March parliamentary election, Direction-Social democracy. The president of the Bishops’ Conference, Mons. Stanislav Zvolenský, expressed hope that "every step of the new government will contribute to integral human development", caring about people "in all their dimensions". According to his words, protection of life from birth to natural death, support of work-free Sundays and protection of the right to conscientious objection "could bring benefit to the whole society".Ukraine: priests and journalists not in courtUkrainian parliamentary deputies have defined categories of persons who cannot be interrogated as witnesses with regard to information received by them in the process of fulfillment of their professional responsibilities. They decided that along with lawyers, notaries and representatives of victims or plaintiffs, also priests and journalists cannot be witnesses in court in regard to confidential information with which they are trusted. This wording of Article 65 of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine has been supported by 259 votes. Therefore, priests cannot give evidence concerning information received during confession and journalists concerning confidential information of professional character given to them on condition of non-disclosure. According to the website http://liga.net, they can be released from the responsibility to keep the professional secret. The release is to be given in written form and signed by the person who entrusted relevant information to them.
