CHURCHES IN BRIEF
England: a “victory” for children”A vital” victory “to protect children facing poverty”: with these words Liam Allmark, Public Policy Officer at Caritas Social Action Network (CSAN), the umbrella organisation for Catholic social care charities, welcomed on January 24 the vote by the House of Lords which decided to protect “child benefit”, the allowance given by the British Welfare System for each child. The amendment to the Welfare Reform Bill, tabled by the Anglican Lord Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, was carried by 252 votes to 237, and comes after numerous faith groups and charities expressed concern over the impact that the bill will have on children. In a letter published in the Times last week, Catholic Archbishop Peter Smith also echoed warnings over the impact of the benefit cap on families. The Archbishop then joined other faith leaders from the Christian, Muslim and Jewish communities in a further statement, asking that at least Child Benefit be excluded from the Welfare Reform Bill. According to Caritas Social Action Network, excluding Child Benefit from the Reform Bill “will allow a degree of flexibility in recognition of children’s basic needs, and will mitigate the impact on some of the poorest and most vulnerable families in our society. We hope that the government will take account of the concerns expressed by those working to support these families and will review this area before the Welfare Reform Bill returns to the House of Commons”. “The bill – Liam Allmark explained – will return to the House of Commons in February and, then, it may be sent back to the House of Lords, but we hope that the government will change the bill, save the Benefit and avoid parliamentary ping-pong”.France: 2.500 young people at “Ecclesia Campus”In the wake of the World Youth Day 2011 of Madrid, French boys and girls will meet again. From 4th to 5th February, Rennes will host the first “Ecclesia Campus”, a national students’ meeting promoted by the university pastoral service with the Christian students’ association in conjunction with the diocese of Rennes. 2,500 students from 85 cities all over France are expected to take part in the event, at which such young people have been working for three years. The subject of the meeting will be: “Church, one and different, at the service of society”. The schedule includes 35 theme workshops, 7 big conferences, parties and prayers. The students will also have a chance to meet the main guests: card. Philippe Barbarin, Elena Lasida, Jacques Barrot, father Alois of Taizé, the bishop Pierre d’Ornellas, and discuss major social issues with them. These young people will be hosted by 500 families in Rennes.Belgium: searches in religious ordersThe investigators’ searches, as part of what has by now been called “Opèration Calice-bis”, that is, the investigation of the sex abuse committed within pastoral relations, are going on in Belgium. After searching the offices of virtually all Belgian dioceses (Malines-Brussels, Hasselt, Gand, Bruges, Tournai and Namur) last week, the agency of the Belgian Bishops Conference (www.catho.be) reports that searches have gone on and have taken place in the religious orders, congregations and communities across the country. The investigators – as stated in a notice – are investigating “potential cases of negligence and lack of assistance to people in danger within the Church”.Germany: concern for Nigeria”The German Bishops Conference is very concerned about the rising terrorist violence in Nigeria”: this is how, in a release published on January 25, the Permanent Council of the German Bishops Conference (DBK) expresses its “dismay” about the latest terrorist attacks that killed about 200 people in Kano and Bauchi. According to DBK, “the escalation of violence in Nigeria has many sources. It is clear that the current conflict cannot only be blamed on tensions between Muslims and Christians”. However, the release goes on, “we must bear in mind that such terrorist attacks, especially those committed by the radical Muslim group Boko Haram, are increasingly targeting Christians and their institutions”. The DBK, along with the Nigerian Bishops Conference, is therefore urging the country’s government “to engage in constructive talks with all the key players, especially with the Christian Churches and the Islamic leaders”, asking to protect the Christian institutions. In addition, DBK asks the German government and the international community “to do all they can to ensure the defeat of violence and chaos in Nigeria, full religious freedom, especially for Christians, and a peaceful cohabitation of all religions”.
