Javier Rubio (*)

Elections and Independence

  December 21, beginning of the winter solstice, the longest night. Was it the same for the seats of the different parties competing in the Catalan elections? Probably not. The scenario prefigured by election results suggests to take it easy. It’s better to wait for Christmas, New Year and the Three Wise Men (Epiphany) to […]

A challenge involving the political realm

  As Latvia celebrates its 100th anniversary of independence in 2018, it set the goal of emptying its orphanages so that each of the approximately 1,200 children still living in “social care centres” may be welcomed in a Latvian family by 2021. The Ministry for Social Affairs headed by Jānis Reirs launched a nationwide campaign […]

Indipendentists and unionists

The circumstances that prefigured the climate prior to the election of the Catalan Parliament, Thursday, December 21 (working day and ahead of Christmas), are difficult to define. It had never happened in forty years of democracy in Spain. After the events of the first of October, with the attempt to hold a referendum resting on […]

Appeal

Do you wish to proclaim the Gospel to the poor? Come to Rrëshen! Are you a priest? A community of men or women religious? Do you yearn to proclaim the Gospel to the poor? Come and visit the diocese of Rrëshen in Albania. It’s the invitation to carry out the mission in the diocese of […]

Between past and present

Enshrined within the European Union owing to its member Countries, more precisely, to its nation-States: it is constitutionally expressed in the composition of its governing body, the European Council, that comprises the heads of state or government of the member states. In adherence to EU democratization processes, member States citizens – who are also EU […]

Solidarity

(from Sofia) They are among the most vulnerable brackets in Bulgarian society and they constitute the most numerous group, although they are often invisible and isolated in their loneliness. At the sundown of their lives, the old people of Bulgaria should be the object of special attention. Old people represent 12% of the overall population […]

Church in Europe

Narrating the life of a consecrated person or enabling young people to exchange views with their peers who decided to devote their life to God: today these experiences attract great media attention. The initiative can give a significant contribution also to educational and pastoral realms, especially with regard to the Synod of young people, convened […]

Recognition and autocephaly

Over the past 50 years the Macedonian Orthodox Church has been living in a state of division and isolation. It’s a painful situation with no easy solutions. Political factors have interfered with ecclesial issues and there are no clear rules about the ways in which an Orthodox Church can declare her independence. In a letter, […]

Witness to ancient civilization

Legend has it that Shasi, in the days of its ancient splendour, had so many churches that its citizens, faithful to the Roman Catholic rite, could pray in a different church every day of the year. Shasi is a medieval city located in the territory of Montenegro; its peculiarity is that it represents one of […]

Politics

(from New York) Only a few hours have passed since the end of the press conference in which US President Donald Trump declared Jerusalem capital of Israel triggering controversial reactions at global level, ranging from the enthusiasm of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, to the disapproval of Arab Countries and of many European leaders. We asked Andrea […]