Redazione

EUROPE-USA

“The Obama administration is convinced of the need for a strong and vital European Union”, declared Joe Biden, Vice-President of the USA, guest of the European Parliament in Brussels on 6 May. He underlined the “strategic alliance” between the two shores of the Atlantic and the need to tackle “together” (a term he repeated several […]

EUROPE AND GREECE

There appears to be a short circuit between Europe and Greece. The “Economic forecasts” submitted in Brussels indicate a modest recovery after a long period of recession, while the European Parliament debated the “EU 2020 Strategy” for development and employment. On the same day, May 5, a popular revolt broke out in Athens against the […]

SURVEY OF IDEAS

“The basic problem of European culture, a problem that is even greater than the ongoing attacks against Christianity, is indifference and secularization, a widespread set of grey norms marked by indifference, and by rare glimpses or irony and sarcasm at the most, wanting of 19th century notional and noble contraposition”. Thus spoke Msgr. Gianfranco Ravasi, […]

COMECE

The May issue of the monthly magazine Europe Infos, published by the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE) in conjunction with the Jesuit European Office (Ocipe) features an editorial on the fifth anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II. According to Piotr Mazurkiewicz, current COMECE Secretary, from Poland, “his […]

GERMANY

A 720-page program with over 3000 events: it’s the second edition of the Ecumenical Day of the Churches (Ökt), due to be held in Munich May 12-16. 60 commissions representing ecclesial associations and institutions charged with project development are organizing the events. The wide range of events nears those offered in the first ecumenical encounter […]

Ireland: new bishops in Clogher and Derry Benedict XVI has accepted the withdrawal of Msgr. Joseph Duffy from the pastoral government of the diocese of Clogher (Ireland), by reason of exceeding age limits; in his place, the Pope appointed Msgr. Liam MacDaid, from the diocese of Clogher, and Chancellor of the Roman Curia until then. […]

Albania: the Church and the political and social situationAn “appeal on the social and political situation of Albania” to the highest institutional and political leaders of the country and “to all the people of good will” was published on May 5 by the Bishops of the Catholic Church of Albania, gathered in Tirana for their […]

PORTUGAL

Portugal is eagerly looking forward to the forthcoming visit of Benedict XVI (May 11-14). Over the past weeks, as SIR amply reported, the Portuguese bishops issued a Pastoral Note in which they convey their hope that the visit will not be remembered as “an occasional – albeit largely attended and festive – event”. Rather, they […]

FRONT PAGE

The game of dominoes is one that by its very nature does not stop. Depending on the skill and/or luck of the players, the game ends when all the pieces are laid together, or at any rate when most of them are. Then, if you like, the game can start all over again, with the […]

portogallo

Cresce l’attesa nel Paese lusitano per la visita di Benedetto XVI (11-14 maggio). Nelle scorse settimane, come ampiamente documentato dal SIR, i vescovi portoghesi avevano pubblicato una nota pastorale, nella quale auspicavano che la visita non rimanesse "un avvenimento passeggero, ancorché partecipato e festivo", ma che al contrario rappresentasse "il seme di un rinnovamento spirituale, […]