Redazione

“Here in Finland our beloved new Holy Father is not very well known”, admits Marko Tervaportti, director of the Catholic Information Centre of the diocese of Helsinki, asked about the election of Benedict XVI and the reactions in Finland. “The reason for this lack of knowledge is rather clear and easy enough to guess: in […]

benedict xvi" "

“I wished to call myself Benedict XVI to link myself ideally with the venerated Pope Benedict XV, who led the Church in a traumatic period due to the First World War. He was a courageous and genuine prophet of peace… The name Benedict also calls to mind the “Patriarch of Western monasticism”, St. Benedict of […]

Europe and the ratification of the European Constitution are focal points of comments in the German press. Writing in the Frankfurter Rundschau (27/4), Brigitte Kols analyses the “ European dream” and comments “ EU enlargement is a project in the best European tradition: integration to guarantee peace and with the objective of social stability. This […]

european union " "

The recent meeting of the Council of justice and internal affairs of the EU has established that the new European Agency for managing cooperation with the external frontiers of the Twenty-Five will be based in the Polish capital. At the same time preparations are continuing for two other important meetings in Warsaw: the continental Youth […]

spain " "

With 183 votes in favour, 136 against and 6 abstentions the Spanish lower house of parliament, the Congress of Deputies, approved on 21 April the “Bill for the Reform of the Civil Code” which in effect gives the green light to homosexual unions. In substance the text of the bill introduces amendments to the Civil […]

GERMANy" "

The economic crisis of the German Church, the difficult integration of migrants in German society, and World Youth Day: these are all issues that challenge the Church and society in Germany. We discussed them with Msgr. JOSEF VOSS , auxiliary bishop of Munster and delegate of the German Bishops’ Conference for problems of immigration. The […]

romania" "

There is a diaspora of approximately a million Romanians who have emigrated to seek work, especially in Italy, Austria, Israel, Ireland and Spain. Many of them spend several years in the host country before returning home. This emigration creates both opportunities and problems, as explained to SIR by Monsignor PETRU GHERGHEL , bishop of Iasi, […]

“Very oppressive”: that’s how Franz Küberl, president of Caritas Austria, called the situation of poverty in Serbia. Küberl was able personally to verify the situation for himself during a recent visit to Belgrade. In an interview with the Austrian Catholic press agency Kathpress, published on 14 April, Küberl described the poverty that is widespread in […]

“Ridiculous”: the Catholic Church of England and Wales does not mince words in commenting on the new directives adopted by the authorities for religious education in the country of Norfolk in eastern England. These prescribe that no mention should be made of the fact that the bread and wine represent the body and blood of […]

“The objectives of the law are acceptable, but ambiguities remain that need to be clarified”: that’s the reaction of the French bishops to the new law relating to the rights of invalids and to the end of life. Called by many the “right to die” law, it was finally voted by the French Senate on […]