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The leaders of the Christian Churches in the Ukraine have made an appeal for free and fair elections. The appeal was made in view of the approaching presidential elections on 21 November during a press conference attended by Church leaders, including the leaders of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Patriarch Philaret), of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church […]

ecumenism and dialogue" "

The European Council of Religious Leaders (ECRL), European branch of the World Council of Religions for Peace, has also taken a position on the law recently approved in France that prohibits the display of religious signs in public places. “Wearing religious dress and ornaments ought not to be considered a threat to the principles of […]

“Dressing the Blessed Virgin Mary as a young Jewish woman, preparing the Crib at Christmas, or distributing gifts for Epiphany, are all good things, but it’s also important to understand their original sense”, says Felipe Reina, organizer of a liturgical workshop for members of the confraternities in the diocese of Málaga, in Andalusia (Spain), referring […]

“The question who will exercise power for the next four years is not a matter of indifference to us”, declare the Catholic bishops of Latin and Byzantine rite in a communiqué issued at the end of the autumn assembly of the Romanian Episcopal Conference, held in Bucharest from 18 to 20 October. In view of […]

The political and religious worlds of England and Ireland have condemned the killing of Margaret Hassan, the woman aid worker of dual British and Irish nationality, who also retained her Iraqi citizenship (she married an Iraqi), and who has lived for years in Iraq where she worked as local director of the international humanitarian organization, […]

The spiritual and cultural dimension of Europe; a review of the work of the Prodi Commission and the priorities announced by his successor, Barroso; the Lisbon Strategy; and the possible start of membership negotiations with Turkey: these were some of the issues discussed by European bishops in Brussels in recent days, during the autumn plenary […]

Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, president of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference, made an appeal for reconciliation in Vienna in recent days, on the occasion of a solemn mass for the 60th anniversary of the first massacre of Germans in Vojvodina, on Tito’s orders. Some 60,000 German-speaking civilians were the victims of mass executions or deportation to Tito’s […]

Accommodation and volunteers are sought: that’s the appeal made by WYD organizers in recent days. So far over 10,000 offers of accommodation have been made by private citizens resident in the archdiocese of Cologne, where World Youth Day will be held next August: most of them are in the city of Cologne itself, the rest […]

“These guidelines will help to maintain the religious nature of the liturgy of funerals and encourage us to entrust our loved ones to God’s mercy, rendering Him thanks for the blessing they received in life”, said the Archbishop of Cashel and Emly, Dermot Clifford, in presenting the guidelines for the celebration of funerals published in […]

universities" "

Universities in Europe today are called to avoid “two opposite risks: either passively suffering the predominant cultural influences, or becoming marginal to them”. This is one of the key points made in the “Lineamenta” (guidelines) on “University apostolate in Europe”, drawn up by the European Committee of University Chaplains on behalf of the Council of […]