Redazione

European Churches" "

The celebrations of St. Lucy, the metrical hymns deriving from ancient medieval compositions, the Christmas crib, the prayer meetings in Catholic schools, in the mixed Catholic-Lutheran form: these are just some of the highlights of Advent in Denmark, a country in which Catholics form a tiny, albeit very lively minority (only 35,000 out of a […]

Germany" "

Reforming the welfare state: a thorny question for Germany, which has been discussing it for months at the various institutional levels. A document on this issue was presented by the Commission for social questions of the German Bishops’ Conference on 12 December 2003. Its aim is to offer “guidance to ensure political decision-making ability” and […]

Ukraine" "

On 4 December John Paul II, recalling the 70th anniversary of the famine (Holomodor ) – deliberately engineered by Stalin to bend the Ukraine to his will –, appealed for pacification, concord and cooperation. Persecution by the Communist regime, with millions of victims, lasted for many decades. In 1991 the Constitution and the law on […]

France" "

The report of the Bernard Stasi Commission was presented in France on Thursday, 11 December. The Commission was given the task of listening to and taking into examination the views of French citizens on the lay State, in the light of the debate that has been raging in France over the last few months. It’s […]

after Brussels" "

The post-Brussels debate continues to rage. SIR has sounded out various views on the failure of the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) held in the Belgian capital on 12/13 December and the failure to approve the constitutional Treaty for the EU. COMECE “Adopting a constitutional Treaty for the EU is of fundamental importance for the good of […]

front page" "

The tensions responsible for the serious failure of the Brussels summit are not the result of fundamental issues, on the contrary: it is simply a question of having a little more or a little less power compared to others in the Union’s future Institutions, and this to the detriment of the good functioning of these […]

Germany" "

Reforming the welfare state: a thorny question for Germany, which has been discussing it for months at the various institutional levels. A document on this issue was presented by the Commission for social questions of the German Bishops’ Conference on 12 December 2003. Its aim is to offer “guidance to ensure political decision-making ability” and […]

ucraina" "

On 4 December John Paul II, recalling the 70th anniversary of the famine (Holomodor ) – deliberately engineered by Stalin to bend the Ukraine to his will –, appealed for pacification, concord and cooperation. Persecution by the Communist regime, with millions of victims, lasted for many decades. In 1991 the Constitution and the law on […]

“No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. So reads the fifth article of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed 55 years ago. It was also the prayer recited during the ecumenical prayer meeting for human rights held in Barcelona on 9 December. This prayer […]

European Churches" "

“The contribution of the ecclesial community to the promotion of the rule of law and peace in our world is the object of this letter. In the declaration we consider it should be accorded first place in our Church, in our parishes and in our diocesan, national and international associations. But in the campaign aimed […]