Juan Velarde Fuertes " "Universidad Complutense de Madrid" "" "

editorial" "

The end of the war in Iraq is in sight. And with it a whole series of unsubstantiated forecasts about its possible consequences are crumbling. However, at a time when the wounds produced by the war are slackening, it would be a big mistake – not only from the moral viewpoint, but also from the […]

late news" "

“Thank goodness, it’s over. That was the first reaction. But then a doubt: is it really the end of the war, of terrorism, of violence?”. SIR and Italian diocesan weeklies are posing this question in commenting on the toppling of the statue of a dictator which is always a suggestive sight and an eloquent sign […]

The collapse of the regime of Saddam Hussein occupied virtually all the front pages of the main European papers on 10 April, albeit with different nuances and comments. “Baghdad has fallen” (Le Figaro), “The fall of the Iraqi regime” (Le Monde), “The fall” (Liberation): that’s how the French dailies headlined the end of the dictatorship […]

The “European Forum for the teaching of religion in schools” was founded in 1984, after a meeting held in Alsace (24-28 October) by the Katholisches Schulkommissariat II in Bayern, on “The teaching of religion for secondary school pupils in Europe”. At the end of the meeting the need emerged to create a “permanent forum” to […]

roots" "

What contribution can the teaching of religion in schools make to the debate on the Christian roots of Europe? We put the question to Flavio Pajer, president of the European Forum for religious education in state schools (see pages 13-14). “To be truthful, I would speak more correctly of ‘Judeo-Christian roots’ (and I would speak […]

youth" "

What do the young ask of the new Europe that is taking shape? But above all, how do the young feel in Europe today? To understand better the state of mind, ambitions and aspirations of modern youth, SirEurope, on the eve of the 18th World Youth Day (Sunday 13 April), interviewed Gudrun Lang , jurist […]

Meanwhile, the Women’s Table, under the auspices of KEK, has promoted a meeting in Brno (Czech Republic) on the traffic in women, from which it emerges that the women of central Europe are often the victims of violence; that they are discriminated against and exploited at work; that the rate of female unemployment is higher […]

“The Churches in Europe: witnesses of healing” is the title of a recently published book by Keith Clements, general secretary of the KEK (Conference of the European Churches that represents 126 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches and 43 church organizations throughout the continent). “Personal contribution by Clements – says a press release of […]

ecumenism" "

The Patriarch of Moscow and of all the Russias, Alexis II, recently sent a letter to the faithful of the Russian diaspora in Western Europe and their pastors to describe the plan to create a metropolitan province in the area which would bring together Orthodox dioceses, parishes, communities and monasteries of Russian origin and tradition. […]

“Peace on earth” is the name of the mission to the Holy Land of 20 young people, chosen by the national Service of youth apostolate of the Italian Bishops’ Conference and by the national office for missionary cooperation between the Churches. A mission for peace, explain the organizers, “with the objectives of bearing witness to […]