Women status: inactivity rate

There are still lights and shadows on the status of women in Europe in the field of employment. The recent Eurostat report on exclusion from the job market in 2006 revealed that the inactivity rate of women aged 25-54 amounts to 23.6%, compared to 8.1% of men. As a result, the so-called “family responsibilities” (marriage, […]

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EU COUNCIL

More effective and democratic

“The Treaty of Lisbon is for a more modern, more effective and more democratic Europe. It “does not conflict with what is specific to each nation, but provides a framework of shared rules”, declared JOSÉ SOCRATES , Portuguese premier and acting President of the EU Council, on receiving the heads of State and of government […]

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REVIEW OF IDEAS

The wind of dialogue

“Over the last 400 years strong winds have blown on Christianity in Europe, weakening faith and institutions”, says JOSEPH SEFERTA , member of the archdiocesan Commission of Birmingham for inter-religious dialogue, writing in the November/December 2007 number of the British bimonthly journal “The Pastoral Review”. In a reflection on Christianity and Islam in Great Britain, […]

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COMMUNITY LAW

Can it be imposed?

The question of unions between same-sex couples has in recent times come to the fore in the debate being conducted at the European level on individual rights and family rights. While some States have already legislated on the matter and others are discussing whether or how to approve new forms of “unions” or “marriages”, including […]

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TAIZÉ

Hope in the youth

Ability to listen in conflict situations, commitment and attention “for an equal redistribution of the fruits of the Earth”, closeness to the poor and the ability “to achieve forgiveness”. These are the underlying topics of the European Youth Meeting promoted by the Ecumenical Community of Taizé in Geneva from December 28 to January 1 2008. […]

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Dialogue with Moscow’s Patriarchate

“We are ready for dialogue on Church-related topics with the Patriarchate of Moscow”, declared these past days Igor Kowalewski, Secretary of the Russian Bishops Conference, emphasizing that the Church is ready to dialogue with the Orthodox not only at the level of the relations between the Vatican and the Patriarchate of Moscow but also at […]

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Prayer and help to the Catholic Church in Russia

On Sunday December 9 Poland’s Church celebrated its day of prayer and help to the Catholic Church on former USSR territory. Presently, in the former Soviet Union Countries operate approximately 250 diocesan priests, 450 religious priests, over 600 women religious, 23 brothers religious and a few lay volunteers. The Polish Church has been helping East […]

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POLAND

Expressions of gratitude to Cardinal Glemp

Cardinal Józef Glemp (b. 1929), primate of Poland since 1981 (until 2009) and – until 2007 – archbishop and apostolic administrator of Warsaw, retired on December 6 retired. “We want to thank you all the good you have done during all this time” – said Msgr. Slawoj Leszek Glodz addressing himself to Card. Glemp during […]

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KOSOVO

For everyone’s rights

December 10 marked the expiry of the last deadline of the Kosovans – Serbs negotiations on the future asset of Kosovo, while the unilateral proclamation of independence of the region of Pristina from Serbia is drawing near. Today, December 14, the issue will be addressed during the summit under way in Brussels, and next week […]

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Slovakia: Pastoral Care 2007/2013

Family, youth and the poor. These are the priorities addressed by the Slovakian Catholic Church from 2007 to 2013. It was stated in a communiqué issued last week , by the press office of the Bishops Conference of Slovakia abridging the Pastoral Care plan adopted by the 58th Bishops Plenary Meeting held in Donovaly on […]

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