Bishop calls for an end to deaths at sea

The Bishop of Sigüenza-Guadalajara and chairman of the episcopal Commission for Migrations, the Right Rev. José Sánchez, has urged the government, in a letter this week, to take the necessary measures to prevent other deaths of immigrants off the Spanish coasts. The bishop referred in particular to the tragic incident last week when 80 immigrants […]

di Redazione

Five thousand youth with the Pope in August

Over 5,000 youth from throughout the archdiocese of Madrid will go in pilgrimage to Rome, from 3 August, and be received by the Pope at Castelgandolfo on 9 August. “Let’s take to the road” is the slogan of the pilgrimage, which is addressed to the youth of the Ecclesiastical Province of Madrid (comprising Alcalá, Castrense, […]

di Redazione

SPAIN

St. James, “living memory”

The feast of St. James the Apostle represents the “living memory of Spain’s identity” that invites the country “to return to the origins of its most authentic history and humanly and spiritually to renew itself by rediscovering the Christian heritage that reveals its roots”, said Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela, Archbishop of Madrid, on the […]

di Redazione

Poland: a virtual pilgrimage

A virtual pilgrimage to Jasna Gora: that is what is being proposed this year by the Catholic internet portal “Opoka” and the mobile telephone network Plus. Traditionally, in Poland, August is the month of pilgrimages to Czestochowa of Catholics from all over the country. This year, as explained by the President of the “Opoka” foundation, […]

di Redazione

Italy: European Franciscan Meeting

“Go Francesco, repair my… Europe” is the subject of the European Franciscan meeting, promoted by the Union of the Minor Friars of Europe, which is taking place in Assisi from 7 to 12 August. One thousand young people from all over the Old Continent will ponder over the contribution which the Franciscan charisma has made […]

di Redazione

Portugal: World Assembly of Christian Family

The 10th World Assembly/14th General Assembly of the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements (ICCFM) opened in Fatima on July 25th, and will go on until July 29th, at the Paul VI Pastoral Centre. The Assembly was established in Venezuela, in 1966, with the aim of helping the family to live its human and Christian […]

di Redazione

Turkey: Erdogan, “the trust of the people”

“The current government has managed to assure a minimum harmony between the pro-Islamic tendencies of the majority party and the laity of the State”, and “in spite of all its defects and incongruity, it kept the economic growth of the country. For this reason, it obtained the trust of the people”. Thus, Father Ruben Tierrablanca, […]

di Redazione

Austria: congress on Bible literature

The Bible in art, poverty and social justice, as well as Christian-Jewish dialogue, are the main themes on the agenda of the 25th congress of the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) held in Vienna from 23 to 26 July. Over 1,000 scholars from all over the world took part in the congress; the universities of […]

di Redazione

Czech Republic: the way of St. James

From Bohemia to Bavaria and then into the Austrian Tyrol for a total of 458 km: that’s the new stretch of the trans-European pilgrimage route of St James inaugurated on 25 July at Cesky Krumlov in the Czech Republic. The opening of the new pilgrims’ way occurred fittingly on the apostle’s feast day in the […]

di Redazione

Ireland: St. Columbanus Patron of Europe?

With a letter addressed to Vatican Secretary of State Casrdinal Tarcisio Bertone and a message to Benedict XVI, the communities throughout Europe dedicated to St. Colombanus (born in Ireland, c. 525-530 – died at Bobbio, Piacenza, in 615) ask that the monk, preacher and founder of monasteries, a native of Ireland, be included among the […]

di Redazione