ECUMENISM

Wcc: message for Christmas 2006

To shepherds, the outcasts of society at that time, was entrusted the task of announcing the birth of Jesus. The shepherds were transformed into angels, for the original meaning of the word ‘angel’ is messenger”. The shepherds remind us of the many excluded people in our own society. The Christmas Message 2006 of Samuel Kobia, […]

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Italy: 40th anniversary of the Fisc

“Catholics in politics. Free or scattered?”. The Italian Federation of Catholic Weeklies (FISC, 162 weeklies for a total print-run of a million copies) intends to make a contribution to the question at its extraordinary Assembly, now being held in Rome from 23 to 25 November, to mark the 40th anniversary of its foundation (27 November […]

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Hungary: liturgical year dedicated to St. Elizabeth

The liturgical feast of St. Elizabeth of Hungary, patron saint of the Franciscan Third Order, was opened on 19 November, in the year dedicated to her. The liturgy was celebrated in the basilica of St. Stephen in Budapest. “Saint Elizabeth is not only a model of charity to our neighbour, but also an inspiring example […]

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Spain: 55,000 signatures against foreign debt

A group of Spanish citizens, originally from the poorest countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America, delivered 55,000 signatures to the Register of the Congress of Deputies in Madrid on 17 November. With these signatures they intend to ask “forgiveness from the poorest countries for the debts they have with countries like Spain”. The signatures […]

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Portugal: heterologous insemination illegitimate

“All practices of heterologous insemination permitted by the present law, such as insemination with sperm or egg cells from persons other than the couple itself and the donation of embryos, are morally illegitimate”, declare the Portuguese bishops in a pastoral statement issued in recent days, with regard to the new law on medically assisted procreation, […]

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TURKEY

Following the Council’s path

Demonstrations and protests are keeping tension high in Turkey in the run up to the apostolic journey of Benedict XVI to the country (28 November-1st December). They include even sensational events like that staged by the militants of the ultra-nationalist BHP party, close to the terrorist organization “grey wolves” to which the would-be assassin of […]

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FRONT PAGE

Actors and spectators

Islam is one of the things that worries many people in the West, whether believers or not, not so much for the relative success of Islam’s spiritual message – few baptized embrace it – but for its expansionary drive, its ‘sacralization’ of violence, which some justify with the Koran, and the global project of society […]

di Fouad Twal Coadjutor Archbishop of Jerusalem

European dailies and periodicals

“Far more difficult than its persecutions will be when Christianity loses its appeal, when it becomes a mere rite, and many Christians abandon the faith for the private rituals of life” , writes Father Augustyn Pelanowski in an article dedicated to the danger of the “eclipse of faith” published in number 47/2006 of the Polish […]

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Encouraging economic forecasts for 2006-2008

“After years of disappointing results, in 2006 the economy of the EU should register the best results since the beginning of the decade and in 2007 and 2008 should grow at a rate close to its potential. That shows the advantages of the economic reforms and the improvements of public accounts and should encourage member […]

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Employment 2005: “flexicurity” increases

On 6 November the Eu published the definitive data on employment in Europe for the year 2005. The Eu still presents lower figures than the USA and Japan for the employment rate of the working population (63.8%) and for employment growth in annualised terms (+0.9%). But the increase of both figures over 2004 underlines the […]

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