ITALY

The reasons of hope

“Calling Italian Catholics to bear witness, with a credible lifestyle, to the Risen Christ as the good news capable of responding to the deepest hopes and yearnings of contemporary man”: that, according to Cardinal DIONIGI TETTAMANZI, archbishop of Milan and chairman of the preparatory Committee of the 4th Meeting of the Italian Church (CEC), due […]

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Switzerland: the forum of the diocese of Lausanne

The diocese of Lausanne-Geneva-Fribourg will hold its second Forum at Renens on 30 September, after that held in October 2003 which marked the launch of the regrouping of parishes and the consequent birth of 52 pastoral units. “It’s a reorganization that is taking place without great difficulties thanks to the good will of the faithful”, […]

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Poland: President Kaczynski in the Holy Land

The President of the Polish Republic, Lech Kaczynski, recently made an official visit to Israel and the Territories of the Palestinian Authority. This was the first visit of a head of state to the country since the end of the war between the Israeli army and Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. The President met the […]

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Scandinavia: return to the origins

A “return to the origins”, in the areas where the Catholic Church took the first steps in a renewed process of evangelization after decades of absence following the Reformation: for the bishops of the five countries of the Scandinavian Bishops Conference (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Denmark), the meeting recently held at Alta, in northern […]

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Spain: many Catholics but few practising

The average Spaniard is married, Catholic and socialist. Only 17% participate in mass every Sunday: that’s what emerges from the survey conducted by the Centre of Sociological Research (CIS) on “social classes and social structure” in Spain. Almost eight Spaniards in ten declare themselves Catholics, but only 17% are practising. 47.3% of Spaniards work and […]

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England: a survey on suppressed holidays

A large number of Catholics in England and Wales do not agree with the decision of the Bishops’ Conference to suspend the weekday Mass, hitherto obligatory, for the feast-days of the Ascension, Corpus Domini and Epiphany and transfer them to the following Sunday. It is the priests, on the contrary, who approve the change. So […]

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Scotland: St. Andrew, national holiday on 30 November?

The Scottish Cardinal Keith O’ Brien has responded with “great joy” to the news that Scottish First Minister Jack McConnell has lent his support to the campaign launched last year to transform 30 November, the feast of St. Andrew, patron of Scotland, into a national holiday. In England and Wales, all the national holidays are […]

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CCEE: MIGRATION

The European dream

The meeting of national directors for migration of the 25 Bishops’ Conferences of Europe has just ended in Siguenza, in Spain, with an appeal for development policies and the better reception of young immigrants in Europe. Promoted by the Council of the European Bishops’ Conferences (Ccee), the meeting (21-24 September) was devoted to the theme […]

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FRONT PAGE

A bad teacher

The opinion polls did not get it wrong: 68% of Swiss voters as a whole (almost 80% in central Switzerland, a good deal less in French-speaking Switzerland) approved the new law on foreigners and the reform of the law on the right of asylum in last Sunday’s referendum. These laws were supported by the government […]

di Jacques Berset director of Apic - Switzerland

ECUMENISMO: IL CARD. TETTAMANZI IN VISITA ALLA CHIESA ORTODOSSA RUSSA

"La visita dell’arcivescovo di Milano si inscrive come circostanza che conferma e ulteriormente sviluppa le relazioni tra la diocesi ambrosiana e il patriarcato di Mosca, anche a seguito della accresciuta presenza in Milano di fedeli ortodossi russi con i quali la chiesa cattolica diocesana ha già istituito rapporti di viva cordialità". È quanto si legge […]

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