Italy: master’s degree on Bible and European culture

“Displaying detailed knowledge of the influence exerted by the Bible and the study of biblical texts on the formation of European culture”: that’s the objective of the Italy’s first post-graduate degree on “Bible and European culture. Biblical texts as source of philosophic and theological thought, literature and art”. Organized by the Faculty of letters and […]

di Redazione

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA

Learning to respect each other

“Religions have lived together in this land for centuries; Islam too has been mediated by the culture of this country, which is a Slav culture, I would almost say a European culture. During the period of Ottoman rule, many were Muslims in public, but Christians in their family: this moderate attitude also contributed to integration. […]

di Redazione

Caritas: interventions and appeals for solidarity

An appeal for “urgent aid to the populations involved in the escalation of violence in Lebanon and in the Gaza Strip” was made by the Secours Catholique-Caritas France network, which also asks both sides in the conflict to “cease their fire and undertake negotiations”. The aid organization also urges the international community to “act to […]

di Redazione

Belgium: praying in the parishes

“We think in particular today of our Christian brothers and sisters in the Holy Land and throughout the Middle East. We entrust to God the suffering and the grief of all the victims of the violence of war. We pray for peace and forgiveness, for the desire for concord and for respect for each and […]

di Redazione

England: a prayer vigil

A silent prayer vigil for peace in the Middle East, led by Archbishop Patrick Kelly, was held in the metropolitan cathedral of Christ the King in Liverpool on the evening of 18 July. Kelly, who is also vice-president of the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales and coordinator for the bishops of support to the […]

di Redazione

Switzerland: may wisdom triumph over hatred

“May reason and wisdom triumph over hatred and vengeance!”: that’s the hope expressed by the Swiss bishops in reaction to the escalating crisis in the Middle East. The Swiss Bishops’ Conference, “dismayed by the flaring up of the conflict” involving Israel and Lebanon, prays that “further blood may not be shed” and “urges a peaceful […]

di Redazione

MIDDLE EAST

France: may the acts of violence cease

“In these sorrowful hours for your country and for the Lebanese people, I wish on behalf of the French bishops to confirm our fraternal affection and our solidarity”. So begins the message that Cardinal Jean Pierre Ricard, archbishop of Bordeaux and president of the French Bishops’ Conference, has sent to the patriarchs and bishops of […]

di Redazione

FRONT PAGE

The great absentee

In the war in progress between Israel and Lebanon, without forgetting Gaza, there is a ‘great absentee’: the international community. At the start of the conflict, there was no attempt to halt the escalation of violence that is destroying cities, sowing death and injuries among the civil populations on both sides. It’s not just a […]

di Ricardo Bustos Father Custodian of the basilica of the Annunciation, Nazareth

European dailies

The Middle East fills all the front pages of the main European dailies: “The Lebanese lament the return to chaos” ( La Croix , 19/7), “The resistance of the Hezbollah causes a debate in Israel” ( Le Monde , 20/7), “The bloodiest day” ( El Pais , 20/7). Concerns are also expressed about the crisis […]

di Redazione

Eu and rights of minors

The European Commission has now adopted the eagerly awaited Communication “Towards an EU strategy on the rights of minors”, by which for the first time Brussels has pledged to intervene in a horizontal (trans-sectorial) manner in a sphere that is “far from a situation of general respect for the rights of minors and in which […]

di Redazione